August 18, 2017
The University of Montana Western was recently ranked among the “Best Equestrian Colleges” by ThoughtCo, an online education resource.
The Equine Studies Department at the University of Montana Western offers the nation’s only bachelor of science degree in natural horsemanship. The university also offers a bachelor of science degree in equine management and associate’s degrees in equine studies and natural horsemanship.
Many of the equine classes take place at the Montana Center for Horsemanship (MCH), a natural horsemanship-based facility located less than two miles from campus.
The Montana Center for Horsemanship is the first and only equine center in the United States that is devoted expressly to promoting ‘Natural Horsemanship.’ With its stables, arenas, riding areas, and instructors, the center serves as the primary facility and progressive teaching resource for Montana Western’s Natural Horsemanship BS curriculum.
The MCH teaches the ‘La Cense Method,’ which was developed under William Kriegel, owner of La Cense Montana and Haras de la Cense in France. Mr. Kriegel is also co-founder of MCH, and he has been involved in Natural Horsemanship for many years. The Le Cense Method is a progressive, step-by-step process that blends the best of traditional horsemanship training with the art of training and riding horses—all in a manner that works with a horse’s behavior, instincts, and personality. Taking a positive and respectful approach, the La Cense Method gradually builds trust, and frees the horses to be confident in all they are asked to perform.
This partnership between the Montana Center for Horsemanship and the University of Montana Western offers a focused means of creating dynamic synergy among professional and amateur horsemen and horsewomen, educators, scientists, and researchers as they work together to improve and expand human/horse interaction.
