Quote by William Shakespeare

Heartwood's Foundation Program

We accept a limited number of horses into our foundation program, and we require that they remain in the program for a minimum of three consecutive months. The reason for this is that we feel that new patterns we are developing are less likely to stick if horses have less time in the program, and a lack of foundation can be a real safety issue. After three months, they've developed good habits and, although they are still green horses, they have a much greater understanding of what their job is and have started to learn how to handle challenging situations.

All horses in our foundation program receive extensive groundwork, backing, arena work and, if safe, trail riding. They are handled with consistency so that they know what to expect, and we strive to make this new experience as low-stress as possible by gradually building their foundation. They learn how to carry a bit and follow a soft feel, with emphasis placed on softening and relaxation. Depending on the individual horse and their owner’s goals, we may also incorporate ponying, bombproofing work and/or trick training into their program.

Please note that, except under special circumstances, a minimum three month commitment is required for all horses being started under saddle.

We offer two different foundation packages:

Why choose our premium package? Some horsemanship professionals, such as the legendary Jack Brainard, feel that horses benefit more from two shorter sessions per day than one; most horses who come in to be started are young and still have that young horse short attention span, so boredom can become an issue. It also allows them time to process, resulting in horses that come along much more quickly.

Reserve your horse's space in our foundation program by March 31, 2011, and receive $100.00 off our regular fee!