TeachingHorse at Cal Poly Pomona
Leading Through Uncertainty
TeachingHorse is an equine-based leadership development program that uses the wisdom of horses to help humans lead through uncertainty with greater clarity, authenticity, and presence.
Leaders, teams, and professionals looking to build stronger communication, emotional intelligence, and decision-making skills.
Horses are masters of nonverbal communication, presence, and emotional regulation, having led sustainable, attuned communities for millions of years. Their ability to respond with clarity and intention makes them powerful partners in leadership development. Simply being in their presence creates a profound, embodied learning experience—anchoring insights not just in the mind, but in the body. Across centuries of shared history, horses have walked alongside humans as companions, workers, and teachers. Through their honesty and natural beauty, they reflect our highest potential, offering a mirror that fosters deep self-awareness and lasting transformation.
No! All activities are conducted on the ground with professional facilitators and horse specialists guiding the experience. You’ll be safe, supported, and surprised by how much you learn. Everything you do is challenge by choice, meaning you get to choose how you experience the learning.
We’re currently in our pilot phase of the program. You can reach out via email for a personal consultation. Email us at teachinghorse@cpp.edu to start the conversation. We’ll walk you through available packages, dates, and logistics.
Each session is designed with the individual and/or group in mind. Our sessions can be customized to meet the needs of our clients. All experiential sessions will give learners the opportunity to have individual and team interactions with the horse and/or herd. All experiential sessions begin in a classroom setting. In addition to the experiential options, we offer multi-day, virtual and classroom options. Since this program is customized based on the client's needs, it is best to reach out to us at teachinghorse@cpp.edu so we can best support your needs.
You will need to wear closed toe shoes to the equine facility. More specifically, tennis shoes or hiking boots with no more than a 2-inch heel are recommended. Jeans and athletic wear are fine. No shorts. For warmer temperatures it is also recommended that you wear a hat, sunblock, sunglasses and for cooler temperatures you should bring a jacket and a hat or beanie. Gloves are appropriate as well.
In person sessions are held at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center, a serene outdoor environment perfect for reflection, connection, and powerful breakthroughs. If the appropriate facilities and resources are available, we have the ability to travel to a location closer to you.
Safety is our top priority for both humans and horses. All activities are ground-based and facilitated by certified professionals. Participants receive a full safety briefing before engaging in any activities. With that being said, everything we do is “challenge by choice” meaning, you get to choose how you participate and interact with the horses.
Pricing varies depending on session length, location, group size, and customization needs. Reach out for a tailored quote—we’ll walk you through all the details.
Sessions may be rescheduled in the event of rain or high winds. We’re currently working toward securing an enclosed arena for year-round comfort and consistency.
We are committed to providing accessible options for all to participate will continue improving accessibility further. Our facilitators are trained to provide accommodations to support a variety of needs. Please let us know about any accessibility requests in advance; we’re here to help you fully participate.
The Diamond Model is the core framework of TeachingHorse. Inspired by how herds of horses lead through uncertainty, it includes four essential leadership capabilities: Attention, Direction, Energy, and Congruence. These are practiced through roles such as leading from the front, middle, and behind—building agility, trust, and collective intelligence.
Whether you’re navigating change, leading through complexity, managing burnout, or building a new team culture—TeachingHorse provides experiential insight that helps you move from confusion to clarity. You’ll walk away with tools to improve communication, decision-making, self-awareness, and team alignment
Yes! TeachingHorse can be integrated into broader leadership initiatives. We offer both stand-alone experiences and modular formats that complement existing development programs, retreats, executive coaching, or campus initiatives. Ask us about customization options.
It’s more than that. While TeachingHorse naturally strengthens trust and cohesion, the primary focus is leadership development. Participants gain personal insight and practical tools for shared leadership—far beyond typical icebreakers or morale boosters.
Yes, we offer a virtual curriculum built on the same principles of the Diamond Model. Virtual modules include storytelling, reflection, and peer coaching frameworks that reinforce the experiential learning, even without direct interaction with horses
We’ve worked with public agencies, universities, corporate teams, healthcare professionals, nonprofit leaders, and executive cohorts. Whether you're a senior leader, emerging professional, or cross-functional team, TeachingHorse helps bring clarity and enables agility in uncertain times.
Yes! The W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center is open to the public Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM. In addition, we host monthly Sunday Shows where you will get to see some of our TeachingHorse herd members in action! Visit https://www.cpp.edu/wkkelloggarabianhorsecenter/sunday-shows/about-sunday-shows.shtml for dates and times.