Year Round Equine Assisted Learning & Psychotherapy

Each session is facilitated by a team of loving, mature, committed Christians who have training in the areas of counseling, social work, education or another related field. Our professionally trained staff seeks the Lord’s intercession to offer the gift of true hope and healing to the wounded. We can honestly say that miracles happen here!

Trail 2 Success: Interpersonal and Trauma Focused

Since 2004, we have partnered with the NC Department of Public Safety and the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council to provide skill building for youth suffering from grief, loss, abandonment and abuse. Youth who are referred enter into an intensive 24-week program which consists of weekly group and monthly family sessions. In this unique program, we use horses to help with therapy. You may find yourself asking, how can horses assist in helping people?

There are several factors that make equine-assisted skill building especially unique and effective.

  • Horses act as mirrors to human behavior. The unique prey versus predator dynamic between horses and people gently tears down any pretense that a person may have built up.
  • Horses are naturally social beings; they are followers looking for leadership. They require people to be honest in their motives, effective in their communication styles and process through their feelings.
  • Horses are comforting companions. While horses are honest and responsive, they are so in non-threatening ways that build trust and relationship where youth may have been previously wounded.

For youth between the ages of 7-17, group and family sessions are life changing. Shepherd Youth Ranch offers a safe environment for youth to interact with horses and one another. Together we confront life’s obstacles to find restoration, hope and purpose.

Upon graduation from this program children can apply to our mentoring program, Trailblazers.

4H (Horses, Him, Hope & Healing): Custom Day/Week or Monthly Group Programming

We provide custom Equine Assisted activities for groups. These programs can last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks depending on the needs and time commitment of each group. The counseling provided is based on the Christian faith and the belief that the Lord is our ultimate Healer.