REAL:

RENEW EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING

We offer a variety of programs for groups and individuals using our horses on the ground to help us learn more about ourselves and each other, and to grow in many different ways. We have programs that especially serve military and first responders, corporate teams, and those affected by foster care, adoption, and grief. Through groundwork and team building activities with our horses, we foster physical, social, and cognitive growth in the community.

Standing Watch

Horses, like people, mask their pain and hide their tension. Standing Watch is a one-person/one-horse (with instructor) experience using the Masterson Method. The participant “stands watch” with their horse, applying a gentle light touch in cycles of response and release of tension, watchful and present for positive reactions from the horse.

Standing Watch is equally beneficial to people. Repeated and prolonged gentle touch makes participants more relaxed, grounded, peaceful, and mindful.

Renew is offering this program to service military and first responders at no cost on a limited basis. (Contact Shaina to see if you qualify.) If you are active duty, reserve, guard, or a first responder and want to be notified when funding becomes available to participate in this program at no cost, contact Shaina.

Renewing Trust

It is a powerful experience to build trust with a 1000 pound animal. Renewing Trust works with children who are in foster care or who have been adopted. For these children, trust has often been broken many times over and we offer the opportunity to rebuild some of that trust in the safe presence of a horse. Children will work on social and emotional skills as they partner with our horses. They will learn the basics of caring for a horse as well as how to partner with them on the ground via leading and other unique ground activities. During the summer months, we host Pony Pals Camp for specific age groups where children get to spend the week partnering with one horse as well as participating in team building activities to foster interpersonal skills.

Reach out to Emily for more information about enrolling a child in this program.

REAL Horse Work

Experiential Corporate Team Building
How people interact and respond with horses is very similar to how they interact and react with their customers, peers, other work groups, and their families. When paired with a horse, that animal recognizes and responds to their human handler’s emotions, behaviors, and attitudes, which can reveal incongruences between behavior and emotion.

REAL Horse Work helps teams grow through connection with horses and each other. Effective team building is built on the concept that those who share a meaningful experience, learn from the experience, and integrate the learnings into their daily work to grow more connected and stronger.

Your team will grow more vital due to the unique experience of connecting with one or more horses, which helps you

connect with others.

REAL Horse Work is designed for corporate teams, non-profits, community organizations, and others who work together regularly—and no previous horse experience is required. Half-day and full-day programs are available depending on your needs, and meals can be incorporated.

Hoofbeats of Hope

Hoofbeats of Hope is for children and families who have experienced the significant loss of a loved one. We partner with a mental health professional to provide a psychoeducational group using horses. We offer camps in the summer months specifically for children, and throughout the year for one-time groups for families and adults. The quiet barn and presence of horses offers a good space for healing to continue as people walk the road of grief. Contact Shaina for more details.

Reading Wranglers

Participants ages 6+ will spend time reading to a horse and go on a guided story walk around the farm to help young readers build confidence, improve fluency, and foster a love of reading. Registration is limited to eight participants per date and is filled on a first come, first serve basis. Readers should be able to enjoy a book independently in order to be eligible for the program. Funding for Renew Reading Wranglers is generously provided by the Holland Junior Welfare League, and the program is supported by Herrick District Library. Contact our program manager, Shaina for dates.

Group Outings

Renew welcomes school groups, group homes, retirement communities, and others to schedule a group outing or field trip to the farm. Groups are invited to join us for an interactive learning experience where various ground activities with the horses, like grooming and leading, will aid in learning and building upon communication skills, leadership skills, team building, and more.

Summer Programs

Each summer, we take a break from our regular therapeutic riding schedule to offer the community a few different ways to engage with our equines, from Drill Team Camp to Vaulting Camp to Silver Saddles (weekly riding for individuals over the age of 65).

Children who have been adopted or are in foster care can attend Pony Pals Camp, and we also offer Hoofbeats of Hope for children who have lost a loved one. We take advantage of our beautiful property and welcome those who live in memory care units to share stories, spend time with horses, and enjoy our native flower garden.

Next Steps

If you would like more information on any of these program offerings, please reach out to Shaina, our programs manager to answer any of your questions, set up a tour, and plug you into the schedule.