The top priority at MRHT is creating mutually beneficial relationships between horses and the people who love them. There are two components to the program that work together in developing these successful and long-lasting partnerships.

Wholeness Through Horsemanship - Educating people in the ways of partnership with horses.

The Wholeness Through Horsemanship program is designed as a comprehensive and progressive curriculum, providing students with a solid foundation upon which to build their horsemanship dreams. Emphasis is placed on understanding the horse's instinctive psychology and behavior. Relationships that are characterized by mutual respect and trust are established through groundwork, after which the privilege of riding can then be enjoyed. Horse owners and enthusiasts alike will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to earn the position of herd leader, both on the ground and in the saddle. See below for details and rates.

Wanted Horse Training Program - Educating horses in the ways of partnership with people.

MRHT accepts a limited number of horses for training in the Wanted Horse Training Program. Horses receive a solid and diverse education and learn to be respectful, confident, and willing partners, both on the ground and under saddle. This program is informed by the current unwanted horse epidemic. You can read about The Unwanted Horse Issue in this article. See below for details and rates.

HORSEMANSHIP INSTRUCTION - Wholeness Through Horsemanship

Courses: $350 (includes overnight board for your horse or use of lesson horse). Courses are greater than one day in length and may have prerequisites. Participants are encouraged to bring their own horse, or a lesson horse may be reserved. Overnight board is included in the cost, but participants must supply their own hay and grain/supplements, if applicable. Participants must be registered and have paid in full prior to the course start date. Class size is limited to ensure individual attention.

Clinics: $150. Clinics are one day in length and, unless otherwise noted, do not have prerequisites. If applicable, participants may bring their own horse, or a lesson horse may be reserved. Participants must be registered and have paid in full prior to the clinic start date. Class size is limited to ensure individual attention.

Private Instruction: $50/hour

Auditing: $25/day

HORSE TRAINING - Wanted Horse Training Program

Training Packages: Full time training - $900/month (includes board, 5 training hours per week, 4 lessons with owner). Part time training - $700/month (includes board, 3 training hours per week, 2 lessons with owner).

Training Session: $40/hour

TRAILERING

$35 base + $2.00/mile. First 15 min. of loading horse at no charge, each additional 15 min. helping horse to load @ $15.00

TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS

$40/hour

Courses and Clinics: Cancellations greater than 30 days from the start of the course or clinic will receive full refund, minus 50% non-refundable deposit required at time of registration; spot in course or clinic and deposit are fully transferable to another individual of your choice. Cancellations less than 30 days from the start of the course or clinic receive no refund; spot in course or clinic is fully transferable to another individual of your choice.

Auditing: Auditor tickets are non-refundable, but transferable to anyone.

Private instruction: Requires at least 24-hour notice. Less than 24-hour notice will result in full charge for that lesson.

• What is groundwork and why is it important?
  Groundwork is learning how to understand and communicate with the horse from the ground. The goal is to gain the ability to control the horse's movement, which is how leadership is established in the horse's natural language. Being viewed by the horse as their respected and trusted herd leader is essential, as it helps to ensure safety, success, and a mutually beneficial partnership once on their back. Learn more about the natural language of the horse in Emily's collection of articles.
• Do I need to own a horse to be a part of the program?
  Absolutely not! MRHT has a wonderful group of lesson horses available for your learning. In fact, taking horsemanship lessons prior to owning your first horse is highly recommended and is a terrific gift to your future equine partner.
• If I have been around horses for a long time, do I still need to take Horsemanship 101: Earning Respect?
  Yes. All students begin with the Horsemanship 101 course, as it is the foundation upon which a "sky is the limit" relationship is enjoyed with horses. New students find that it provides them with the knowledge and skills needed to enter the world of horses with confidence. And more experienced students often report that the course filled in the gaps in their understanding of horses and increased their knowledge of the "how" and "why" in horsemanship. You may read about what past students have said about their experience in the Horsemanship 101 course on the What People are Saying page.
• When can I expect to ride a horse?
  At MRHT, riding a horse is seen as a privilege that is earned. All students, regardless of prior experience, begin with groundwork in order to gain the position of respected and trusted herd leader. Gaining this position—and the horse's permission to ride which accompanies it—can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on each student's rate of learning.

•  Courses
•  Clinics
•  Trail Riding
•  Kids' Lesson Program
•  Calendar