Our Programs For Youth, Adults and Families Offer Healing Through Emotional and Spiritual Growth

Medicine Horse Program enhances the mental health and life skills of youth, adults, families, and groups through therapeutic interaction with horses.

Our HopeFoal Project™ Brings Hope For Both Premarin Foals and At-Risk Girls

The HopeFoal Project™ is designed to address issues of low self-esteem, depression and suicidal ideation in young girls who live in our community. These at-risk youth are paired with Premarin foals, newly separated from their mothers, to provide a unique opportunity for personal growth. Giving these young girls the responsibility of "gentling and handling" the foals, who have had a rough start in life and need great amounts of love and kindness, helps provide these teenagers a reason to live, thrive and mature. Through this unique partnership, girls from the HopeFoal Project™ can learn to embrace life once again, while the foals flourish from their newfound trust in humans.

Premarin or PMU (PREgnant MARe urINe) foals are the "by products" of the hormone replacement therapy drug Premarin® that is prescribed to women in menopause or who have had hysterectomies. Premarin® is made from the urine of approximately 60,000 pregnant mares (female horses), and their foals are usually shipped to slaughterhouses for their meat, which is marketed overseas to European and Asian countries for human consumption. The foals vary in breed. Meet our Premarin foals on our foals page.

Healing With Horses™

A partnership between Medicine Horse Program and Healing Circles (HospiceCare's kids and teen support program) for children who have experienced the death of a loved one, this unique program brings together experienced HospiceCare staff, a licensed professional therapist, grieving kids and horses.

The result is Healing with Horses™, an equine-assisted support group where participants learn they're not alone. Students are taught strategies to express their grief, reduce stress and isolation, and connect with others who have lost a loved one to death. Special activities, such as "joining the herd," journaling and equine billiards are designed to teach children how to work together to achieve goals and deepen connections.

Just Say Whoa™

This group-format class is geared toward teens who are repeat juvenile offenders or display behaviors such as truancy, substance abuse, anger management problems, depression and low self-esteem. Participants are referred through the Boulder Enhanced Supervision Team. Equine-assisted learning activities are utilized to develop communication skills and appropriate boundaries. Students are encouraged to identify feelings and explore positive expression of emotions and needs, develop leadership skills and a sense of appreciation and empathy for themselves and others.

Equus Integration Project™

This program brings together diverse student populations from Boulder county with the goal of breaking down barriers and easing conflict due to differences in language and culture. Students come from Arapahoe Ridge High School's Newcomer Pathways Program.

EquineAbility™

Through horse activities, creative expression and body movement, this EAP program addresses the psychological, emotional and social aspects of individuals with developmental disabilities.

2008 Colt Camp Summer Riding Program

2008 brings a new concept in horsemanship with our exciting Colt Camp. This is hands on horses. The first part of the day will be spent working with our Premarin foals, learning to train from the ground up. Campers will work with weanlings, yearlings, two year olds and three year olds to learn how young horses are started and then progressively trained to saddle. They will be closely supervised by counselors and trainers to ensure safety and continuity.

The second part of the day will be a riding lesson on one of our wonderful Medicine Horses. Our horses range from quiet beginner horses to FEI dressage schoolmasters. We will be accepting beginners through advanced riders, with priority given to those with horse experience. Only ten campers will be admitted per session, so please get your registration in early! Ages from 8 to 18.

Session 1 runs August 4th through 8th and is already filled. Session 2 runs from August 11th through the 15th, from 9:00 am to noon. Campers may sign up for one week or both. The price is $395 per week. Scholarships are available for Counselors In Training, riders 16 and above, to assist with the camps. Please call Kathy at 720-406-7630 with questions.

The Registration form needs to be printed, filled-out, signed and returned to Kathy Johnson, Medicine Horse Program, 8778 Arapahoe Road, Boulder, CO 80303.

Corporate Training & Team Building- Horses make it work!

Medicine Horse corporate training creates opportunities for professionals to reflect, engage, act and learn. We accomplish this by customizing interactive equine activities to facilitate personal growth and enhance professional success. Working in partnership with horses, our corporate training is creative, dynamic, and different from conventional teambuilding approaches. As prey animals, horses are sensitive and extremely intuitive with distinct attitudes, moods and personalities. Our horses, in cooperation with trained facilitators, offer a unique opportunity to experience new ways of thinking and communicating.

Our training programs are intended to:

• Enhance interpersonal communication
• Improve interaction with others
• Collaborate problem solving
• Develop self and group leadership
• Inspire change through innovation and creativity

No prior knowledge or experience with horses is necessary.

Individual & Family Psychotherapy

Licensed psychotherapists are available to meet with you or your family to provide private, equine-assisted psychotherapy services.