Joseph's Dream Equine Volunteer Program
Surround yourself with the healing and inspiring spirit of Joseph’s Dream Stud & Academy in the silence of the African bush! Learn and sharpen your natural horsemanship skills, help raise youngstock, and assist with training and backing horses. Learn to truly live and train horses force free and with respect and experience the joy and freedom of this! Share this joy with like-minded people from all over the world and the children of the community and create moments of healing and awareness.
You will be involved in the daily care of 30+ Academy & Stud horses, our miniature horses and Alpacas and might also get to work with some equine rescues. Of course, you’ll have time to recharge, relax, enjoy guided safari rides, get creative and just absorb the beauty of Namibia's stunning nature, free roaming wildlife and our gorgeous horse family. Our Equine Volunteer Program is an opportunity for everyone with a limited budget but the willingness to help to learn from our academy while assisting with daily chores around our equines.
Learn to read and then communicate with horses in trust and joy with different methods like Liberty, Trust exercises, Clicker Training, Bodywork and more to truly connect force free!
You will be hosted either in our Volunteer house located on the best viewpoint of the farm and overlooking all the paddocks, stables & our wildlife waterhole or (on special request) in one of our freestanding Lodge Chalet in our organic green village with the miniature horses and free roaming lechwee water antelopes as your direct neighbours. All our accommodation is a private room with king-size bed and each room with private toilet and shower.
(Please inquire upfront if you would prefer to stay in one of our chalets or the Volunteer House while joining our volunteer program.)
Our on-site restaurant is not only providing 3 delicious meals for you daily but can also cater for all vegetarian, vegan or food intolerance.
In our training program you will cover 8 different modules of how to connect with horses and approach training in a holistic way, considering a healthy body and a clear mind of the horse.
- Module 1: Our Foundation of JD Horse Training / mindset / stage of mind / bodylanguage / the 3 training energies
- Module 2: Our tools - develop feel / flagwork / groundmanners / be & become equal partners
- Module 3: Liberty - tricks & challenges
- Module 4: Bodywork & awareness / sharpen your eyes and senses
- Module 5: 'Parking' & riding / seat training / riding from feel / riding in nature
- Module 6: Reward-based-training / target training
- Module 7: Biomechanics / healthy movement / balance / in-hand work / healthy working on the circle versus lunging
- Module 8: Trusting techniques & mindful sharing / building confidence from true connection
Our Academy is running monthly Holistic Horsemanship Courses for 2-3 weeks. As a volunteer you will join some of these sessions but due to your longer stay (we suggest a minimum stay of three weeks for the full experiecnce) with us you will get the opportunity to work hands-on with our trainers on training youngsters and backing young horses etc. Some beautiful one-on-one equine journeys and relationships are waiting for your to grow along with! You will become part of the family and have your daily chores like assisting our grooms with walking horses, grooming horses, cleaning water troughs and mini paddocks. Due to our Academy you will always be surrounded by inspiring and like minded people during your stay of all ages in addition to your volunteer colleagues.
Although this is not a riding focussed stay you will still enjoy scenic outrides in between. As a volunteer you might also get the chance to book two nights at at our unique JD Safari camp where you will sleep above your horse and can see giraffes, zebras and antelopes from horseback during the day. Please note that this is an extra holiday activity offered on side and extra charges apply. (550 Euro pp)
During your stay with us, develop new skills, make new friends and work with a great team of people. The consistent core of our program comprises our friendly and talented horse workers from the ancient Namibian San tribe. While our Liberty Training Program has been formed over the years by some of the world's best. Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce had a dream that all nations could live in peace with each other. Allow yourself to open up and learn the language to be spoken to make Joseph's Dream a reality in this world—between people, people and animals, people and this planet.
