At Blue Harbor Farm, we believe that everyone can benefit from time with a horse. Whether you have the good fortune to have a horse of your own, or just enjoy an occasional trail ride, or maybe you volunteer at a local therapeutic riding center or horse sanctuary, or dream of one day getting the opportunity to know and love a horse, we have a program for you. We work with a combination of the Irwin Insights concepts, as well as incorporating principles of yoga, chi gong, mindfulness, guided meditation & visualization, energy & chakra balancing, and alexander technique. All of these remarkable energy systems are available to help unlock your true potential in partnership with a horse.
TRAINING: Yes, we train horses. But more importantly, we train humans in how to be with horses. In essence, we "train the trainer." Using the language of the horse (body language) we work together to help you become a confident, trustworthy partner with your beloved horse (whether your own horse or one you are thrilled to get to be with for a while). The Irwin Insights method of horse handling and training is truly miraculous. You will see major shifts in behavior and demeanor in a very short time. Our ultimate goal is for the horse to WANT to be with you, to choose you even over their herd, because it feels so GOOD to be with you! WORKSHOPS/COURSES: We offer clinics and workshops with various themes, open to people of all levels of experience, whether a lifetime together with horses or an "admire them from afar but never had the opportunity to really know them" kind of love affair. One of the foundational workshops is "HORSE TALK" - designed to give you all of the basics of horse herd communication. You'll learn how to read what the horse is telling you through their body language: what all of the features of the face convey, the six emotional messages of the tail, how to read toplines, etc. And how to master the three fundamental energies of Push, Block and Draw to enter a beautiful, nuanced and thrilling partner dance with the horse. One of the favorites is "THE ROUND PEN DEMYSTIFIED" where we teach you how to connect deeply with your horse and experience the magic of true liberty work. I think of the round pen as a sacred circle where we come together to explore what it means to be in intimate relationship with another being. We engage body language to create clear boundaries, alignment, timing, and trust. Stepping into a round pen with a horse is like entering a mythical realm where there are no limits to what is possible. Another of my personal favorites is "HORSE & HUMAN HEART TO HEART." In this workshop you'll experience how deeply fulfilling it is to help a horse release built up stress, tension, energetic imbalances, and even grief - all of the armoring that accumulates around the heart and other energy centers of the body. And what's remarkable is how this exchange of energy moves into our own bodies to facilitate healing in our very own hearts, minds and spirits. Horses have no filters, no mental concepts, judgments or doubts - the moment you place your open, sensitive hands on one of their energy centers, they melt gratefully into your touch, intuitively sensing the doorway opening to relief and healing. A relaxing and soothing workshop in "LIGHT TOUCH MASSAGE" is a simple, easy to learn introduction to techniques to ease those stubborn knots of tension and stress out of a horse's big, hard-working muscles. Whether you have your own special horse or just love the feel of them under your hands whenever you can get the chance, this workshop will be a special gift for creating sweet harmony between you and your equine friend. A beautiful experience in shared healing is our “REIKI CHAKRA BALANCING” workshop. We learn how to stimulate, clear, and balance the seven major energy centers of the horse’s body, and at the same time balancing and healing our own. After each of these full body sessions, we leave the horse to bask in the soothing wash of endorphins that are circulating now through their body. And that sense of peace and well-being fills us as well. To begin (or deepen) the journey of true healing into an authentic life, we offer "THE CALL OF THE HERD" an experience of all-sensory perception that drops us into the light trance state of a profoundly regulated nervous system. This shift is brought about by being fully present and in communion with an animal who embodies the paradigm-shattering dichotomy of magnificent strength and utter vulnerability, and draws us into the depths of our own mystery. We will identify which "type" of herd member archetype we have been living (wild horse, race horse, work horse, war horse, circus horse, show horse, etc.), and explore whether this is our true self, or an identity we have absorbed from outside influences. The release of perhaps a lifetime of suppressed energy that comes from these quietly mystical experiences with a horse herd can be life-transforming. For those who want to go really deep into the possibilities of inter-species connection and healing, our "RECLAIM YOUR SHADOW HORSE" is here to support that journey. We explore the ways in which we cut off parts of ourselves that we fear are unlovable or unacceptable, and project those shadow aspects onto others in our lives. By spending time in deep presence and communion with a small herd of horses, we can begin to make the connections between how when we cut off parts of ourselves, we cut ourselves off from true intimacy with others. Horses are natural healers, and their compassionate, non-judging acceptance of us just as we are can help to knit together those splintered parts of our spirit. LESSONS: Individual and small group lessons are available for both ground work and riding. |