Programs at United Mustangs of America
This is a serious school. Every program is built around real horsemanship, real horses, and real time. Here is exactly what each path includes and what it costs.
What You Are Getting Into
If you want to become a true horseman — someone who understands horses, reads them, and can work through anything they face together — this school was built for you.
Horse Handling Science is how we get there. It is the study of how horses think, communicate, and learn — and how a human can develop the awareness and discernment to meet a horse where it actually is. Every session at UMA is built around this method.
Each horse in this school offers something different and important to understand about horses. They are not interchangeable props. They are individual teachers.
Every student works directly with Monica O. Knight. Every session is a reserved 2-hour time block. Every program includes access to Horse Handling Science United — UMA’s online learning community.
Ranch Hours & Schedule
Open Days
Session Start Times
* Saturday 8:30am is Beach Trail Adventure only. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Choose Your Path
Every student begins with the Introductory Session. From there Monica will recommend the right program based on what she observes and what the student needs.
The First Step
Two hours. Real horses. This is where every UMA student begins — a hands-on first session to meet Monica, meet the horses, and find the right starting point together.
- 2-hour reserved session at the ranch
- Introduction to UMA and the horses
- Ranch safety and horse behavior basics
- Groundwork, handling, and possible riding
- Personal assessment and next step recommendation
- Mutual fit — student and Monica both decide
The Core Path
The foundation of UMA. Four 2-hour sessions per month with Coach Monica and the Mustangs. This is where real horsemanship is built — session by session, horse by horse.
- 4 sessions per month — each a 2-hour reserved time block
- Every session opens with 15 minutes of ranch care
- Groundwork, handling, horse care, and riding
- Access to Horse Handling Science United — UMA’s online learning community
- Beach Trail Adventure at Grover Beach for qualified students
The Mastery Path
Mastery takes hours. Horse Lab was built for students who are ready to put in more time — coached sessions plus independent practice, totaling 15 additional hours per month.
- Everything in Core Membership
- 15 hours of additional practice time per month
- One coached session plus one to two practice sessions per week
- More groundwork, riding, and horse handling toward self mastery
- Requires minimum 3 months Core Membership and an independence assessment
The Simple Difference
Every program shares the same foundation. What changes is the amount of time and the level of involvement.
Core Students
Learn the UMA way. Four coached 2-hour sessions per month with real horsemanship education at every visit.
Horse Lab Students
Put in the hours toward mastery. More time with the horses is where feel, timing, and real confidence are earned.
Guardians
Help carry the UMA way. Trusted community members who serve the horses and stay connected to the herd.
About the Guardian Program
Guardian is earned, not purchased. It becomes available after three consecutive months of Core Membership — when a student has proven they know the horses, understand the UMA way, and are ready to contribute more than they take. For active Core students, Guardian access is included in membership at no extra cost. It is simply the next layer of responsibility that opens when a student is ready for it.
For students who need to step back from regular lessons, Guardian offers a way to stay connected to the herd and the community at $99/month. It keeps their relationship with the horses alive, maintains their access to Horse Handling Science United, and holds their place in the UMA family while life rebalances — with a clear path back to full Core Membership when they are ready to return.
Guardian sessions happen during scheduled ranch times only. This is a structured role with real responsibility, not open drop-in access. Guardians are approved by Monica and are expected to show up the UMA way.
The Community Path
Earned after 3 consecutive months of Core. Included for active Core students — or available at $99/month for students stepping back from lessons to stay connected to the herd.
- Opens after 3 consecutive months of Core Membership
- Included in Core membership — no extra cost for active students
- Sessions during scheduled ranch times only
- Horse care, grooming, and facility support
- Full access to Horse Handling Science United
How Every Session Begins
Regardless of which program a student is in, every session at UMA opens the same way — with about 15 minutes of ranch care. Students grab the wagon and manure fork and help clean corrals or assist with a small facility project.
This is part of how UMA works. The horses are not session equipment. They are living animals and everyone who benefits from them contributes to their care. Those first 15 minutes teach responsibility, awareness, and what it actually means to be part of a horse community.
Every Path Starts the Same Way.
One session. Two hours. $100. Come meet the horses and find out where your path begins.
Book Your Introductory Session10 spots currently open · Arroyo Grande, California