Therapeutic Riding (TR)
Therapeutic Riding (TR) is an equine assisted activity in which participants learn horsemanship skills while also receiving cognitive, physical, emotional and social benefits in a positive, goal driven environment. All activities are planned and supervised by our Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors.
Therapeutic riding also provides participants opportunities in the realms of sport, competition, recreation, social and educational activities regardless of physical abilities. We recommend that participants attend weekly for a period of at least 9 weeks to achieve preliminary goals.
All activities are planned and supervised by our Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors. Lessons and equipment can be adapted and modified to suit riders of all abilities ensuring that safety is maintained throughout the lesson.
Benefits of Therapeutic Riding (TR)
- Increases muscle tone and strength
- Improves posture
- Increases flexibility
- Improves emotional regulation
- Relieves stress
- Alleviates anxiety
- Builds connections
- Develops problem solving skills
- Improves communication skills
- Improves self confidence
9 Week Series (45 minutes each lesson) $350.00 per Session.
Private Individual Lessons (45 minutes each, limited availability) $50.00 per Lesson
REGISTER HERE
Equine Assisted Learning (EAL)
Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) is a hands-on experiential activity implemented by our Certified Equine Professionals to achieve learning goals, and develop life skills for educational purposes, personal growth, or professional growth.
EAL is effective because horses communicate mostly nonverbally and are tuned in to human behaviors. This allows participants to begin to recognize how the horse is reacting to their body language, tone, stress level and energy. Therefore, participants learn how their own behaviors and communications styles are impacting others in their lives. Participants have an opportunity to learn new behaviors and thought patterns that can be applied in everyday life.
EAL sessions are readily available to most individuals as the majority of the activities are conducted on the ground, rather than mounted. Sessions are available to groups, schools, families, community organizations or professionals.
Benefits of EAL
- Improves self-awareness
- Improves emotional regulation
- Develops problem-solving skills
- Improves communication skills
- Improves self-confidence
- Learn healthy boundaries
Miniature Horse equine assisted activities available at your location.
(90 minutes) $ Contact Us About Pricing. *Discounts available for non-profits.
REGISTER HERE
Equine Facilitated Mental Health Learning (EFMHL)
Equine Facilitated Mental Health Learning (EFMHL) offers soothing, tactical experiences with the equines to generate a sense of physical wholeness and inner tranquility essential for mental and spiritual health. It is an activity mostly conducted on the ground (rather than mounted).
Activities are planned and guided by our Certified Equine Professionals, and during sessions we strive to achieve peaceful, healing, relationships conducive to personal growth, spiritual growth, discovery, and well-being. EFMHL activities help participants slow down which creates a sense of composure and reduces stress, thus opening up the mind to learning. Countless case studies attest to the healing effects of horses. Working with a powerful, gentle, humble creature forces us to take a look at ourselves and explore who we are and where we need to go. The horses respond to us as unique individuals and somehow understand us at the most basic level of who we are.
Our Certified Equine Professionals can also partner with a licensed professional counselor who can offer processing insight and feedback from the results of the sessions. We also work with addiction recovery programs and provide an onsite certified instructor to supervise the equine-related portions of the activities in conjunction with the oversight provided by the facilitators of these programs.
Benefits OF EFMHL
- Reduces Anxiety
- Increases Attention Span / Focus / Mental Clarity
- Helps with setting personal boundaries
- Helps reframe negative self-talk
- Increases self-control
- Benefits self-esteem
- Increases assertiveness
- Builds trust
- Reframes and helps recognize disempowering perspectives
One-on-one sessions with one of our Equine Specialists in Mental Health and Learning Certified Instructors (45-minutes). $350 per Person, 9-week session.
REGISTER HERE
Team Building & Leadership Workshops
Teambuilding and Leadership Workshops are designed to improve connections and relationships among work teams, school groups, organizations, and families.
We incorporate equines into group workshops because of their unique abilities to:
- Inspire us
- Help us tune into our instincts
- Help us find our positive strengths
- Encourage us to recognize our communication styles
- Help us reflect upon how our communication affect others
Within human relationships, generally speaking, we tend to let our own needs and expectations cloud our interactions with those around us. Often times we, as humans attempt to control, manipulate, project our own fears and personality tendencies onto others in our lives. Horses will not attempt to manipulate you and will respond entirely to what is beneath the surface. The horse will attempt to determine what type of human he is dealing with and whether or not he can trust you as a leader. Humans cannot control a horse with force, brute strength, or verbal escalation so we must be willing to learn other ways to connect and communicate with them. Certified Equine Specialists supervise and plan equine activities or tasks for the groups. Then the specialist will facilitate the discussions and reflection after each activity.
Topics For Discussion, Integrations & Reflection:
- Herd dynamics /herd hierarchy
- Personal strengths and weakness
- Group strengths /what you offer the group
- Challenges of your personality in a group
- Building empathy and trust
- Learn how to follow and understand the followers
- Powers of trust and empathy when managing conflict
Benefits to teams:
- Builds connections
- Develops problem solving skills
- Improves communication skills
- Creates empathy
- Helps establish healthy boundaries
- Develops self-reflection skills
- Develops self-awareness
Our standard group program – (90 minutes) $100.00 plus $35.00 per person. Minimum 6, Maximum 15 participants. *Discounts available for non-profits.
*Designed specifically for the needs of your group – (minimum 90 minutes) Starting at $2,000 including pre-planning sessions and incorporating goal outlines. Minimum 6, Maximum 15 participants.
REGISTER HERE
Summer Programs & Clinics
FaithfulHearts offers a variety of Equine Activities in the summer geared towards all levels of abilities, ages and learning goals.
Ages 7 and up
9-week summer session with 2 scheduled break weeks TBD. Group lessons 1 x per week, 45 min, $350 per rider, due at beginning of the session (make up days for a missed session for vacation are available)
- May 20-Aug 15
Ages 10 and up
Join us for a free one-hour learning experience with horses! Participants will get “try out” our program with opportunities to groom, lead, play games, meet other horse crazy kids and learn about horsemanship! Limited space, must register to participate.
- May 28 (2-3pm)
- May 29 (2-3pm)
- May 30 (2-3pm)
Ages 10 and up
Join us for a fun-filled activity packed three-day camp opportunity to learn or improve horsemanship skills and horse care skills. Limited space per session. A $60 deposit is required to reserve a spot. Cost $275 per session per participant.
- Session 1: June 4-6 (1-3pm)
- Session 2: June 11-13 (1-3pm)
- Session 3: July 9-11 (1-3pm)
- Session 4: July 23-25 (1-3pm)
- Free Student Activities in partnership with Woodland Park School District in which students can experience a basic introduction to equines
- 3 Day Horsemanship Workshops for beginners through advanced riders
- Specialized Horsemanship Disciplines and Education Workshops
- Private Lessons offered for all levels of English and Western Horsemanship Skills
- Interactive Field trips for your community groups, church groups, or youth groups
REGISTER HERE
Veterans Programs
V.E.T.S (Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services)
Free programs for veterans, available year-round!
The V.E.T.S (Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services) program at FaithfulHearts offers a combination of equine assisted learning, therapeutic riding, horsemanship skills, and team building.
We will build a program specific to each veteran, as we spend time with each individual and horse! The horses are the primary instructors (equine guided training) and our trained staff facilitate the learning process by fostering the connections between horse and veteran. Volunteer opportunities are available for veterans at our facility.
Benefits of V.E.T.S
- Improves feelings of isolation
- Builds self-esteem
- Reduces anxiety
- Increased confidence
- Develops feelings of trust
- Promotes self-acceptance
- Improves symptoms of depression
- Aids in stress management
- Build Connections with horses and humans
- Provide emotional, social and physical benefits
- Alleviates symptoms of PTSD
One on one individualized horsemanship instruction
Sessions that focus on group work and social goals in addition to horsemanship skills
Sessions focused on family dynamics and horsemanship skills.
REGISTER HERE
Volunteer Programs
FHELC relies on up to 10 volunteers a day.
We currently have over 40 volunteers who have logged over 6000 hours of volunteer service since our inception. Training is always provided, equine experience is helpful but not required. In many cases, volunteering qualifies for and fulfils hours for mandated community service requirements. Interested? Check out the process here.
Volunteer Duties Include:
- Leading horses for clients during sessions
- Sidewalking with a client who is mounted
- Preparing horses and equipment for sessions
- Committees and community outreach
- Administrative duties
- Grounds maintenance
- Carpentry (as needed for projects and repairs)
- Horse training
- Stable duties
- Jr. Volunteers training program and youth outreach
FHELC offers a program for youth ages 10-17 to participate in volunteer opportunities as a group on Saturdays. Dates and times will be posted. Riding the horses is not included in this program.
Benefits of the Program:
- Learn how to feed, muck, groom horses and do other barn chores with supervision.
- Includes a 30-minute mini lesson on horse behavior, ground work, horse health and more!
- Junior volunteers will be able to learn how to become an effective volunteer and work their way up to more independent volunteer opportunities!
- A chance to meet and socialize with other junior volunteers.
- Discounted riding lessons are available with participation (restrictions apply).