A Feral Horse Course with Heart of Phoenix and Healing Heroes Through Horsemanship
Schedule
Fri, 07 Nov, 2025 at 10:00 am to Sun, 09 Nov, 2025 at 04:00 pm
UTC-08:00Location
Healing Heroes Through Horsemanship | Arroyo Grande, CA
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Feral Horse Gentling ClinicPresented by Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue, in partnership with Healing Heroes Through Horsemanship.
About Heart of Phoenix:
Heart of Phoenix is a respected nonprofit operating across the eastern and southern United States. Each year, they rescue, rehabilitate, and advocate for hundreds of horses from some of the country’s most severe neglect and abuse situations.
Through a grant from the ASPCA’s Right Horse Initiative, Heart of Phoenix has been traveling across the country documenting how humane, effective gentling techniques can transform the lives of unhandled and feral horses. The resulting series will be shared nationally to educate rescues, trainers, and equine professionals on safer, more compassionate handling practices.
Dates: Friday, November 7 – Sunday, November 9, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM each day
Location: Healing Heroes Through Horsemanship — Arroyo Grande, CA
Many dangerous and unfortunate situations have been highlighted recently, showing what can happen when unhandled horses end up in the hands of those without proper gentling experience. We know we can help.
This Feral Horse Gentling Clinic will teach you how to begin initial interactions with unhandled, feral, or wild horses safely and humanely. You’ll learn how to avoid creating fear or misunderstanding that can hinder a horse’s progress for months.
Renowned trainer Nelson Detweiler will lead live demonstrations over three days, working with unhandled horses to showcase proven, compassionate methods for building trust, confidence, and willingness from the ground up.
For this demonstration, we will be working with unhandled, wild/feral bucking stock to highlight how these techniques apply across a range of challenging situations.
NB. This is not a colt-starting event.
Who should attend:
Rescue personnel and volunteers, trainers, and other equine professionals working with unhandled or minimally handled horses.
Each day will build upon the previous sessions, so attending all three days is strongly encouraged for the most complete learning experience.
Fees:
• 1-day attendance — $50
• 2-day attendance — $75
• 3-day attendance — $100
Only 20 spots are available — book soon to avoid disappointment!
What to Bring & Expect:
• Bleacher seating with shade is provided — no need to bring chairs.
• Water, coffee and tea will be available on site; you’re welcome to bring other snacks and drinks.
• Bring a packed lunch, or choose the optional catered lunch ($20/day) with vegan, vegetarian, and regular options available.
*This clinic will be filmed as part of Heart of Phoenix’s grant-funded educational series for the ASPCA Right Horse Initiative.
Book your spot now at this link: https://form.jotform.com/HealingHeroes/gentling-clinic
Questions? Contact Yvette from Healing Heroes on 805-868-7634 or [email protected].
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Where is it happening?
Healing Heroes Through Horsemanship, 315 Jenner Way,Arroyo Grande,CA,United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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