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Transformative Experiences for Horses and Riders All riders, regardless of experience or discipline, meet challenges along the way. Paul T. Haefner. in Physics.

Riding Far, LLC was founded over 20 years ago with a simple idea that riders could benefit from a better understanding of themselves, their horses, and how to create change. We help riders move through these challenges. This is more than your typical sport psychology or horse training. We have dedicated ourselves to create transformative experiences for equestrians and horses through compassionate and expert education, mentorship and guidance. We meet every rider and horse where they are and create deeply personal and meaningful experiences. Our work inspires change where traditional approaches have often failed. We ground ourselves in an innovative integration of modern human psychology and horsemanship, drawing inspiration from a wide range of human psychological disciplines and the best of classical and modern horsemanship including equine ethology and biomechanics. We are passionate about our own personal and professional growth in order to bring our clients current, comprehensive, informed, and inspired guidance. PhD

Dr. Haefner is a licensed clinical and sport psychologist in private practice in Northern Virginia with more than 30 years of professional experience. In addition to his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Dr. Haefner is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-linguistic Programming. He also holds a B.S. In his practice, he provides personal/professional development, sport psychology consultation, and a broad range of other therapeutic services to adults, adolescents and children. An avid equestrian since his childhood, Dr. Haefner has combined his love for horses and lifelong equestrian experience with his knowledge of human psychology in order to help people transform themselves and their relationships with their horses. He enjoys working with riders of all levels and disciplines tackling the many and varied challenges that arise along the way. He helps riders transform self-doubt into confidence, fear into courage, distractibility into focused concentration, and pressure and anxiety into effective performance. In addition to helping people with their riding goals, Dr. Haefner uses the unique relationship between people and their equine partners to help people attain their own personal growth goals such as increased self-confidence, assertiveness, trust, intimacy and balance in relationships. Dr. Haefner is passionate about learning. He is committed to integrating newly acquired knowledge and skills into his work with riders. His most recent learning venture into interpersonal neurobiology has led to Riding Far to partner with Neurofficient to offer their clients neurofeedback brain training. Dr. Haefner is also a steadfast advocate for research in the field of human-horse interaction. He assisted in founding the Research Committee for the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association. He served on the Board of Directors of the Horses and Humans Research Foundation (HHRF), having been honored to serve as President of the Board for three of those years. He continues his advocacy for research through his role as Scientific Advisor for HHRF. Dr. Haefner is passionate about teaching. He has taught every age and level from kindergarten to graduate school. He has served on the staff/faculties of The Hill School, Catholic Memorial High School, The Fielding Institute, The Lab School of Washington, and The Catholic University of America. He dedicated to educating riding instructors and trainers, as well as riders, about the psychology of teaching and learning. His goal is to help instructors and trainers become more effective teachers and riders become more effective learners. Justin Haefner

Justin Haefner is a professional trainer who specializes in the training and handling of young performance jumpers. He is the full time Trainer of Young and Developing Horses at St. Bride’s Farm where he focuses on giving international caliber jumping horses the best foundation possible for their later life on the international show circuit. Justin believes it is essential to understand how horses’ bodies move and function in order to effectively train horses. In his continuous pursuit of deeper knowledge of equine physiology and biomechanics, Justin is a student at the Vluggen Institute of Equine Osteopathy and Education. Justin is also committed to transforming the experiences of horses and their riders through his work with Dr. Haefner in Riding Far, LLC. He contributes his knowledge of the horse’s psychology and physiology to create a well-rounded and unique perspective on the relationship between horse and rider. The synergistic, collaborative combination of Justin’s training and horsemanship experience with Dr. Haefner’s experience helping people change creates powerful opportunities for riders to transform their relationships with themselves and their horse in large and small ways. Justin comes from a background in vaquero style natural horsemanship, spending his childhood highly interested in creating and understanding deep connections with horses. Time spent starting young horses, foxhunting, and dabbling in many different disciplines gave him a base to understand key elements of a horse’s solid foundation. His focus on bodywork and anatomy/biomechanics goes hand in hand with his deep interest in classical dressage. His focus with every horse, no matter their discipline, is to gift them with strength of mind, body and emotion. Much of his work is based on the teaching and philosophy passed down by masters such as Nuno Oliveira. While patiently and steadfastly working to positively influence the equestrian world, Justin is deeply committed to continue his personal education. He hopes to return to Portugal where he spent time riding at the Centro Equestre Leziria Grande with the Valença’s, and continued lessons with Patrick King. His interests are in improving his own biomechanics and posture as a rider, as well as knowledge of horse and human physiology, training through classical philosophy, and further understanding and ability in equine bodywork.

10/31/2026

Psych Saturday: Whispers

One of the seemingly inevitable effects of getting old is the aches and pains of both an aging body and a life spent with horses. One of the great pleasures of age is a tacit permission to complain about them with others. My younger colleagues, family, and friends grin and shake their heads knowingly, while my contemporaries joyfully join in the chorus. We are glad to find someone who both understands and will listen while we catalogue our complaints and all the different remedies we have tried.

Sorry. I am going to indulge myself here. For my younger readers, bear with me, because there really is a point buried in here.

Some months ago I added a spin class to my regular exercise routine, which set off an unexpected and complex chain of physical issues, from back pain to a pattern of nerve, knee, and foot pain on my right side. I will reserve the gory details for conversations with my compassionate peers. What I want to share with everyone is my experience of searching for solutions and of the healing process.

Worry. When I hurt and it affects the things I love to do, I want to fix it, yesterday. When there is no easy answer, when the doctors, PTs, and chiropractors listen patiently with that “This is really interesting” look, in that “I have never seen that combination of symptoms before” kind of way, I worry. I love certainty, and as much as I preach the gospel of complexity, I want simple and certain answers with an effective plan attached. I want a fix, and I want it to be big and loud enough that I can feel it working.

Confusion and doubt. Without a plan that is certain to fix the issue, I begin to ask what my life looks like if this doesn’t get better. That kind of reckoning can be powerful, shaking you to your core. Even as an older adult, I realized how much I take for granted. When your body does not cooperate, you realize how fragile it all is. Accepting this and considering the alternatives can seed uncertainty, leading to confusion and doubt that touch everything from relationships to work to play.

Frustration. All along the search for help and solutions, I kept discovering more ways the pain affects my life and the things I love to do. The aches and discomfort while sitting in my consultation chair during sessions. The twinges as I turn and spin while dancing. The numbness in my right foot after a ride. The more the pain interferes with the things I love, the more pi**ed off I get.

Hope and despair. Along the way, I have sought the help and advice of trusted professionals: Dr. Danielle Estrada of Real Health, Dr. Catherine Wycoff, Dr. Christine Schmitz, and of course my massage therapist, Jody Schein. I name them here to recognize them and their thoughtful, professional care. I am grateful that I have both the resources and the opportunity to work with such a fabulous team. Each has provided expert and helpful guidance. Even with such a great team, the path has felt like a roller coaster, each step forward bolstering my hope that I will return to the me that was, and each step back inviting hints of despair.

Attunement. Pain draws your attention. Perhaps that attention underpins the whole experience, with all its ups and downs. One upside is that I have become more aware of my body. While I still notice the pain, I have cultivated an appreciation for change and, through that, for the restoration of function. This has mattered to me on a number of levels, not least an appreciation of my own progress and healing.

Appreciation. I want to end this list with my chiropractic journey, because it brought an awareness that I think matters most in my work with people and horses. At my first adjustment I did not get the dramatic cracks and pops I was used to from previous experiences. Instead, the adjustments were targeted and subtle. A skeptic by nature, I thought, “No way is this going to help.” But a day or two later, I used my newfound attunement to notice small but important changes that added to the progress I had already made. The impact of a whisper.

All of this has me reflecting on my horses. My horses deal with aches and pains too. I wonder if they go through the same set of emotions. Does pain bring them worry, confusion, or frustration? I know how incredibly sensitive my horses are, and my guess is that they have kept their attunement to themselves and their bodies in part because they are not burdened by the disconnect that our “higher” mental faculties create for us.

Which means they are always listening for the whisper. We are the ones who keep shouting.

I am reminded of the advice of my trusted mentors. Pippa repeatedly urges me to whisper and to expect my horse to respond like a highly schooled horse. My dance instructor, Maria, often says, “Do it like it’s easy.” Each, in their own way, is encouraging me to do less. Not to do nothing, but to act in smaller, gentler ways and to trust the wisdom and sensitivity of these wonderful, miraculous creatures that horses and humans are. When I do, good things happen.

My body has been teaching me the same lesson from the inside. The big fixes I wanted never came. What helped were small, careful inputs and the patience to notice what changed. Healing turned out to be less about force and more about listening.

I suspect my horses have been trying to tell me that for years. It took a spin class, a sore right foot, and a very gentle chiropractor for me to finally hear it.

The body, like the horse, rarely needs us to shout. It needs us to whisper, and then to pay attention.

~ Paul

PC - Erin Gilmore Photography

10/30/2026

One of the things I really appreciate about working with Pippa Callanan is that she doesn't just tell me what needs improving. She finds ways to help me actually feel the difference.
We've been working a lot on precision, which doesn't always come naturally to me. I tend to ride a little loose, so it's pretty cool to see the work we've been doing show up in the competition scores just a couple of weeks later.
A big thank you to Pippa for continuing to push me and find practical ways to help me improve. I came away with a better feel for what I'm trying to accomplish, and that's something I can keep building on with all my horses.
~ Justin

10/29/2026

Hey everyone, Justin has been nominated as one of Sidelines Magazine's Horsepeople of the year and they need help choosing a cover! We would love to see this masterpiece of a photo by Erin Gilmore Photography chosen. If you agree, help us out by voting on the original post!

Susan McClafferty

10/28/2026

I’m late getting this post out, but this little grey horse is still worth bragging about! Due to his allergies, I decided to swap Kola out for Artie in the EPAWE - Eastern Pennsylvania Working Equitation Schooling and Licensed shows. It marked his first licensed show, and I couldn’t be prouder of his adaptability and try.

Artie took Champion at L2 in the schooling show and, while we were a class of one in the licensed show, we brought home a lovely prize donated by Nunn Finer for the overall high score in dressage for L2 and above with a 68.5%! He stuck with me through new environments and difficult weather, and we had some lovely rides that far exceeded my expectations.

Thank you to EPAWE and all the volunteers for putting on a wonderful show, and to Polly Limond Dressage and Working Equitation for being an incredibly fair judge, as always. I also had the special treat of showing alongside Stephanie Jennings for the first time. Having her there was a real comfort, as she has been guiding us since the beginning of our Working Equitation journey.

I’m always grateful for the support of our sponsors, whose products we use and love every day, both in and out of the show ring!

Triple Crown Feed
Another Turn Tack & Apparel
HCS, USA Saddlery & Fittings

Thank you to Victoria Morano Photography for capturing these lovely moments!

Every ride and new adventure leaves me more excited about the future with this horse.

~Justin

10/27/2026

We didn’t make it to Facebook Live yesterday because of a horse-related emergency, sorry we missed you and we appreciate your understanding. Fortunately it looks like all is going to be ok.

If we had made the Live, one of the things we would have been talking about was the day we spent auditing the Working Equitation Championships over the weekend - congratulations to all who competed, it was a real pleasure to watch.

It was one of those weekends that leaves you with plenty to think about, and with the week already taking an unexpected turn, that felt like enough of a place to begin.

What intention will guide your week?

📸Victoria Morano Photography

10/26/2026

Our apologies to everyone but we won’t be able to join you on our Facebook live this morning. We look forward to seeing you next week!

10/25/2026

The Bull Line Challenge continues - how small can you go? After our recent video trying out a smaller ring, we were gifted this hoop earring to try!
Join the Challenge! What can you do?

10/25/2026

Psych Saturday: Fences and Herds

Every few years the equestrian world has a reckoning. A video surfaces from a warm-up ring. A horse dies somewhere it shouldn’t have. A young rider finally finds the courage to tell someone what a coach has been doing for years. We feel the shock together, and then, almost reflexively, we reach for the same answer. We write a rule.

I want to be clear before I go any further. I am grateful for the rules. Safe Sport has given young athletes a door to knock on that did not exist when I was growing up. Drug and medication rules have protected horses who could not protect themselves. Rules matter. Someone has to draw the line, and someone has to enforce it.

But I have spent close to forty years sitting with people, and with horses, and I have come to believe something that makes me a little uneasy. Rules can tell us where the floor is. They cannot build the house.

A rule is an answer to the question, “What is the least I must do?” It sets a limit and promises a consequence. That is useful. But it also quietly shapes the conversation around it. When safety lives mostly in the rulebook, people start asking how close to the line they can stand. Welfare becomes something we comply with, and compliance is a very thin kind of care. Where there is compliance, there is almost always someone working out how to get around it.

I have seen this pattern for years in my office. A person who stays sober only because someone is watching has not yet found their recovery. A child who behaves only because of the threat of punishment has not yet found their values. Behavior held in place by pressure lasts only as long as the pressure does. What lasts is what grows from the inside.

Horses taught me this long before psychology did. A horse who has been made to stand still is not the same as a horse who has found his stillness. You can see the difference in his eye, in his jaw, in the way he breathes. One is holding. The other is resting. The first one lasts until the pressure lifts. The second one becomes who he is.

I have always thought of that in terms of training. Lately I have been thinking about what it means for whole communities.

When safety and connection are present between a horse and rider, remarkable things happen. The horse softens. The rider breathes. Curiosity returns. Performance, which we spent so long trying to force, starts to emerge on its own.

That word, emerge, is the heart of it. Horses and humans are complex systems, and complex systems organize themselves. Put a group of people together in a barn, at a show, or across a whole sport, and over time they settle into patterns. Ways of talking. Ways of treating horses. What gets laughed at, what gets praised, what gets quietly ignored. Complexity theory calls these stable patterns attractor states. We might just call them culture.

Here is the part that matters. Culture is not written. It emerges. It comes into being. It grows out of thousands of small moments between people and horses. It lives in how a trainer responds when a student cries. It lives in whether anyone says something when a horse is ridden past what it can give. It lives in what we celebrate on social media, in who gets the ribbon and how they got it, and in whether the barn kid who loves her pony more than her scores is seen as soft or as wise.
No rulebook reaches all the way into those moments. Only relationships do.

I see the same thing with research, and this one is close to my heart after my years with the Horses and Humans Research Foundation. We have never known more about how horses learn, what stress looks like in their bodies and faces, how fear affects riders, and what good coaching actually does. The science is real and it is getting better every year.

And yet so much of it never makes it into the barn aisle on a Tuesday morning.

It is not that people are stupid or uncaring. It is that information does not land in a vacuum. It lands in a culture. When a community deeply values welfare and connection, good research is welcomed. People are hungry for it. They pass it around, try it, and talk about it at the in-gate. When a community values winning above all else, the same research bounces off. It sounds like a criticism, or a nuisance, or something for people who aren’t serious competitors. The soil decides what grows.

So I find myself asking a different question. Not only “What rule do we need?” but “What would it take for welfare to emerge naturally here?”
I don’t think the answer is complicated, though it isn’t easy. It starts with the same ingredients I see in every healthy horse and rider partnership. Safety before performance. Connection before correction. Curiosity instead of contempt. Room to make mistakes without being shamed for them, and the willingness to repair when we get it wrong.
Imagine a barn where a young rider can say, “I’m scared,” and be met with interest instead of impatience. Where a trainer can say, “I don’t know, let’s find out,” without losing face. Where a horse’s worried eye is noticed and talked about before it turns into a refusal or a buck. Where the rider who pulls up because something feels wrong is applauded, not teased. In a place like that, nobody needs a rule to make welfare a priority. It is simply what people do, because it is who they have become together.

Cultures like this already exist. I have been lucky enough to stand in some of them. They almost always grow around one or two people who decided to lead with relationship. Their influence spreads quietly, one lesson, one conversation, one kindly handled horse at a time. That is how attractor states shift. Not through decree, but through enough small, repeated experiences of something better that the whole system begins to settle somewhere new.

We will always need rules. They are the fence line, and fences save lives. But I hope we can stop expecting fences to do the work that only a herd can do.

The question for each of us is not whether we are following the rules. It is what kind of culture is emerging around us, and what part we are playing in it.

Rules can keep us from the worst of ourselves. Only connection can bring out the best.

~ Paul

10/23/2026

I prefer my horsepower parked on the driveway already warmed up and ready to go as the colder mornings roll in.
~ Justin

10/22/2026

I woke up on Monday morning to a message from a client who'd come across a Facebook post describing a way of working with horses that was pretty much the opposite of something we do. She was struggling to figure out what was right, and I get it. There's so much conflicting information out there, and everybody seems to have an answer.

It got me thinking about Pippa's lecture at our last clinic, where she talked about principles, methods, and techniques. I've been thinking about that distinction a lot lately, and it's been really helpful in sorting through all the different ideas that come my way.

There was a time when I'd read something that contradicted what I was doing and it would really bother me. I'd start questioning things, trying to figure out who was right. These days I can look at something and say, well, that's not for me. And move on.

But what's interesting is why I can do that now. If something doesn't fit with my principles, I'm not particularly interested in pursuing it. If the principles align but the method is different, I want to understand what they're trying to accomplish. And if we're working from the same principles and method but somebody has a different technique, well, that's potentially another tool in my toolbox.
It's made me much more comfortable exploring ideas I might not agree with. I don't have to defend what I'm doing every time I come across something different, and I don't have to dismiss somebody else's approach just because it's not mine.

I think that's been a pretty significant shift for me. There's no shortage of opinions about how we ought to work with horses, especially on social media. Having a clearer understanding of my own principles has made it a lot easier to sort through those opinions, stay curious, and keep learning.

~ Justin

📸 Erin Gilmore Photography

Address

Winchester, VA
22601

Telephone

+17037273205

Website

http://www.ridingfar.com/, https://linktr.ee/ridingfar

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