Equine Assisted Therapy and Horse Care
Equine-Assisted Therapy Program
“We have a girl here who has been with us for 10 years. This girl—let me tell you, we couldn’t run this farm without her now. She’s amazing. She volunteers, and she’s here all the time. When I first met her she wanted to run away from her life, she was angry. But she had this fire in her. She was so strong. And now nothing can stop her. Nothing. Now she wants to be a veterinarian. She’s going to make it.”
Time Out Foundation’s Equine-Assisted Therapy Program relies on the unique healing qualities of horses to give children the strength, courage, and confidence they need to overcome life’s challenges. The horses, in their own quiet way, foster in the children a sense of trust, kindness, and compassion. They allow children to be leaders, and in their own actions, show them the value in forgiveness. Working with horses builds character. For many of the children who come through this program, their experience in the barn and in the saddle offers life-lessons they will never forget.
After School Options: Monday - Friday lessons until 5:00
SCS/HVRHS - bus can drop them off here
Other surrounding schools - must be dropped off (some exceptions available of pickup)
The horses at Time Out Foundation have all been rescued from previous lives of neglect, abandonment, or abuse. They often arrive at the farm in disrepair, and in fear of what lies ahead of them. These “green” horses are “gentled” at the hands of Time Out Foundation’s professional trainers, and by the touch of those children whom they will someday teach. They gradually settle into the daily rhythm that defines their new life. Children in the equine-assisted therapy program easily relate to the horses and almost always develop deep and lasting bonds with their new companions. They learn to read equine body language, and see how it mirrors their own behavior. They learn to groom, care for tack, muck stalls, and ride. The horses become their friends, and each experience builds on the last until horse and child become practically inseparable. The therapists and volunteers who work with us have received professional training through the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH International).