Rachel Hackett-Dickinson

I’m a lifelong horsewoman and have been teaching riding and horsemanship my entire adult life. As a kid, I went to the barn because it was where I felt safe. Horses gave me so much that I spent years learning how to support them: the biomechanics of the ridden horse and in-hand work with Jillian Kreinbring, MS, Connected Riding™ with Peggy Cummings, TTouch®, equine acupressure. Each taught me something, and none of it was quite the thing I was reaching for.

It wasn’t until I found Horse Speak® that I understood what was missing; the reciprocal relationship. Through that community I encountered polyvagal theory, and slowly it came together: horses offer safety and connection naturally, and we can learn to offer it back, once we understand how our nervous systems shape everything between us.

Now I teach Somatic Horsemanship and Equine Assisted Learning. At my home, Little Bug Farm, I guide people through experiential sessions with my small herd at Little Bug Farm in Colrain. I also travel around New England working with individual horse owners. The focus isn’t on goals or performance. It’s on relationship, congruence, and what
becomes possible when we can communicate clearly with ourselves and with the horses.

Certifications: Massachusetts-licensed riding instructor - Lifelong horsewoman across multiple disciplines - Horse Speak® online course 'Everything Means Something' - Apprenticeship with Jillian Kreinbring, MS - Connected Riding™ with Peggy Cummings - IHSA team at Smith College

Education: Bachelor of Arts from Smith College

Geographic Area Serviced: Massachusetts, Southern Vermont

Area of Expertise: Equine-assisted learning · nervous system regulation · somatic horsemanship · polyvagal theory · co-regulation · Horse Speak® · groundwork and unmounted horse interaction · equine body language · experiential learning · clinics · private sessions · problem horses