"Real Men Don't Have to Be Cowboys"

Myths and Legends

When a lot of us were young, we either grew up watching Westerns in TV and movies or at least had a sense of the mystique of the West and how it was settled.  Cowboys were the romantic figures and heros who settled the West and conquered the "heathen" Indians.  The images we have of cowboys was that of "a man's man."  Rough and tough.  A hard working, hard riding, drinking, smokin', chewin', spitten' kind of guys.  Disputes were often settled with fists and guns that often included every other guy in the immediate area.  The classic bar fight.  Two guys start and everyone else goes at it with everyone else who is there.  And of course cowboys did enjoy the company of saloon girls but could rarely be "tamed" or settle down with women of more "virtue."  If they did marry, their women often were left behind for months or even years at a time to raise the family while men went off to war, explore new territories or work at some far off place.  They were the adventures and explorers, the workers who drove cattle and built the railroad and the ones who created the opportunities all of us enjoy today. As with any other myth or legend there are truths and falsehoods in the images portrayed.  However because cowboys are most often portrayed as the "good guys" and heros, the images portrayed serve as potential role models for today's men.
 

Forging New Trails

Times have changed though and the roles of both men and women are different than even 20 or 30 years ago.  While women have been discovering their independence while trying to remain feminine, men have been trying to learn how to be better leaders and partners and retain all those good qualities that make them men.  One of the great thing about men is that in general, they are goal oriented doers.  They want a "job" they can be successful at.  They want at least give the appearance of knowing what they are doing and looking good at what they do. 
 

The problem is, most men learn by doing.  They want to figure it out for themselves and most seminars, books or other self help or corporate learning experiences are not set up that way.  There is most often an assumed expert verbally sharing their wisdom with visual aids of some sort.  While both men and women can learn new things from this type of format, both men and women learn and retain more through experiential learning.  Men in general seem to respond much better to a hands on, task-oriented approach.

Horses as Partners in Learning

Throughout history, horses have been our partners.  They've taken us places, helped us grow food, hunt food and in some cases have been the food.  They have helped us in war and to protect ourselves. They have and still are sources of work and entertainment.  Through it all, they have been our faithful servants and companions, but times changed for them too. 

As people look for new and more noble uses for horses, people have discovered that horses have unique abilities to specifically assist people and help them learn about themselves.  In the process, people develop new skills that make them more marketable in today's economy and better partners at home. 

The emerging field of Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) provides experiential learning situations that help all people of all ages develop greater skills in leadership, communication and team building.  EAL is especially good for men because it's hands on and goal-oriented.  The person facilitating the program doesn't do all the talking.  Participants discover the lessons to be learned themselves through guided learning situations done on the ground with horses. No experience with horses is necessary.

Enrollment Options

This is a day long seminar.  Seminars are conducted all year and in all kinds of weather.  While participants should dress appropriately for  the weather, they will spend very little time in outdoor conditions if weather is not comfortable. 

Participants should arrive by 8:30 for check in and a light continental breakfast.  A light lunch is included as well as snacks.  We complete our day between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Participants are welcome to stay afterward for informal wrap ups and to socialize. 

Who Enrolls

Individuals who register as part of one of our scheduled seminars

Here's a chance to do some physical stuff you like and learn from it too.  This process involves a little roughing it, a little competition, a lot of fun and more than you ever thought you could learn through horses.  For some people, you will also have the opportunity to connect with horses in ways you didn't think you could.  You never know for sure what's going to happen at one of these seminars which is part of why they are so great.  Each one is new and different depending on the dynamics of the people, the horses and the chosen experiences.  You don't have to know anything about horses.  Just be ready to put on your boots, roll up your sleeves and have a good time while you learn.

2010 Schedule for Individual Participants

Saturday July 17
Saturday September 18
Saturday November 6

Business and Corporate Groups

Equine Assisted Learning is great for corporate or business groups.  This is not your typical seminar and the learning is likely to continue long after the seminar.  People tend to think about their experience and draw information from it for days or even weeks after the actual event.  Unlike other seminars where people sit and write a lot of notes that they soon forget, not only do people remember more, they tend to implement more of what they learned. 

Participants don't necessarily need to be all men for this group especially as a business.  There are other EAL seminars for a mixed group, however the "Real Men Don't Have To Be Cowboys" seminar deals with issues that may be more specific to men. 

When your business books a group it is with the intent that there are certain problems to be addressed, certain skills to be learned or certain goals to be accomplished.  In some cases we work with businesses over several sessions.  Your goals for the seminar are discussed at booking and the seminar is specifically developed with your group's interests in mind.

Scheduling your event is easy.  Simply choose an available date on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays. We will help you make the rest of the arrangements.

Rates

Regular pricing is $95 per person with a minumum of 10 people. However you can save 20% if you book your seminar in 2010 and complete it in either 2010 or 2011.  Rates are then just $75 per person.

Groups of less than 10 people are $95 per person. Rates for scheduled semiars are $95 per person because the groups are generally smaller.  However if we do get 10 guys, everyone will get $20 back at the start of the seminar.  How sweet is that??

Father/son discounts:  Although we have not formally put together a father/son event, this is an excellent activity to do together.  Dads, if your son or sons want to join you, just add them to your registration for only $25 each.  

How to Register

Simply call us at 608-270-1550 to reserve your time.  You can pay with your Visa, Mastercard or Discover by phone.  If you prefer to mail a check, make your registration payable to:  Black Forest Farm, LLC and mail to:

3255 County Road F
Barneveld, WI 53507

Just add a little note specifying the date you are interested in and a phone number or email where you can be reached.  We will want to contact you ahead of time to have a better understanding of what you would like to accomplish.

Registrations for businesses usually involve consultation prior to registration.  Please call or email us at only@blackforeststables.com to plan your event.