Program Cost: $3550
Join Horse Speak® co-founder Laura Wilsie and Senior Instructor Heidi Potter for an unforgettable and enriching experience at the ranch.
Overview
Horse Speak® All-Inclusive Retreat Taught by Clinicians Laura Wilsie & Heidi Potter.
Retreat guests will experience the rare opportunity of observing the truly natural language and behaviours of horses that live in the most natural of settings. Participants will be immersed in observing and connecting with horses in the big herd of 150, along with the mares and foals of ranch’s Spanish Arabian breeding program. Lessons in decoding and encoding equine language will be abundant in this magical setting.
Through observation, interaction, workshops and self-awareness exercises participants will develop a skill set that leaves them with a deeper understanding of the truly natural language of the horse. These skills will enable them to begin decoding horse language on their own and have appropriate responses to horses’ questions. They will join the growing number of “Horse Speakers” who have found success with calmly reshaping undesirable behaviors, creating enriching experiences and building rapport with horses.
Riders must be at least “Advanced Beginners”, thus being able to control a horse at the walk and have some experience riding and controlling a horse at the trot/jog.
- Clinician Heidi Potter
- Clinician Laura Wilsie
Included with this Clinic
Not Just Horse Speak…..Retreat guests will have a chance to improve comfort, confidence, communication and overall balance in the saddle with a Centered Riding workshop and mounted lesson taught by Heidi. These skills will come in handy on the Two Guided Trail Rides in the surrounding picturesque mountains included in this memorable retreat. Optional activities include Yoga, Hiking, Square Dancing and attending a local Rodeo.
This All-Inclusive Retreat Price includes:
- Cabin Style Accommodations
- All Meals and Beverages
- All Equine Activities
- All Workshops and Lectures
Retreat price does not include airfare, rental car or shuttle service to the ranch.
Meet your Instructors
Laura Wilsie
Laura Wilsie is the Co-Founder of Horse Speak and the Business Manager for Wilsie Way Horsemanship. Utilizing her many years of business management and customer service experience, she keeps the ball rolling behind the scenes. Her lifelong love of horses was re-ignited when she started volunteering at a local horse rescue, adopted a PMU filly and met Sharon Wilsie, the Founder of Horse Speak.
She has been with Sharon since the inception of Horse Speak, traveling to every clinic and training since the book’s inception in 2016. Laura has worked extensively on editing all three books, is the executive producer of filming for Horse Speak and has assisted Sharon in Teaching. She knows Horse Speak inside and out!
Heidi Potter
Heidi Potter is an internationally known and respected Trainer, Instructor, Clinician and Author who shares over 50 years of horse experience.
Heidi was blessed to have learned Centered Riding directly from neighboring friend, mentor and founder, the late Ms. Sally Swift. As a martial artist Heidi was inspired by Centered Riding’s inclusion of Traditional Eastern Philosophies to help riders of all levels and disciplines improve self-awareness, balance, comfort, confidence and communication.
In her Holistic Horsemanship Training Program Heidi is committed to addressing the horse’s needs first by sharing the concept of doing things “with” the horse versus “to” the horse, thus creating calmer, safer and more enjoyable experiences. In 2016 she began studying equine behavior and language with Horse Speak founder Sharon Wilsie. As a Senior Horse Speak Instructor Heidi finds great joy in helping to bridge the gap in understanding between horses and their humans.
Heidi enjoys trail riding and competing in Western Dressage with her Cheval Canadian Horse Riley and spending time with family and friends at her Southern Vermont farm, The New England Center for Horsemanship. For more information about Heidi and her work visit https://heidipotter.com/.
Yoga sessions with ranch owner Hadley Fox will also be available during the clinic.
“This immersion retreat offered so much insight from the knowledgeable, experienced, and compassionate clinicians, Laura and Heidi. We soaked up information and had hands-on activities to apply what we had learned. There were many “aha” moments, lots of laughter, and some tender, teary-eyed moments. It was a great investment in my personal goal to enhance my connection with horses and improve their well-being.” Nancy, Retreat Participant