Stillwater Stables   

Our Program

 

 

    
  

 

Every child/teen who comes to the program has different needs or reasons for being here; therefore our program is individualized for each student. We meet with parents, guardians, counselors, and/or probation officers to set goals for each child who is enrolled. Some of these goals may include but are not limited to making friends, being accepted, overcoming depression, working through ADHD, increasing attention span, have a place to belong, build confidence, experience respite, becoming more responsible, to learn and practice leadership and discover who God is.  In everything we do, our mission is to help each student reach their goals through working with horses and by experiencing God's love, grace and hope.

 

Tools that we use to help us fulfill our mission is: 

1. Our horses.  Our horses often times can reach to the souls of the students where others are not allowed to go. Horses break the ice, create a common bond between the students and  can often drop walls that have been securely locked allowing growth and healing to take place. Horses accept students unconditionally and challenges them to face who they are and to strive towards becoming a better person.  Students often feel a rise in self-esteem and confidence as they learn the tools to work around and ride a horse that they then apply to areas in their own lives.

 

2. Our environment accepts each student for who they are. Everyone is here to have fun and learn more about horses. Each student has a chance to choose who they want to be regardless of the labels they may have outside of here. Everyone is treated as equals and students work together to take care of the horses and facility as a team. Students support each other and cheer each other on regardless of what level they are working with the horses.

 

3.The curriculum is designed to teach safety and riding skills, as well as encourage goal setting. It teaches all aspects of riding and covers basic horse care, natural horsemanship, and fundamentals in dressage (English) riding. From the curriculum we design a lesson plan for each student. Sessions can be private or they can be with other children depending on the needs and skill level of the student.

 

There are three basic curriculum books. The Green series is all about the basics and will take a student who has never been around horses through three levels and teach them the fundamentals of horsemanship up through solo at the walk. The Red series continues into trotting, and in the Blue series they learn how to canter. Certificates are awarded at the completion of each color.   Showing opportunities are available upon completion of the Red series.