WHY A HORSE?
"I have never felt this way before"
"I think I was really flying when I was on his back. Like I had wings."
"I wake up every morning hoping this is the day I go to the barn"
"He knows who I am and he still loves me"
It is common knowledge to a horse owner the spiritual benefit of loving a horse, but not until the last decade has Horse Therapy made its way into the medical arena.
Horse Therapy is a method of fostering healing that is gaining more and more popularity. There are treatment centers opening all over the country that utilize horses as a tool in patient recovery. Even medical professionals cannot deny the amazing affect a horse has on ones psyche.
The benefits of bonding with horses have no limit. By pairing up children with horses who have also experienced trauma, we see them establish a very strong bond. This bond creates a partnership out of which brings the child many tools including self esteem, confidence, team work, problem solving, self reliance, a positive self image....these skills help children rebuild.
To read more about the amazing affects of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning, please Click Here. Brenda Dammann describes the process and provides insight to those unfamiliar with EAP/EAL.
PROGRAMS OFFERED FREE OF COST:
Therapuetic Equestrian Camp
Saddle Club, weekly EAL/EAP class
Rider Sponsorship that provides ongoing equestrian opportunity
Extreme Dreams Camp: Empowering night of self esteem building for girls
HORSE RESCUE:
Horses are rescued by The Spotlite Foundation whenever the need arises. We get calls all the time from concerned people who inform us of under fed foals, horses at the auction labeled for slaughter, elderly horses left to pasture without the appropriate geriatric care, etc. etc. The problem is rampant. Many of the horses we take in are too old or prematurely broken down by abusive riding and can never be ridden again. We give them a home to live out their years in a loving and peaceful setting. Children visit them daily to groom them and feed them treats. If we have the room, we will take ANY horse. Once rehabilitated, each horse is slowly introduced to the herd. The horse "family" welcomes the new horse, who quickly finds a place in the heirarchy of the herd. The herd roams 100 acres of picturesque land, with rolling hills to frollick upon, beautiful tree groves that provide abundant shade in the summer, and tall grass in which to stretch out and take a nap. It truly is a horse paradise.
