It is no secret that horse training is actually people training. It is not the horses who need to change, it's how we view them, speak to them, and work with them to achieve our goal of a beautiful partnership. After thousands of years of "domesticating," horses remain intrinsically braced and resistant. The very foundation of the approach is flawed. No matter how hard one tries, a square peg can not fit into a round hole. Obviously, a new approach is required. However, the process of "unlearning" the predator instincts that come naturally to us is not a simple task.

No amount of bribing, sweet-talking, or even angrily laying down the law when we get fed up will convince a horse to get over it's intrinsic nature - that of a flighty, vulnerable victim-waiting-to-happen. As long as we expect the horses to understand us, rather than the other way around, they will continue to show resistance. Until a human shows true empathy and shows them the leadership as another horse would, horses will continue to view humans as aggressive, highly-confusing control freaks.

It is for these principles that "Equine Assisted Personal Development" found its calling. Learning to be the better horse changes us. Awareness for our actions, ability to calmly multi-task, being assertive without being threatening, standing our ground and having boundaries, knowing when to push and when to praise - such skills impact every other aspect of our lives, making us more balanced as humans.

These skills can't be learned by reading about them or watching a demonstration. They can't simply be intellectually understood and then practiced. With horses, it can't be faked. They will expose gaps and inconsistencies, root out a human's true nature, and require both accountability and integrity before they willingly bow to leadership.

Only by experiencing it first hand with the horses as your teachers will you come to be it, integrate it into who you are, and feel it flow from you as you take on the daunting task of synthesizing the equine and human perspectives. You will gracefully lead the dance of balancing the two worlds. "How you are" is "who you are" to the horse.

For those involved in this exciting new field of working with humans and horses for the betterment of both, Chris offers his own "EAPD CERTIFICATION PROGRAM". These 4-day workshops will focus on developing equine fluency and horse-handling skills, integrating your own predator and prey natures, and then synergizing the two into your own healing modalities - be it corporate leadership, mental health, physically-challenged, troubled youth, family dynamics, parenting, teaching, etc. By learning to 'walk the talk" of "Ask not what your horse can do for you; ask what YOU can do for your horse," you develop a level of integrity and balance, empathy and tough love, consistency and boundaries that result in the power and wisdom to present both personal and professional credibility to the people who look to you for guidance and the horses who look to you as their leader.

Each of the 4-day workshops are limited to 9 participants who will gain the skills, insights and transference required to boldly go where no one in the EAPD field has gone before. Due to the very personal experiences and content of these workshops, they are not open to the public for spectating. Completion one of these 4-day workshops means you have grounded yourself in the fundamentals critical to win-win success with both horses and humans, an achievement marked with a certificate from Chris and his blessing as you go forth into the world of EAPD. Our event schedule for 2008 includes EAPD II - an advanced course that follows up on the EAPD Introductory session.

Whichever direction you find yourself drawn, this work is nothing short of extraordinary. In essence, it changes lives - yours and your clients. When we "listen" and really "hear" the wisdom these animals have to impart, magic happens. Tingles role up and down our spine and we know we have tapped into "knowingness" that is both sacred and unforgettable. From there, the skies the limit.

For more information on specific workshop dates, see the Events Schedule.