28 Days Certification Program - Equine Care Specialist in Cartago, Costa Rica

​%During your stay at our family-run ranch in the Costa Rican mountains, you will work closely with our experienced instructors and well-schooled horses. The program covers a wide spectrum of learning:

• Natural horsemanship and liberty work for communication and trust.
• Horse care and rehabilitation with focus on balance, anatomy, and long-term health.
• Classical in-hand work and groundwork as preparation for riding in lightness.
• Insights into hoof care, anatomy, and biomechanics, to understand the horse inside and out.

This certification is more than a course — it is a step into professional equine education. Students leave not only with knowledge, but with the ability to apply classical principles in real-life situations, improving the lives of horses everywhere.

At Finca Soley, they believe riding and training should always promote the horse’s pride, health, and joy. That is why the EquineCare Specialist Certification is the foundation of their Classical Horsemanship Academy: a place where students from around the world come together to learn, share, and carry this knowledge back to their own communities.

Start your journey today and become an international EquineCare Specialist.

Accommodation and meals included on a discounted price for longer stays.

• Work 5 hours per day for 5 days per week around the horses and barn in exchange of participation in lessons, workshops and equine activities.
• 4 days per week lesson or workshops
• 1 day per week spa day for horses
• Weekends off to discover the country

Optional: Spanish Course

Itinerary

If you like to get in the barn muck and groom you are welcome, but it is not mandatory so you can also take the mornings to relax. You will train one horse and have lessons. You can do art projects on the farm, help in the garden or help around the horses voluntary. In the afternoons, you can book a Spanish course, take a local tour or hang out on the beautful relaxed mounatin setting. The weekends are off to relax, explore the area, or go swimming in a waterfall.

The horses

The horses live in a natural herd on a trail paddock. The paddock needs to be cleaned daily and horses need to be moved from and to pastures. They have to be groomed, fed, massaged, and exercised daily. In the stables, you can learn about horse care, herd behavior, medical care, feeding, grooming, and much more. In your work with the horses, you will follow the principles of natural horsemanship (Parelli, freedom-based training, positive training) and combine it with the classical art of riding, baroque style riding.

The goal is to combine ethics, athletics, and aesthetics. The principles are love, communication, and boundaries. As a student, you get lessons from Isa, the onsite trainer, or one of her assistants. All horses are trained here and are educated by Isa and her students. The lessons are held on the ground: on rope and liberty and riding, in a bitless halter or bridleless. In the theory lessons, deepen the newly learned information and put the philosophical frame around it.

There is also a library with DVDs and books to which you have access. The lessons are held in English. They want to bring horses to a high level and keep them physically fit and mentally healthy. The horses are trained in the natural horsemanship program, which specialized in bitless riding and the classical art of riding. The relationship with the horses is the primary focus.

For students who begin with natural horsemanship here, the horses are excellent teachers and you can learn a lot and progress fast. If you already bring experience, you can bring this to a higher level and have lots of fun with the horses. The maximum weight for riders is 80 kilograms. You can also join if you do not fall under this, as you can work the horses from the ground.

Natural horsemanship and bitless riding following classical principles

• Ecological life close to nature
• Building and woodwork
• Organic gardening
• Community support: teaching of the local kids and English for teens and adults
• Spanish lessons

Social projects

1. Local kids

At the farm, they have different programs to support the kids from the neighborhood. They have kids of several ages coming to receive school with them at the farm. If you like to join the kids’ teacher program you need to have a decent level of Spanish. You will also teach English at a local primary school for one hour per week.

2. Locals

Speaking English is a key to many more job options and better-paid positions, as well as starting an own business. In cooperation with an expert in organizing English courses and the town hall of Tucurrique, they now offer English classes to teenagers and adults. Therefore, they are receiving full support from the mayor and are able to use the installations of the city hall.

If you like to join the social programs you will be able to prepare and hold the classes by yourself. Please consider yourself an open person who likes to deal with people from different backgrounds and cultures. You will be able to bring in your own ideas and be creative. They, the kids, and the locals are very happy to receive your help! You will receive a Spanish course to learn the Costa Rican style of Spanish.

Comments and expectations

Things are in development and changing. It is supposed to help you to get an idea of how life can be here. However, things will be different than you imagine. Therefore, they considered the following volunteers:

• Positive attitude
• Grown up and independence
• Flexible
• Teamspirit
• Passion for animals
• Ability to adapt to a new environment and the acceptance of another culture. Things are different here and you are the guests.
• Active and initiative (Farm work is physical work)