New Leaf Academy Equine Therapy Program

Imposing yet gentle, perceptive yet nonjudgmental, horses have lived with, worked alongside, inspired, and delighted humans for centuries, along the way developing a unique bond that far transcends their ancient role as mere "beasts of burden."

At New Leaf Academy, our equine therapy program allows our students to reap the rewards of supervised interactions with these majestic creatures in a series of highly supportive, therapeutic sessions.

Throughout the year, our girls participate in eight weekly sessions at Healing Reins, a nationally recognized and accredited therapeutic riding center that is housed on 20 beautiful acres at Faith Run Farms here in Bend.

In addition to teaching the girls how to groom, care for, saddle, and ride the horses, the equine therapy program encourages the development of the following characteristics:

Increased self-esteem, self-awareness, and self-confidence
Improved attention span, concentration, and consistency
Reduced levels of anger, stress, and frustration
Mutual trust, respect, empathy, and affection
Effective communication and healthy relationship skills, including patience, understanding, honesty, and forgiveness

During their interactions with the horses, our students are supervised and taught by trained personnel from both Healing Reins and New Leaf Academy, ensuring that their experience is safe, productive, and tailored to the individual needs of each participant.

Equine therapy programs have established a foundation of continued therapeutic success over the past decades, and they have helped thousands of people overcome serious physical and emotional challenges. For children and teens who are struggling with social or developmental disorders, equine therapy can literally be a life-changing opportunity to address internal struggles and learn how to develop and maintain positive interpersonal relationships.

We are proud to offer equine therapy to every student who attends New Leaf Academy, and we are confident that our girls will continue to make significant progress as a result of the lessons they learned while working with horses.

If you have any questions about equine therapy or any of the other therapeutic opportunities at New Leaf Academy, we welcome the opportunity to speak with you.