The art of working, training, and riding with horses in a manner which works WITH the horse’s behavior, instincts, and personality in an easy, and kind manner.

 Natural Horsemanship – By dissecting the words Natural Horsemanship we may gain a better understanding of what the words mean. Defined by Webster’s Dictionary the words :

“natural” as: “not artificial; formed by nature” and “easy, unaffected and kind”

“Horseman” as: “rider or trainer of the horse”.

“Horse-man-ship” as: “a rider and horse working together as a whole unit”.

There are a number of renowned trainers who practice the art of Natural Horsemanship; John Lyons, Pat Parelli, Buck Brannaman, Tom Dorrance, Linda Tellington-Jones, Monty Roberts, and others. Each one of these trainers have their own style, and practices. However, all practice within the same parameters.

Read more about Natural Horsemanship:

Natural Horsemanship can be learned by horse lovers of all ages.
Natural Horsemanship Specialists – in their own words.

April Cloutier, LCSW  ES   |   Katie Baron, LCPC  ES   |   Linnae Roglitz, ES    |  Alli Winkelman, ES

April Cloutier, LCSW, Equine Specialist

April Cloutier, LCSW

As a summer resident of Maine since 1970, April grew up in the Tenants Harbor-St. George Maine area. She remembers riding horses; whenever she could ‘scrounge up the cash’. She would pay by the hour for a trail ride from a local farm. As a winter resident of Kansas, she started Hunter/Jumper lessons at age 8. Horses have been a part of her life ever since.

In 1991 April graduated with an Associate’s degree in Applied Science from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. She became a Registered Respiratory Therapist working in the field for 10 years. Inspired by the hospital social workers’ ability to work calmly and genuinely with patients and families in times of crisis, she returned to school. In 1996 April graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from Washburn University. In 1998 she obtained her Masters Degree in social work, and has worked in the Social Work field since then.

Missing Maine, and the “Way Life Should Be”, April relocated to the state permanently in 2001 (they say you always come back). Initially she lived in the Bangor, Maine area, and was employed at The Acadia Hospital working in the adolescent unit for 2 yrs. Family brought her to the Sagadahoc County area in 2003. She started working as an Outpatient Mental Health Clinician at Sweetser Family Institute (Brunswick)from 2003-2005, prior to her recent employment at Kennebec Behavioral Health in Winthrop Maine from 2005 to 2011.

They say “once a horseperson always a horseperson”. As April settled into the area, she again initiated horse lessons and bought a horse. She was introduced to Natural Horsemanship, which changed her relationships with horses, and life, forever. Similarly, and even more impacting, a year later, in 2005, she was introduced to and received her certification in EAGALA Model EAP. April says she knew then what she was meant to do with her career, and her life. She established Painted Horses, LLC counseling services in 2006. She started to provide outpatient-counseling services at Hearts and Horses TRC in Buxton, Maine, at Windy Pine Acres in Richmond Maine, and more recently at Freedom Trail Farm in Warren Maine.

In Clinical Counseling April works with people from ages “8 to 98” and thinks of herself as a general practitioner who has worked with individuals and families across a variety of settings to include medical and psychiatric social work in the hospital setting, intensive outpatient programs for those with chronic mental illness, and outpatient mental health. In the early part of her career she was involved in co-facilitating a sexual offenders group for men. She worked intensively with community support services for veterans with chronic mental illness. Currently most of her clientele have been individuals/families who struggle with adolescent challenges, victims of trauma, and those striving to cope with depression, anxiety, and Bi-polar disorder. Her specialty is in Animal Assisted Therapy and more specifically in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy where she holds a dual role serving as the Clinician and/or Equine Specialist.

 ^top^

Katie Baron LCPC

Katie Baron, LCPC ES

Katie Baron is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the State of Maine. She graduated from the University of Maine in Orono in August of 2015 with a Masters of Education in Clinical Counseling. Prior to that she earned a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Anthropology. Her areas on interest include animal assisted therapy, energy psychology, and the use of music and art as a therapeutic intervention.  Katie currently works as a clinician at a Community Mental Health Agency outside of her work at Painted Horses, LLC.

^top^

 Linnae Roglitz, Equine Specialist

Linnae Roglitz, ES

Linnae’s earliest memories were of horses.  Under the guidance of April Cloutier, Linnae began her journey with horses, at age 4. She grew up learning about the importance of a horse human connection, especially as applied between that of horse and rider.

Throughout Linnae’s career she enrolled in 4H for 5 years, and trained under multiple horse trainers and instructors through out Maine.  She felt most influenced by training with Chris Lombard in natural horsemanship, Carol Poulin Taylor and Jennifer Grady for English Equitation and Dressage.  Linnae has been exposed to the concepts of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy throughout her life, and has attended educational trainings in the subject matter since 2015. She has trained and worked as an Equine Specialist for Painted Horses, LLC.   In 2017 Linnae started to provide farm sitting service for individuals of whom would like their horses cared for at home in their absence.  Linnae began teaching riding lessons in 2014 with her focus on natural horsemanship and dressage.  She currently resides in the Midcoast Maine area, where she continues to teach riding lessons and provides farm care services.  

^top^

Alli Winkelman, Equine Specialist

Alli Winkelman, ES

MISSION STATEMENT

To offer a safe place in which people may explore themselves, their relationship with others, their environment, and assure an opportunity for emotional, mental, and relational growth.  To provide counseling services that emphasize on human strengths, dignity, respect and allow people the option to incorporate horses in their journey of self-exploration.   

VISION STATEMENT

Painted Horses, LLC is a modest, community based counseling service established to empower, and educate a diverse population of individuals to achieve a more abundant and meaningful life, by using effective, focused, and profound strength based counseling techniques.

SHARED VALUES

At Painted Horses LLC, we value the dignity, and respect of all human beings. We work to protect the welfare and safety of our clients through, but not limited to, the following: 

• Dedication to client centered services
• Dedicated Staff
• Utilization of interactive, strength based, experiential therapeutic techniques
• Ethical Leadership
• Empowering individual strengths
• Fostering independent thinking
• Dedication to working with people of all social-economic classes
• Cultural diversity
• Community integration
• Excellence
• Creative Thinking