Science-based Horsemanship
For the people who want what's best for their best friend.
Setting the Bar High
Top Bar Horsemanship is committed to meeting everyone, from experienced equestrians to first-time horse owners, where they're at and helping them reach higher potential with ethical training and instruction based in science, connection and correct management of the horse's living environment.
Services
Training Plans
Environmental Consults
Training Plans
Nobody likes sending their horse to the trainer every year for a tune up. I work closely with clients to draw up a custom training plan for their horses that can be easily executed during daily rides and handling. My goal is to look at every aspect of the horse's care, and support my clients until they are confident maintaining their horse's behavior on their own.
Instruction
Environmental Consults
Training Plans
Whether you're trying to reach your next competitive goal, or you hardly ride because you're struggling with anxiety, there are tools to help the human side of the relationship, too! Watching my human clients grow with their horses and reach a new level of understanding is one of the best parts of my job.
Pricing and travel rates are listed below!
Environmental Consults
Environmental Consults
Environmental Consults
Most behavioral issues are actually horse keeping issues. Inadequate turnout, improper diet and poor socialization will all contribute to health issues and problem behaviors. I'm certified in stable management as well as natural horse keeping, and always happy to consult on ways to get your horse's environment tuned in to suit their needs.
Pricing
On Site and Travel Rates per session from Wiscasset, Maine
On site lessons and training: Currently Unavailable
Travel under 20 miles: $60
20-45 miles: $70
46-75 miles: $80
76-99 miles: $90
Over 99 miles: $100 and limited availability
Local Clinics: $100 per participant, per day.
Long-Distance: $200 per participant, minimum two days
International: $300 per participant, minimum three days
Online distance coaching: $30
(Anywhere in the world!)
Not Quite Ready to Schedule?
If you're on a tight budget or looking to get a preview of what we do at a lower price point, head over to our Patreon page for a ton of articles, case studies, videos of full training sessions and more!
Meet the Team
Nicole Sipe - Over 20 Years of experience, certified through ARIA and Haven Horsemanship
A lifelong horse person, I've seen my share of struggles and taken plenty of wrong turns. When I was taking lessons as a child and young teen, I struggled with anxiety in the saddle that was so bad I almost quit riding altogether; and I never felt like I really understood why and how each leg, seat and rein cue worked to shape how the horses moved.
When I got my young horse, Soda in 2018 I knew I needed to figure out why everything worked, especially when he didn't respond well to the training methods I was familiar with. I started taking lessons with former Cavalia trainer, Marla Foreman, and learning about how to reinforce correct behaviors, taking everything to my young horse and shaping safe behaviors without using correction or punishment. Marla also began to explain to me the cues behind correct, classical riding, and I love carrying that understanding forward to my own clients.
These days I draw heavily from the relationship focused work of Lockie Phillips, using the science of the seven emotional systems combined with a soft feel to encourage a deeper bond between horses and their people.
There I Was BEC - Friesian x Hanoverian born Oct. 5, 2016
I found Soda online in 2017 and he first joined me in New Hampshire in the spring of 2018 from his breeder in Minnesota. He's been with me through tough living situations, injury, illness and every new iteration of my training methods. In 2023 after a stretch of bad luck, I made the very difficult decision to leave my home and move in with a friend in Maine. The uncertainty of the move pushed me to rehome my three horses; Soda went back to his breeder to be sold and I was sure I would never see him again. Months passed, he remained unsold at his breeder's farm and my situation slowly began to stabilize. After a year apart, I made the drive again, this time to South Dakota, to bring him home.
Soda has taught me and guided me along my horsemanship journey, and his needs have shaped my training and pushed me to learn, grow and adapt; always on a quest to mold us both into our best selves. He's a big, loveable goofball and has been a barn favorite everywhere we go. At the same time, his sensitivity and spirit have challenged my skills and sometimes my bravery as I brought him through his young life and continue to build our relationship. I look with childish glee to what the future may hold for us.
Don't Take My Word For It!
From Mary B.
"Just literally a few minutes before this picture was taken, I had led my horse into the outdoor arena bug-eyed, nervous, and spooking as acorns fell from the trees and chipmunks chattered. Her horse friend in the barn whinnied to her, the dog barked, the wind picked up - it was chaos! Working with Nic through the exercises, Djetti gradually became focused on me and not her surroundings. And then she surprised us - midway through our session she became so relaxed and trusting she dropped to the soft sand of the arena, laid out flat, and fell deeply asleep.
Nic and her amazing method of horse handling has helped both Djetti and I have a better relationship - one based on mutual trust."
From Gretchen R.
"I took on a rescue case for a newly titled BLM mustang in October 2019. I believed my horsemanship skills were strong enough having adopted two previously wild geldings and gentling them very quickly. I came to realize that I needed to call in a very different sort of horseman when the new little gelding arrived. He was completely untouched and you couldn't get within 10 feet of him without him snorting and freezing. He was afraid even of the wind that blew in his turnout. I had met Nicole at a beginner positive reinforcement clinic and discovered her farm was within an hour from mine. Having discovered that Nicole was very skilled at the positive reinforcement training technique, I knew she had to show me ways to get this wild horse to trust me; and to do it in a way that was completely different from natural horsemanship, pressure and release or desensitization and other over exposure techniques. Nicole met this new gelding at my barn and I could feel right away her calm energy was exactly what my scaredy-cat needed! Nicole taught me patience and to pick up on the smallest progress in the very long extended training timeline with great success. Billy has become an in-your-pocket type of pony and I give Nicole's training abilities all the credit!"
From Alicia C.
"Upon buying my 2 year old mustang who had no prior knowledge with loading into a trailer, Nicole offered to truck her to her new farm as a favor. She spent 2 hours working with my horse to make this a positive experience for her; and was very kind and patient. If I have to use anyone to teach a young horse to load I would definitely choose Nicole again!"
