If a unicorn was a person it would be Dr. Barbara Parks 🦄
Kelsey R.
She’s truly magical, in every sense of the word. The way she thinks, the way she moves, the way she teaches, all of it will change your perspective for the better and this class is 16 non stop weeks of pure anatomical magic.
I feel empowered to work with not only my horse, but the horses at my rescue, help them improve in certain ailments, spot things before they become a problem, and it has shifted my way of thinking to become proactive instead of reactive, something the entire world needs more of.
This class is worth every penny and then some. The one on one coaching calls are so valuable and being able to post in a group of peers to pace yourself with the other people in the group as well as hear from alumni is so valuable.
I truly don’t think there’s anything that could have been done better.
It would be a mistake to skip this class.
My confidence in caring for my horse has skyrocketed!
Natalie C.
I am relatively new to horses, and this course has been truly transformative for me. It gave me the confidence to train and care for my horse in the way I always hoped to. I now feel much more attuned to what she’s communicating through her behavior, posture, and movement. My bond with my horse was already strong, but after this course, it feels like we’ve reached a whole new level. She was always easy to catch in the pasture, but now when she sees me, she eagerly walks right to me. She seems to genuinely enjoy training, and I can tell her trust in me has deepened. She’s more relaxed when we work together, and the way she carries herself has improved dramatically. Plus, we’re having so much fun! I also love that I’ll retain access to the course videos. I’ve already started reviewing them, and I know I’ll return to them often to refresh my memory and gain clarity as I continue working with my horse. Barbara is not only an incredibly knowledgeable expert in this field but also a wonderfully supportive teacher and community builder. Whether you’re brand-new to horses or have been around them your whole life, you’ll gain valuable insights from this course—and you’ll also become part of a welcoming, like-minded community of horse lovers.
I overcame things with each and every one of my horses that I had struggled with before.
Julie B.
Where to begin with my review of Barbara Parks The Horse PT's Sound Horse Academy?
I'll begin at the end. While I have 5 horses and they all massively benefited from SHA, the one who benefited the most was my horse Ankh. By far the most challenging horse I've owned, he had some issues that I had not been able to figure out, even with the help of other trainers.
But through SHA, and Barbara's natural abilities as a teacher, WE DID IT! He began to do half passes on the ground, he began to do liberty leading with me, he learned to target different parts of his body to my hand, he started letting me put my hand on his poll, and willingly dropped his head. He ASKED me to scratch his neck and in 4 1/2 years had NEVER wanted me to do so. These were ALL things he would NOT do until I completed SHA.
What I learned was how clicker training can help with soundness. Not just soundness of the body, but soundness of the mind and emotions. Soundness really does include mind, body and spirit.
In reviewing clicker training, anatomy, teeth and hooves, the spine, and more with Barbara, all done virtually on Zoom mind you, all of my horses are calmer, in better condition and are happier. I overcame things with each and every one of them that I had struggled with before.
I can't remember the last course I completed fully. But this one I did! I attended every call, did every lesson, and fully participated. That is a testament to Barbara and the space of non-judgment and acceptance that she created.
Dr. Parks is an expert when it comes to R+ training and PT, but just as importantly she is an excellent teacher and mentor. It’s one thing to find someone who is an expert at what they do. It’s another thing to find someone that can teach. Dr. Parks is that unicorn. She is extremely approachable and is there as much for the student as the horse.
She is an excellent communicator and she was sure to discuss goals and expectations at the start of our journey.
In the short time Luna has been staying with Dr. Parks, she has lost her hay belly, developed her muscles, elevated her topline, and even grown an impressive mane. Every time I see Luna she looks noticeably better. As a physical therapist, Dr. Parks knows exactly what Luna needs to thrive and transform into a ridable horse. In addition, since arriving Luna’s happiness is palpable. She is clearly living her best life.
Luna has taken to clicker training extremely well. Her confidence is greatly improved and she has become more sure-footed. We are working on her balance and cues and she and I are becoming a team. I know I have Dr. Parks and Positive Reinforcement to thank for everything.
I highly recommend Dr. Parks to anyone looking to boost their horse’s well-being and skillset. Most importantly, she will do so in a way that will help to improve the relationship you have with your equine.
A lovely, safe, and fun learning environment
Martine V.
Sooo we did it! Aza and I finished Barbara Parks' Sound Horse Academy, SHA.
It's hard to put into words what it was like. I knew it was going to be good, and it totally lived up to that expectation. But it turned out to be so much more.
I started SHA because I wanted to learn what to look out for and what exercises I should use to be able to get and keep our adult horses sound and to give our youngsters the best start they could get. I decided to go to the program with Aza, our almost 8 y.o. sorraia crossbreed mare. At the end of the course her posture is noticeably better, she moves easier, but also she has become more soft in her behaviour and expression.
I learned how to assess her posture and movement, and which exercises I can use to improve them.
I also learned to ask even smaller questions, be even softer in the body work exercises, and trust that slow and steady is the way to go. There is no need to push myself, to have to act a certain way to make my horse feel better in her body. No need to micromanage, but help Aza to feel and use her body better by herself.
The course itself is so well organised and designed. It's so easy to navigate through the lessons and revisit sections when needed. The video's run very smoothly and even within a video it's easy to navigate. You can access the course in an app on your phone, which comes in very handy if you're practicing with your horse.
The weekly coaching calls are a real game changer for me. It was so much easier to keep up with the course because of them. Honestly, this is the first online course I've done that I was able to keep up with.
And to share this journey with my fellow students, and now friends, Julie and Amy, has added so much value to the whole experience and how much I was able to grow.
It worked so well for us all, that we are going to continue our group coaching calls on a regular basis! Thank you guys so much, for creating this lovely safe and fun learning environment!
A huge thank you to Barbara, for creating this wonderful course and community, and walking us through it in such an open, kind and encouraging way!
Now my "dangerous" horse loves training!
Kristy H.
I am relatively new to the horse ownership world…
Just over a year ago my horse was having significant behavioral issues. I was listening to traditional horse people and was told it wasn't pain causing the issue. Everyone involved in this endeavor knew he had a pre-existing medical condition that we knew might create pain somewhere in the future but we didn't expect it so soon.
The old way of thinking was focusing on his attitude and ignoring any possibly that pain was
creating a situation where he could not succeed. I tried a lot of the traditional training methods without success, including sending him to trainer where he lost a lot of weight and still there was no improvement. I decided to change my approach which had been focused on a return to riding and refocused on helping him be physically and emotionally sound.
I was introduced to Dr. Parks by my equine massage therapist. That was the beginning of an
amazing rehab and transformation with my horse! I enrolled in the Sound Horse Academy and after a few classes I was able to look at old training videos and could spot signs that my horse was indeed stressed and in pain. Using the information and exercises provided in Sound Horse Academy has given me the confidence I need to make sure my horse is healthy and happy and the tools to build team (dentist, farrier, massage therapist) who are all on the same page.
Now this "dangerous" horse literally waits for me to get my pouch and clicker and get to work on
R+ (Positive Reinforcement) training. I really don't know who enjoys this more, me or him.
Divinely Inspired Teaching
AnLouise D.K.
I can’t say enough good things about the Sound Horse Academy. It is truly divinely inspired teaching with quality online teaching and classwork.
The order and flow of the theory and application of the contents inherently builds connection with the horse and functional knowledge of each topic.
The class starts with a full course on how to get started with Clicker Training.
The class is free and by far the best starter R+ class I have encountered online or in person. If you are interested in doing things differently with your horse, this is your starting point. Did I mention that it is free on its own? SHA then continues and reviews proper welfare and health of the horse and how we can setup an environment for success with our horses.
And finally, it then gets to the real meat of the class in teaching humans and our horses bodywork techniques and healthy movement. I have to admit that I was worried I wouldn’t understand or be able to implement these techniques, but it was wonderful and so rewarding working through it all. I come away from this class with so much more knowledge and understanding of how to best care for my horse in a way that improves the health and well-being of both the horse and human (read that again – both the horse and the human).
I often wonder how much effort and money I could have saved over the last
decade, if I was able to take this class when I first became a horse owner.
Do yourself a favor and sign up now!
A Truly Transformational Experience
Amy B.
This class has been fun and beneficial for Spade and a truly transformational experience for me. I have met some amazing friends in my coaching sessions. I have an opportunity to reflect on myself and my horsemanship. Prior to this class, I dabbled in R+, aka clicker training, but I didn’t really understand how many things you can accomplish with this method training. Through this class, Spade has discovered a new way to exercise that she looks forward to doing and she has learned tools to become calmer in situations that used to be triggering
I highly recommend this class!
A Rewarding and Informative Course
Emily K.
This course has been so rewarding and informative. Having the ability to spot stress, pain, and lameness before you see the big signs has helped me listen to my horse better. Not only that, I am also gaining the skills to train in a more thoughtful way and use bodywork to help teach my horse to move in a better way. The icing on the cake to this course and Dr. Parks is having the ability to do a weekly one-on-one and ask questions as well as be held accountable for doing the work. I can’t wait to see where this course takes me in my overall journey with my mare and I’m so thankful to have Dr. Parks as part of my care team to help guide me!
