Horsemanship Program High Horse Malibu
Many traditional horseback riding lessons begin with a horse already tacked up and ready for you to get in the saddle. At High Horse Malibu, we believe there's a difference between learning to ride and learning to be a horse person. Our Foundational Horsemanship program teaches the whole picture, from understanding how horses think and communicate to catching, grooming, tacking, groundwork, handling, and riding. You'll learn how to read a horse, communicate clearly, build confidence on the ground, and understand how those skills translate into becoming a more confident, capable rider in the saddle.
Our program was developed by High Horse Malibu owner and head trainer Brian Terkleson, drawing on more than four decades of experience with horses and in the saddle. Together, our team brings more than 100 years of combined experience with horses, spanning Western horsemanship, training, competition, horse care, trail riding, and instruction. That experience shapes everything we teach, but the philosophy is simple: the horse is the ultimate teacher. Whether you're completely new to horses or have been riding for years, our goal is to give you a foundation that changes the way you understand, communicate with, and ride horses for the rest of your life.
What You Will Learn - A complete foundation in understanding, handling and riding horses.
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In the mind...
- Understanding equine behavior and psychology
- Reading a horse's body language
- Developing feel, timing and awareness
- Building trust, confidence and clear communication
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On the ground...
- Safe handling, leading and tying
- Catching, grooming and tacking
- Understanding basic horse care
- Groundwork on a lead and at liberty
- Communicating through body language and pressure and release
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In the saddle
- Balance, position and confidence in the saddle
- Understanding rein, seat and leg cues
- Walk, trot and canter/lope as skills progress
- Developing feel, timing and responsiveness
- Applying groundwork principles from the saddle
Lesson Prices
Private Lessons are sold in packages of four (4) one-hour sessions. The cost of four one-hour lessons is $450.
For information regarding booking and scheduling policies, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Experience Behind the Program
High Horse Malibu's Foundational Horsemanship program is built on decades of practical experience working with horses. Our team brings more than 100 years of combined experience across Western horsemanship, riding, training, competition, horse care and guiding. That depth of experience shapes both what we teach and how we teach it.
The foundation of our program comes from High Horse Malibu owner and head trainer Brian Terkleson, who has spent more than four decades working with and riding horses. Brian was riding before he could walk and grew up in the competitive Western horse world. On his family's ranch in Weatherford, Texas, he had the opportunity to work with, train and show horses alongside accomplished horsemen in the cutting horse industry.
Our curriculum also draws from principles associated with some of the most influential voices in modern Western horsemanship, including Tom Dorrance, Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman. Rather than teaching one rigid method, we focus on developing the fundamentals that experienced horsemen return to again and again: understanding equine behavior, reading the horse, developing feel and timing, communicating clearly and adapting to the individual horse in front of you.
The horse is always the ultimate teacher. Our instructors follow the same foundational curriculum while bringing their own experience and perspective to each session. Students are encouraged to work with different instructors and different horses, developing the adaptability, confidence and judgment that come from learning to understand horses rather than simply learning a set of movements.
Our goal isn't to hand you a title. It's to give you a foundation. One that makes you more capable on the ground, more confident in the saddle and better equipped to work with horses wherever your riding takes you.
