Equine-Led Self Development Workshops
AUGUST WORKSHOPS
Women's Circle: Rewilding the Feminine
Date: Wednesday, August 13
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: HighHorse Malibu — 2148 Latigo Canyon Road
Suggested Donation: $50
Capacity: Up to 12 participants
Teen Group: Tuning Up Social Skills — Learning from Horses
Date: Wednesday, August 20
Time: 4:00–5:30 PM
Location: HighHorse Malibu — 2148 Latigo Canyon Road
Cost: $150 per participant
Ages: 13–17
Group Size: Limited to 12 teens
The Power of Presence: Reclaiming the Present Moment
Date: Sunday, August 24
Time: 9-10:30 AM
Location: HighHorse Malibu — 2148 Latigo Canyon Road
Cost: $150 per participant
Group Size: Intimate group, limited to 6 participants
To book, or for additional information, please call or email!
Dr. Nicole Auckerman
505-930-0658
nicoleaukerman@gmail.com
(Ground work only, no riding)
WOMEN'S CIRCLE: REWILDING THE FEMININE
AUGUST 13
Join us for an evening of connection, reflection, and renewal under the Malibu sky. Through equine interaction, nature-based practices, and guided sharing, this circle offers a space for women to reconnect with their intuition, creativity, and inner wildness.
Open to all who identify as women. No horse experience necessary.
TEEN GROUP:
TUNING UP SOCIAL SKILLS - LEARNING FROM HORSES
AUGUST 20
In this dynamic 1.5-hour equine-assisted group, teens will strengthen real-world social skills by learning directly from horses — masters of non-verbal communication, boundary-setting, and emotional attunement.
Through ground-based activities with the herd (no riding), participants will:
Improve confidence and presence in social situations
Increase self-awareness and emotional regulation
Practice respectful communication, listening, and leadership
Explore how their energy impacts others and vice versa
THE POWER OF PRESENCE:
RECLAIMING THE PRESENT MOMENT
AUGUST 24
Presence is not just a state — it’s a practice. In a world of distraction and urgency, this workshop offers a return to what is most essential: being fully here, now.With the support of horses — grounded, honest, and always attuned to the present — we’ll explore:
*Embodied awareness through breath and sensory attunement
*How horses mirror our internal states and invite deeper alignment
*The difference between reacting and respondingPractices to carry presence into daily life and relationships
Whether you’re seeking clarity, regulation, or a soul-deep pause — this is an opportunity to remember your natural rhythm and reclaim your power in the now. No horse experience necessary.
The Facilitator
Dr. Nicole Aukerman has been an avid equestrian for over two decades. Early on in her career she worked as a trail guide where she repeatedly saw the therapeutic benefits being with horses had on people. She noticed their confidence and sense of self would blossom during the three-hour trail guides she led them on. She adopted her own horse in her early 2000’s and experienced first-hand the dual healing and transformative relationship that could develop between human and equines. This inspired her to go back to school for psychology to try and understand what was causing these shifts towards greater well-being that she had both witnessed and experienced. She received her MA in Clinical psychology and completed her formal internship of her doctorate program from Antioch University in Santa Barbara in 2022. Nicole also holds a certificate in eco psychology and is passionate about eco therapy ie, utilizing nature and animals to facilitate healing and awaken our authentic selves.
FAQs
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What to expect?
Any time you come to the ranch, you can expect a safe and friendly environment, where nature is abundant and the horses are happy and well-maintained. We utilize meditation, breath-work and a variety of other mindfulness techniques to support the ground-work we engage in with the horses. Please note, equine therapy sessions do not include riding. All our wellness offerings are created by equine therapist and certified psychologist Dr. Nicole Aukerman.
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I have some questions first...
No problem at all. If you feel it is more suitable for you please feel free to call or email us to discuss your options.
424-346-4590
highhorsemalibu@gmail.com
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How Many Participants per group?
Group Workshops are limited to six participants.
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Are Private Sessions Avaiable?
Absolutely!
Please contact Dr. Auckerman directly to discuss private equine therpay sessions.505.930.0658
nicoleauckerman@gmail.com
About the Facilitator
Dr. Nicole Aukerman leads all of the equine therapy sessions at High Horse Malibu. Nicole has been an avid equestrian for over two decades. Early on in her career she worked as a trail guide where she repeatedly saw the therapeutic benefits that being with horses had on people. She noticed their confidence and sense of self would blossom during the three-hour trail she led them on.
She adopted her own horse in her early 2000’s and experienced first-hand the dual healing and transformative relationship that could develop between human and equines.
This inspired her to go back to school for psychology to try and understand what was causing these shifts towards the greater well-being that she had both witnessed and experienced.
Nicole received her MA in Clinical psychology and recieved her PhD from Antioch University in Santa Barbara. Nicole also holds a certificate in Eco Psychology and is passionate about Eco Therapy i.e., utilizing nature and animals to facilitate healing and awaken our authentic selves.
Why are horses such powerful healers?
Equine-assisted therapy uses the inherent nature of horses to amplify and assist traditional psychotherapy techniques, improving self-awareness, self-efficacy and emotional regulation while decreasing depression and anxiety.
Horses are highly attuned to their environment in order to ensure their safety and survival, making them intuitive and emotionally sensitive to the slightest gesture, body posture, tension, tone of voice or glance that we humans may unknowingly communicate. Their responses to our non-verbal behaviors and feelings have the potential to teach us how we unknowingly are interacting with those around us.
Issues pertaining to boundaries also arise when dealing with the horse’s size and power. Horses have clear boundaries, which they assert freely with each other and with us. Learning to attune to a horse’s subtle and sometimes not so subtle boundary cues has the potential to further increase awareness of one’s own physical and emotional boundaries. The ability to clearly and congruently communicate with a horse can be quite empowering and can cultivate a sense of self-efficacy that extends into other areas of one’s life.