February 1 – 8, 2026

Jim Culver Horsemanship

Our long time friend and former crew member, Jim Culver, will offer a special horsemanship workshop at Elkhorn Ranch. In this workshop, Jim will work with participants to explore the practical and intangible sides of horsemanship to improve your communication and partnership with your horse. Through bodywork, groundwork and riding exercises you will:

• Gain awareness of your body language and what it communicates to your horse

• Recognize how your thoughts and emotions affect your connection with your horse

The beautiful part (an added bonus, if you will!) is that this work with horses directly transfers to our important relationships with humans.

ABOUT JIM

Jim Culver guided at Elkhorn for about 10 years in the late 1980s / early 90s while also developing a diverse guiding career with the National Outdoor Leadership School. Jim feels fortunate to have learned from amazingly talented horse people such as Martin Black, Buck Brannaman, Jim Hicks, and Micaela Love. He also is grateful to have had a very diverse set of experiences in the horse world – starting out riding in the Eastern world, horse packing through the mountains of Wyoming as both a guide and teacher, starting colts, being a farrier, doing bodywork on performance and rehab horses, returning to the Eastern realm later in life to learn about dressage,…. Horsemanship is a lifelong journey!”

Learn more at Jim Culver Horsemanship.

~ Jim Culver

WORKSHOP DETAILS

The clinic requires a commitment to the full 7 night week at Elkhorn. Participants will arrive Sunday afternoon and will meet Jim, the ranch crew, and other guests that evening. Workshop activities will take place during Elkhorn’s usual morning and afternoon riding times Monday through Friday, and will involve time working with your horse from the ground as well as plenty of time in the saddle. On Saturday, everyone will enjoy Elkhorn’s long-standing desert picnic tradition and a day of beautiful riding ~ a chance to reflect upon the week before heading home Sunday.

This workshop will be different from some Elkhorn workshops in that participants do need to sign up for the workshop intentionally in advance of your visit and there will be an extra workshop fee. (Note that all workshop fees will be provided to Jim Culver Horsemanship.) This is necessary to limit the group size to 6. Also, workshop activities will progress through the week.

• All-inclusive horsemanship workshop cost is $3720 (normal Elkhorn total cost for a week $3420 + workshop fee $300)

• The deposit for the horsemanship clinic is $955 (Elkhorn’s usual deposit for a week $855 + ⅓ of workshop fee $100)

• Elkhorn all-inclusive rates include guided riding and hiking, food and lodging, sales tax and 18% service charge ~ no additional gratuity is expected

• All participants must use Elkhorn Ranch horses ~ no outside horses allowed

• In the event that a participant must cancel, Elkhorn’s cancellation policy applies and 50% of the workshop fee would be refunded

• In the unfortunate event that Jim Culver Horsemanship must cancel, participants would be notified immediately, the workshop fee would be refunded, and you would have the opportunity to decide whether to continue your visit as planned (without the workshop and with a 10% discount on the weekly rate) or you could cancel and request a full refund of your deposit

• To sign up for the workshop, contact us to hold space, tell us you want to participate in the “horsemanship clinic” and send us a completed application for reservation and a deposit of $955

MORE WORKSHOPS + EVENTS

OLD-TIME MUSIC
JANUARY 4 – 11, 2026

FOLK MUSIC
JANUARY 11 – 18, 2026

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
JANUARY 18 – 25, 2026

DESERT LANDSCAPE ART
JANUARY 25 – FEBRUARY 1, 2026

HUMAN HISTORY OF THE ALTAR VALLEY
FEBRUARY 8 – 15, 2026

KATE AITCHISON – ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
APRIL 14 – 24, 2026 (TO BE CONFIRMED)

WORKSHOPS + EVENTS PAGE

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