Between Horses and Humans is a leadership through horsemanship program for able-bodied children and youth aged 8 to 24. Students participate in a variety of workshops and lessons with volunteers or Program Director Barbara Slade. The program provides a place for students to learn important life skills and develop confidence.
Participants work with their horses one-on-one doing body work, ground work, and riding. They are given the freedom to explore, fail, succeed, and persevere. Different techniques and obstacles are used to keep the children and horses engaged and interested. Students experience the joy and pride of accomplishment when working with the horses. Self esteem is built through mutual respect and helping students to feel valued.
Things don’t always go as expected. You can see a young student struggling to get his horse to move. He is given the freedom to problem-solve and find his own solution. He is patient and perseveres through the situation and finds his own solution.
Program participation is free to all students, and is funded solely through donations and grants. Amazing volunteers donate their time and talents to run the program. The mission of the program is Lives Changed, Hearts Healed, and with every lesson, workshop, and seminar the program’s director, volunteers, students, and horses live out that mission.
