Since 2018
OUR HELPING HOME
Our History
Although mutual friends brought them together, it was their love of horses and helping others that united Isabel and Chuck on a personal and professional level.
Both partners worked with the public for many years; Isabel as a hairstylist and college facilitator and Chuck as a farrier/blacksmith. As a result of working through their own difficult experiences as well as listening compassionately to their individual clients and students, Isabel and Chuck recognized that all people struggle, but most lack the tools or knowledge to help themselves. When Isabel discovered the FEEL program, (Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning) the couple realized their true ‘life path’. Isabel became a certified facilitator. Chuck trained to be her co-facilitator. That move not only brought them closer together professionally, it also strengthened their personal relationship.
Our Program background
The FEEL program founded by Wendy Golding and Andre Leclipteux from Horse Spirit Connections partners a facilitator and a horse to help a client begin a journey into healing. It is an effective way to break out of old patterns because horses work with ‘heart energy’ and participants’ emotions. Horses have the ability to sense inner feelings, bring them to the surface, and mirror them back so participants can recognize and understand them. Once people start to understand the messages behind their emotions – the body’s way of giving information – they gain the knowledge and confidence to work through them. Emotions such as fear and sadness are replaced with confidence, happiness, and faith moving into the future.
On their 50-acre property, HATHAWAY FARM (Where Horses Help Hearts Heal), Chuck and Isabel have created a safe, non-judgemental, inclusive environment where all people can begin to heal emotionally, physically, and spiritually. The Hathaways’ strong sense of empathy and compassion has led them to this new path of helping others while giving greater meaning to their own lives.
If you are interested in starting your journey into healing, consider joining the people who have already visited the farm and gained insight from their sessions with Isabel, Chuck, and their horses.
Since 2018
LEARN ABOUT F.E.E.L
What Drives Us
Our Mission
To enable people to gain knowledge, realize their potential and live a fulfilled authentic life.
Vision
At Hathaway Farm, our vision is to create a safe space where people come to have an authentic experience and explore themselves on a deeper level. A peaceful setting where they can acquire understanding and tools for life creating confidence and learning to move forward in a positive direction.
Values
Acting with professionalism, honesty, kindness, and integrity at all times.
Always maintaining the participants and horses safety as our first priority
Ensuring that our horses are healthy and happy
Helping to create a positive influence in the community and each other’s lives
Respecting nature in our environment
Sharing, lifelong learning and friendship
Team
Our Team
Isabel Hathaway
Co-Founder
Isabel’s first contact with horse’s was at a very young age. She sat on the porch of her home in Portugal, and watched a man walking beside his horse pulling a milk cart door-to-door. As the horse plodded by past her, they made eye contact. At that moment, electricity ran through her body, and she knew horses were going to be a part of her life forever.
Still quite young, Isabel immigrated to Canada with her parents, and started school without any knowledge of the English language. Her first year of school was very difficult as she was already shy, and then found herself surrounded by strangers. However, she realized that by paying attention to people’s body language, it was easier to communicate with them. This form of communication set the precedent that she would carry throughout her life working with horses, and people. As she developed friendships, and acquaintances, she became more social, and confident. Isabel also learned that being outdoors was very important to her, she loved spending time in nature, hiking, and riding with close friends. Horses were a very large part of her life, they didn’t judge, and were always present, helping her navigate those challenging teen years into adulthood.
Throughout the years Isabel enjoyed different disciplines in the horse world, from jumping to competitive reining to cow work. The more Isabel learned, the more she realized that she wanted to immerse herself in more than just riding. She spent years studying horses in the field, and observing how they communicated with each other. Isabel began attending natural horsemanship clinics, learning to understand horses language’ by paying attention to their body, and facial expressions, also connecting with their emotions. Isabel’s path with horses started out with that first eye contact, and eventually led her to discover the FEEL program that partners horses with people. Isabel knew she had found not only her life’s work, but her passion.
Isabel has had a long career as a small business owner, hair stylist, and college facilitator. Like most people, she has faced many challenges in the course of her personal, and business life. However, being a very positive person, she recognized that these challenges were learning opportunities. Over Isabel’s lifetime she acquired valuable knowledge from each of these experiences. Her love of horses, dedication to lifelong learning, and empathetic nature made the FEEL program an ideal way for her to help others. The horses partner with her using their own language, and together they help people understand, and gain insight into their own lives. The horses love to teach lessons, they hold space when needed, and remain ever present.
Team
Our Partners
Anna-Marie has worked in the healthcare field for over 20 years. She obtained a BA with a specialization in Therapeutic Recreation from Concordia University and more recently, a MHS degree from Athabasca University. In order to deepen her ability to contribute to the area of healthcare, Anna-Marie completed her Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning (FEEL) certification from Horse Spirit Connections in 2016 and her Advanced FEEL training in 2018. She is passionate about sharing the healing possibilities of equine-assisted learning through individual, semi-private and group therapeutic sessions.
Anna-Marie Duffy
Partner
Meet Our Horses
Red
At twenty-two years old, Red is our oldest horse and after a lifetime of showing he is now enjoying retirement. For the past seven years, his home has been at Hathaway Farm. Red stands out with his big strong presence; a beautiful white blaze on his face, and white socks. Looking into his eyes you can see the knowledge and experience he has gained throughout his life. Red is the leader of the herd and although he is quiet and unassuming, the rest of the horses follow his easy-going, consistent leadership style.
At feeding times he insists on being fed first with his constant nickering, and has a comical side playing a game of sliding his stall door open and closed. Red has also developed a talent for opening gates, if his doors aren’t latched, he sneaks out into the backyard for some grass.
Aside from a quiet walk through the woods Red enjoys the FEEL work, he always seems to know who needs his strength, he is happy to provide support and build confidence. Red’s encouraging, calm nature allows people to feel safe in his presence, and connect their hearts to his, he is a patient teacher, especially for those new to horses.
Ray
Ray is a ten-year-old liver chestnut who was born and raised on HATHAWAY FARM to be a competitive reining horse like his champion sire. At a year old Ray had an accident and became lodged under a fence, pinching his lower back. Fortunately, he was rescued quickly and the vet said he would recover with no lasting injuries. As he matured and started training it became apparent, by his emotions, that Ray did not enjoy being ridden. Whether it was pressure on his back due to the injury or he was bored by the routine of training in the arena, Ray let us know he was not happy. Because it was important to us that Ray enjoy his work rather than resent it, we introduced him to the buggy. Ray excelled in this new venture. The buggy did not exert any pressure on his back and he enjoyed trotting down the road with his ears pricked up, seeing new places. We also discovered that Ray was enthusiastic about being ridden, provided he was outside on trails. Being out in the open kept his curious mind busy.
Because of Ray’s introverted nature, his quiet time in the field is very important. He enjoys playing and going for a fast gallop, but retreats to graze alone when he’s had enough excitement. While around other horses and humans, Ray is very aware of his need for personal space, although, one of his greatest enjoyments is having his belly scratched. He will extend his front and back legs until he is no taller than a pony just so his belly is accessible.
Although Ray is careful about choosing his human clients, he is always eager to interact with people, mirroring back their emotions. During Ray’s challenging times while learning to be ridden he showed his emotions, and learned how to set boundaries when something was uncomfortable. Ray now teaches people how to set healthy boundaries. He helps them find their inner strength, just like he did.
Cookie
Cookie is nicknamed ‘Princess’ at eight years old she’s full of playfulness and is the colour of a shiny new copper penny. She came into my life by chance while she was still quite young. I had been searching for a more experienced horse, but there was something in Cookie’s eyes that sparked my interest, and I felt our meeting wasn’t a coincidence. For a few years she had the routine of training, traveling, and being a show horse. This lifestyle came quite naturally to her since she enjoyed the stimulation of new places. She loved the comforts of her stall, the human contact, and the attention of being groomed routinely. Although the demands of showing became tiring, I decided that a slower paced lifestyle was needed. Cookie and I still do some traveling, although now she helps demonstrate natural horsemanship techniques, and nonverbal communication skills.
At home Cookie loves running the length of the field at full speed, expressing herself by bucking, and enticing the other horses to play. Cookie possesses a keen awareness of her environment and is the first horse to take notice of anything unusual or different on the farm. She always makes sure the surroundings are safe for the other horses and herself. Being the most social horse is busy work, Cookie enjoys leading the others to water, finding the sweetest grass for grazing and making sure all is in order.
Cookie’s intelligence shines in her eyes. She has a huge heart, an amazing work ethic, and she doesn’t waste time. Her inherent awareness helps clients identify emotions within themselves, and she demonstrates her strengths through the FEEL work with a gentle, caring nature.
The Beginning of the Horse-Human Relationship
Horses had their beginning over 55 million years ago when they roamed North America. With changing climatic conditions, new species continually evolved. About 3 million years ago they moved into the other continents. However, horses became extinct about 10 thousand years ago in North and South America – although no one is really quite sure why. It has been suggested that the death of this species was mostly due to climate change, disease, and being hunted by humans. It wasn’t until 1519, following the Spanish invasion of the Americas by Christopher Columbus, that horses returned to their land of origin.
Of all the horse species that roamed the earth only Equus survived, and is the ancestor of all horses today.
Prehistoric evidence shows that the horse-human relationship began in Ice Age Europe, where man was predator and horses were hunted for food. However ancient images on cave walls have led us to believe that horses also played a spiritual role in human society. Images of horses and other animals are thought to represent spirit helpers. Of all the age-old depictions found, horses are by far the most abundant. Some of hieroglyphs date back as far as 35,000 years ago, reminders of the bond between horse and man that continues to evolve and thrive.
Domestication of the horse is a key landmark in history and helped shape the world we live in today. It is believed that horses were domesticated about 5,500 years ago, initially for food and milk. Archaeological evidence shows that the art of riding and harnessing horses was developed by 1500 BC. The ways we have fought wars, traveled, played, and explored have all been profoundly shaped by our use of horses.
In the 1950’s Liz Hartel of Denmark gave birth to therapeutic riding as we know it today. In the early 1990’s Linda Kohanov began exploring the horse-human connection and her work provided insight into the transformative healing power of horses. Today there are different types of Equine Facilitated Wellness – all focusing on the horse-human connection – including coaching and spiritual awareness, health and well being, working with people with physical and mental challenges as well as personal development and leadership training.
From a food source, to a way of transportation, to healers and guides, horses have been present with humans helping them throughout history.
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If you are interested in starting your journey into healing, consider joining the people who have already visited the farm, and gained insight from their sessions with Isabel, Chuck, and their horses.