The Harmonized Handling Program

For horses who are ready to begin a relationship with humans.

Instinctively, humans and horses communicate differently. So, being a domesticated horse in a human world takes mindfulness and responsibility. Unlike natural horsemanship and traditional horsemanship programs, the Harmonized Handling Program creates the desired behaviors we want in our horses without turning to dominance and submission. Horses are highly sensitive, intuitive beings that do not need to be flooded with stimuli to learn. On the contrary, when we flood their nervous systems (i.e. moving their feet as punishment, sacking out, etc.), we are not communicating with the part of them that is ready to learn. Instead we are initiating a flight response, which, when left with no choice to flee, will produce the freeze effect.

Horses who learn how to freeze as a method of coping with human interaction will undoubtedly explode at some point. Instead of teaching them to freeze and desensitizing them with an overuse of aids and training drills, The Harmonized Handling Program creates true softness by rewarding the most subtle tries. The result? A willing, sensitive, happy horse who will be easily and safely handled on the ground, no matter the task! Whether you have a weanling, yearling or an adult horse that hasn’t been handled yet, this program is a fit. 

The program includes:

• halter and leading training if needed

• Teaching the horse to look to the human when they are unsure

• Respectful Horsemanship groundwork curriculum

• Hoof handling, trailer loading, bathing, clipping, tying, and other basic “horse skills”

• Relaxation and softness of the head, neck and shoulders for reliable handling on the ground

Prerequisites:

Horses must be 4 months old to enter the program. 

Timeframe:

Most horses complete the Harmonized Handling Program in 3 months. The older the horse, the longer it may take. If the horse has past trauma or bad experiences with humans, this can take much longer. A more specific timeframe will be discussed upon evaluation. 

Cost:

The average cost for this program is $1400/month for a young horse with no bad experiences and $1700/month for a horse who is older and unhandled or has faced past trauma or abuse. A specific cost will be determined upon evaluation.