Equine Facilitated Wellness
What are the benefits of equine wellness?
1
A greater sense of self.
Working with horses has been known to improve self-esteem, build confidence, improve problem solving skills, increase motivation. improve self-control and concentration.
2
Improve relationship skills.
Working with horses has been known to help improve social skills such as communication skills, listening skills and the ability to trust.
3
Improve Mental Health
Individuals of all ages can improve mental health. Clinical studies suggest that working with horses is effective for improving depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, substance abuse, autism, and more.
Fundamentals of Horsemanship for Beginners
(Coming Soon!)
Start Your Horse Journey the Right Way! Owning or working with a horse is exciting — and it’s a serious responsibility. Our Fundamentals of Horsemanship for Beginners program is designed to give new and future horse owners the strong foundation they need to feel safe, confident, and capable around these powerful, intelligent animals.
This is not just a class — it’s your first step into true horsemanship.
Learn to Think Like a Horse🐴
Before you ever swing a leg over a saddle, you’ll learn how horses see the world.
Students gain an understanding of equine behavior and psychology, including:
How horses communicate through body language
Why they react the way they do
How calm, consistent leadership builds trust
How to read subtle cues before problems happen
When you understand the why behind a horse’s behavior, everything changes.
Safety & Ground Skills First
Great horse people are made on the ground, not in the saddle.
Students will confidently learn:
How to safely approach, halter, and lead a horse
Proper grooming techniques and daily care routines
How to stay aware and positioned safely at all times
How to prepare a horse for work with patience and clarity
You’ll build habits that protect both you and the horse — from day one.
Stable Management & Real-World Ownership
Horses are a lifestyle commitment. This program prepares you for the reality of responsible ownership, including:
Basic feeding and care principles
Tack identification and proper use
Understanding the true costs of horse ownership
Clean barn practices and daily responsibilities
We don’t sugarcoat it — we prepare you.
Mounting, Balance & Preparedness
Students will learn proper mounting and dismounting techniques and begin working on basic balance and body awareness.
Important: This is not a riding program.
This is preparation for riding done correctly.
When students move into a riding program, they do so with confidence, safety awareness, and foundational skills already in place.
What Students Walk Away With
By the end of the course, students gain:
Confidence around horses
A clear understanding of safe handling
Respect for the partnership between horse and human
Strong groundwork habits
A realistic understanding of ownership commitment
Horsemanship is a lifelong learning journey. This course ensures your first steps are solid.
If you’re serious about horses — or thinking about becoming an owner — this is where you begin.
3- week course that meets 2 days a week:
Week 1
Day 1 – Safety First and meet Cisco
Day 2 – Let’s get personal: Catch Cisco and introduction to Grooming
Week 2
Day 3 – I love grooming, especially picking hoofs. Working on leading Cisco
Day 4 – It’s all about the poop. Feeding, cleaning up poop; And what does Cisco eat?
Week 3
Day 5 – Gearing up! Preparing Cisco to be ridden
Day 6 – Now that we know the basics of horse care, how about a little ride. Mounting and Balance work
By the end of this three-week Horsemanship for Beginners course, every student will have developed a solid understanding of what it means to own a horse. Horses are large animals and can sometimes behave unpredictably. Learning about their care and behavior, and recognizing the responsibilities involved in ownership, is essential for ensuring the safety of both you and your horse.
Taking time to understand the daily routines—such as grooming, feeding, and cleaning—provides valuable insight into the commitment required. Through this course, you will gain hands-on experience and knowledge that lays the foundation for a positive and safe relationship with horses.
About Your Facilitator Karen Ruggiero:
35 years of horse ownership, 30 years of teaching horseback riding lessons, 35 years of learning
and growing in the equine industry. Karen has owned over 20 horses in her 35 years of loving,
teaching, training and coaching other horse enthusiasts. She has assisted young and old in
learning to care for, tack up, ride and compete on horseback. She began her teaching in
Hunter/Jumpers in Massachusetts where she coached and competed at the local level. Karen is
excited to bring her 35 years of equine experience to Hendo Care Farm sharing her knowledge
with new and potential horse owners.
Horses are an everyday commitment. Let Karen Ruggiero help you be ready to take on that
commitment by teaching you to develop an understanding of horse care, its costs and how to
keep that commitment throughout your partnership with your horse.
Equine Facilitated Wellness Workshops
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025 4:30-6:30PM
Overview:
There are about a million reasons why you're feeling big emotions these days! Many of us are feeling stress and anxiety a lot of the time. This workshop will help you learn more about yourself, what soothes your nervous system, and figure out what you need to feel supported when you're under pressure.
You’ll explore concepts in self-awareness, boundaries and making requests. These workshops will leave you feeling more connected and grounded, and you’ll take the lessons forward into your life and into your relationships
Who’s this Workshop For?
These workshops are geared for adults, but we do make exceptions for tweems amd teens to participate if they are accompanied by an adult (who will also take this workshop). During your registration, please give us a heads up if you want to sign up a family member.
Description:
Horses are highly social animals that rely on clear communication and strong relationships within their herd to ensure their safety, well-being, and happiness. In our time together, we're going to work on:
🗣 Healthy Boundaries: learn more about what we need from relationships, and explore some coping skills that might help us stay centered during times of stress.
🗣Verbal and Nonverbal Communication: Horses communicate through body language and give immediate, honest feedback. Learn to understand their signals and improve your own communication skills, both verbal and nonverbal.
🐴Basic Horsemanship: Gain a deeper understanding of horses, their behavior, and how to care for them. This knowledge will help foster respect and compassion for all living creatures.
🐴 Super Engaging: learn something about yourself, and most importantly - you'll get to spend time with some of the sweetest ponies in the world.
Investment $77 each day
Due to the intimate group size of 10 people max, pre-registration and pre-payment is required to secure your spot.
About Your Facilitators
Kel Hansen is an equine specialist and the founder of E-volving Hearts. With a rich background in education and mental health, their unique, holistic approach integrates professional expertise and personal wisdom to support educators, wellness professionals, parents, and those navigating chronic illness.
Elizabeth McCorvey is an LCSW who has been working with horses for most of her life. She is faculty with the HERD Institute and loves bringing horses and people together to support healing relationships on both sides.
FAQs for Equine
Programs
What area of Hendersonville is Hendo Care Farm (HCF) located in?
HCF is located specifically in the township of Fruitland. Address will be shared after payment is received. If you search for Justus Orchards on Google Map, we are very close by (within a half of a mile).
What if I need to cancel or it’s bad weather?
All events, workshops and programs will be help in rain or shine. We can make accommodations when there is lite rain. Cancellations and no-shows are non-refundable. There will be no make-up classes in the event of a participant’s absence. However, we can reschedule, cancel, and/or refund due to any unsafe weather-related issues . We will try our best to contact you in advance if we need to cancel.
What should I wear and bring?
We recommend wearing appropriate layers incase the weather changes. It is also important to wear close-toed shoes to prevent injury if a horse accidentally steps on your toes. It’s perfectly ok to bring a backpack with all your belongings you may need such as a water bottle, sunglasses, hat, and rain jacket.
Should I arrive early?
Please plan to arrive a minimum of 10-min early to park, sign your waiver and listen to safety tips . Please keep any belongings in your car that you don’t want to get dirty, damaged, or lost. If you bring a bag, you will be required to leave it outside of the horse pastures and round pen.
Are there any “Farm Rules” that we should know in advance?
Yes, for the safety and security of our farm and our animals, we must enforce the following rules on the farm:
No smoking, vaping, tobacco products, drugs or CBD.
No outside pets allowed. Leaving them in the car is prohibited in high temperatures.
No spectators allowed without registration.
No outside treats for the animals.
No going to other areas of the farm without permission.
No personal belongings inside the pastures and round pen.
No littering.
Everyone is required to sign a Liability Waiver before beginning.
Is your farm a safe place and all-inclusive to all people?
All employees at Hendo Care Farm strive to be all-inclusive and welcomes all guests. Together we celebrate diversity and strive to create a safe space that is more inclusive and less oppressive to all of people’s many identities including race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious beliefs, family structure, ability, and more. All are welcome here!