Equine Assisted Counseling

The Equine Assisted Counseling program at Hope Hill Children’s Home is an adjunct equestrian program that offers opportunities for residential and foster care clients to connect treatment goals to experiential activities and experiences with horses. The program incorporates a national 4H curriculum with Saddle Seat riding instruction. The equestrian program utilizes the principles of reality therapy to aid clients in developing communication, problem solving, and interpersonal relationship skills with the aid of horses.

Participants are exposed to numerous opportunities to not only learn about horses, but also learn how to manage themselves in unfamiliar situations. The program provides services to individuals, groups, and families. In progress since 2005, Equine Assisted Counseling at Hope Hill allows individuals to explore and address the concepts of self-awareness and self-efficacy, while interacting weekly with the resident horses via riding lessons, arena activities, attending demonstrations, or participating in equine-related field-trips.