FOR THE LOVE OF THE HORSE™ Know the Horse. Care for the Horse. Love the Horse. Learn to Care. Discover the horses, hear their stories, and experience the compassion, stewardship, and lifelong commitment that define meaningful horsemanship. Ready to Begin?
Every Academy journey starts with Begin With Heart™. Request your personalized orientation and discover the Academy or experience that's right for you.
Every Horse Has a Story Every horse has lived a different life.
Some spent years teaching children to ride. Others competed, worked faithfully, overcame injury or illness, or found a second chance through rescue. Some now enjoy retirement, while others require specialized care as they age or recover.
Each horse has a unique story.
Each horse has individual needs.
Each horse still has something to teach us.
For the Love of the Horse™ is the signature stewardship and horsemanship education program of Red Heart Horse. Through hands-on learning and meaningful interactions, participants discover that caring for a horse begins long before anyone climbs into the saddle.
Because meaningful horsemanship begins by knowing the horse.
More Than Riding Great horsemen and horsewomen are not defined simply by how well they ride.
They are defined by how well they understand, respect, and care for the horse.
Through For the Love of the Horse™, participants learn to observe, listen, and respond to horses with compassion and understanding. Every experience is designed to deepen appreciation for the horse as an individual while building confidence, responsibility, and lifelong stewardship.
Ground-based learning is the foundation of the program.
Depending on the needs and abilities of each individual horse, some participants may also take part in carefully selected mounted educational experiences using approved Educational Ambassador Horses whose health, welfare, and individualized participation plans support such activities.
Throughout every experience, one principle guides every decision:
The Horse Comes First.
What You'll Discover Participants explore topics such as:
Horse behavior and communication
Building trust and respectful relationships
Grooming and thoughtful horse handling
Daily horse care and stable management
Horse health and wellness
Senior horse care
Rehabilitation and special-needs horses
Retirement and lifelong sanctuary
Environmental enrichment
Compassionate horsemanship
Responsible horse stewardship
The stories of the Red Heart Horse herd
Meet the Horse Before You Ride the Horse At Red Heart Horse, we believe meaningful horsemanship begins by understanding the horse—not simply learning to ride.
Every horse has different experiences, personalities, physical abilities, preferences, and needs.
Before asking anything of a horse, we first learn to observe, understand, and appreciate who that horse is.
When we truly know the horse, we become better riders, better caretakers, and better stewards.
Learning Through Their Stories The horses of Red Heart Horse are more than residents of our sanctuary.
They are teachers.
Through their lives, participants learn about resilience, healing, trust, aging, rehabilitation, compassion, and hope.
Some horses serve as Educational Ambassador Horses, participating in carefully selected educational experiences that support their health, enrichment, and well-being.
Others simply teach through their presence, their stories, and the quiet lessons they offer every day. Every horse contributes in the way that is best for that individual horse.
Who Is For the Love of the Horse™ For? This program welcomes:
Children and families
Adults returning to horses
Horse lovers with little or no riding experience
Riders seeking to deepen their horsemanship
Legacy Stewards and Legacy with Heart members
Schools, homeschool groups, Scouts, and community organizations
Anyone who wants to better understand horses
No previous horse experience is required.
Only curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to learn.
Every Horse Has Something to Teach Us Whether you're grooming, observing, learning beside, caring for, or participating in an approved educational riding experience with an Educational Ambassador Horse, every interaction begins with respect for the individual horse.
Because when we truly know the horse... we learn to care for the horse. And when we learn to care for the horse... we discover what it truly means to love the horse.
Discover the Heart Behind the Mission For the Love of the Horse™ is offered through Red Heart Horse Retirement, Rehab & Rescue as part of our commitment to horse stewardship, compassionate education, lifelong sanctuary, and meaningful next chapters for horses and humans. Whether you are meeting horses for the very first time or rediscovering them after many years away, we invite you to experience horsemanship that begins not with riding—but with understanding.