Horse Sense incorporates horses and observation of horse culture to help youth examine issues such as personal integrity and authority, the impact of their actions on the “herd,” and how to stand up to bullies. Adult mentors, and the horses themselves, model appropriate behavior. When placed in this unique environment, teen participants experience enhanced self-esteem through the learning of new skills as well as an expansion of future opportunities for themselves. Teens learn powerful and lasting life lessons from the horses that cannot be learned at school or at home which strengthen families and build healthy community.

Best Practices: Equine Guided Learning is a “best practice” used throughout the U.S. and internationally for teens. Programs meet standards established by the field. Youth participants have guardian consent, and receive safety training. Horse Sense partners with a licensed therapist to assist in program design and implementation and to assure the well being of youth participants.

Evaluation Procedures: Program goals are assessed by youth participants, as well as by adult program staff from Horse Sense and from individual social service agencies such as the Novato Youth Center.

Programs In Action

Horse Sense for Youth At-Risk provides positive experiential learning activities for youth at risk of early parenting, gang participation, academic failure, and unhealthy behaviors. Horse Sense for Teens At-Risk teaches self-esteem, self-management, and communications skills using horses as teachers. Participants come from low-income families with multiple stresses such as family violence, homelessness, and lack of English language skills.

Equine Guided Exercises

encourage youth-at-risk to:

  1. Bullet Increase confidence.

  2. Bullet Strengthen verbal & non-verbal                              communication skills.       

  3. Bullet Empower teens to ask for help.

  4. Bullet Understand the dynamic of choice & consequence.

  5. Bullet Develop congruency between the heart & mind.

  6. Bullet Practice setting boundaries, building trust, anger management & self-care.

  7. Bullet Learn conflict resolution skills, personal responsibility & accountability to self and others.

  8. Bullet Improve communication & relationship skills.

  9. Bullet Develop problem solving abilities.

  10. Bullet Learn to create healthy lifestyles that support positive growth & learning.

It Happened at

Medicine Horse Ranch

Got a Bully? Get a Horse
At Risk Teens Find Help From Horses By Catherine Held, PhD

A young woman learns how to stop her harasser through one session with a horse. Sound incredible? It's all in a day's work for one Equine Guided Educator in northern California. Since 2000, there has been a 300% increase in programs that bring humans and horses together for healing and learning purposes. Some of those programs specialize in working with teens.

Read More

Learn more about specific programs with Teens & Horses.

Read Roberto’s Story

To schedule a program please contact Alyssa Aubrey.