Give your child the gift friendship with a horse!
We are excited to offer your child the opportunity to grow in confidence, connectedness, caring, and healthy coping skills through friendships with our horses and caring volunteer mentors! The first step is to fill out our New Participant Interest Form at the link below so that Director Tara Steiner can add you to the waiting list and we can offer a spot for your child when a new Horse Care class (description below) opens up!
Link to New Participant Interest Form
Our Curriculum Descriptions:
Intro to Horse Care (4 weeks/$100)–Our entry level class for ALL new participants to start in. Students learn the basics of expected behavior and safety around horses, grooming, general horse facts, and leading (no riding yet at this level). All new students begin in this class no matter their previous horse experience, as it gives our team the chance to get to know each child and observe how they interact with the horses, respond to instruction, and cooperate with others in groups and one-on-one settings. Each child is assigned a volunteer mentor to partner with during the class. Class instructions includes workbook pages in a learning journal, arts and crafts, and games to teach basic skills. They will also learn about topics like horse body language, colors, and parts of the hoof.
Stirr-UP!: Beginner Riding Levels 1, 2, 3 (4 weeks/$100)–*Open ONLY to graduates of the 4-week Horse Care class.* The first classes to put kids UP in the saddle! We will practice safe mounting and dismounting, learn about the items of tack our horses are wearing, and use lots of games and exercises to become comfortable, secure, and balanced on the horse’s back. In Level 1 and 2, all leading of the horse is done by a volunteer, with another volunteer beside the child as a spotter if needed. Use of reins is gradually added throughout Level 2. We will also continue to learn more about horse care using our learning journals, and practice their groundwork skills. By Level 3, riders may start to guide their horse independently off lead. Classes continue to focus on building relationships through use of fun conversation starters, games, and crafts as we learn with support from our volunteer mentors.
Questions? Want to pass on info to a family that could benefit? Download our brochure: