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LOCAL EDUCATION
SK Equestrian Academy offers in-person education at our facility in Willard, MO.
Equine Education Programs
Equine-assisted learning activities help children & adults develop valuable life skills, while also supporting our equine rescue efforts.
Not your average horse lessons! At SKE, we believe:
🐎 Horses deserve to have their needs met first, then be invited to interact/perform
🐎 Horses are not sporting equipment
🐎 Riding is a privilege, not a right
🐎 Horsemanship & riding should be fun for the horse
🐎 Horses have the right to say "no"
🐎 These rules apply to people, too!
SKE focuses on gentle horsemanship methods. We use positive reinforcement training, meaning we emphasize rewards, autonomy/choice/consent, & having a willing equine partner.
At SKE, you won't find:
❌ Whips, Spurs, Bits, Chains
❌ Yelling, Force, Fear, Stress
At SKE, you will find:
✔️ Happy Horses
✔️ Happy Students
What we do during Equine Education programs:
🐎Daily horse care: feeding, watering, cleaning
🐎 Husbandry: grooming, hoof trimming, at-home vet care
🐎 Training: cooperative care & life skills, confidence building, basic handling, riding foundations, basic riding
🐎 Odd jobs/projects: enrichment activities for horses, facility improvement projects
Learn about psychology and behavior 🧠
Horses provide us with incredible clarity and understanding regarding our own behavior and that of others, by acting as a "simplified" metaphor for human actions and motivations.
Learn about trauma-informed healing ❤️🩹
Unfortunately, the majority of the equine industry is toxic and abusive toward these amazing animals - and humans can be this way toward each other, too. Providing safety, security, and care to the horses can help provide clarity and emphasize the importance of caring for ourselves and each other. Helping the horses work through their trauma and fears can provide inspiration and insight into our own healing journeys. Seeing these horses survive what they've been through and go on to be empowered, strong, thriving, and full of life provides us with confidence in the ability to overcome adversity.
Horsemanship
Lessons
Direct instruction from Steph Bradshaw, CHBC guided by the student's needs & interests.
Not your average horse lessons! At SKE, we believe:
🐎 Horses deserve to have their needs met first, then be invited to interact/perform
🐎 Horses are not sporting equipment
🐎 Riding is a privilege, not a right
🐎 Horsemanship & riding should be fun for the horse
🐎 Horses have the right to say "no"
🐎 These rules apply to people, too!
SKE focuses on gentle horsemanship methods. We use positive reinforcement training, meaning we emphasize rewards, autonomy/choice/consent, & having a willing equine partner.
At SKE, you won't find:
❌ Whips, Spurs, Bits, Chains
❌ Yelling, Force, Fear, Stress
At SKE, you will find:
✔️ Happy Horses
✔️ Happy Students
What we learn during Horsemanship Lessons:
🐎 Handling Skills: How to interact with our equines safely from the ground & at liberty, with a focus on building trust, communication, and establishing partnership.
🐎 Training: Learn advanced behavior theory & skills, including how to teach cooperative care, advanced liberty behaviors, riding behaviors, and more.
🐎 Competition: Get direct instruction & feedback from TECS founding judge, Steph Bradshaw, and compete with our horses or your own. Kids can even join our Youth Team!
🐎 Riding: Gain skills in the saddle with our lesson horses or build a relationship with your own horse under saddle.
Local Training Programs
Consultations & training for local equine owners, and board & train options, with a focus on ethical, effective methods & relationship building.
Individualized Approach:
🐎 Owner goals are well-established from the start
🐎 Expectations for timelines & results are communicated clearly & effectively
🐎 Everyone is happy with the partnership that develops - humans & equines!
Effective Communication:
🐴 All training sessions are logged in depth
🐴 Logs are available online for owners to read
🐴 Owners can get updates as often as desired
SKE focuses on gentle horsemanship methods. We use positive reinforcement training, meaning we emphasize rewards, autonomy/choice/consent, & having a willing equine partner.
At SKE, you won't find:
❌ Whips, Spurs, Bits, Chains
❌ Yelling, Force, Fear, Stress
At SKE, you will find:
✔️ Happy Horses
✔️ Happy Clients
Training at SKE is specialized to the client & equine. Contact us today to discuss training consultations and/or board & train options.