These are classes where participants ride horses and work with an instructor, horse lead and side walker(s). These individuals are working on riding skills while gaining core strength, balance, fine and gross motor skills, communication, sensory processing, socialization, and building self-esteem. Lessons can include music, nervous system regulation, simple math, reading, trivia, etc. and can also be incorporated or combined with EAA and EAL sessions. Time frames are approximately 30-minute sessions.

These are classes where participants drive on a specially designed cart, pulled by one of our miniature horses or our pony. Each driver will work with an instructor and horse lead. These individuals are working on cart driving skills but can also gain similar skills that they would riding on the back of a horse, such as core strength, balance, fine and gross motor skills, communication, sensory processing, socialization, and building self-esteem. Lessons including simple math, reading, trivia, etc. can also be incorporated in EAA sessions. Time frames are approximately 30-minute sessions. Cart driving can be an excellent option for a rider who is unable to ride a horse due to various circumstances. Cart driving can still allow for relationship building between the horse and rider.

These are part of a non-riding program; but rather are geared toward personal growth, learning, relationships, specific skills learning and boundaries while being near a horse or focused on horse-specific tasks. In these sessions, we work on following rules and structures to complete tasks related to farm or ranch work, while giving each participant a sense of pride in a job well done. We learn to work together and why respectful, clear communication is so important. These sessions can be done privately or in a group, led by our in-house therapist, Jenn Leveritt. To protect the safety and privacy of our participants, these sessions are always closed.

Horses Help SWI offers EAGALA-model equine-assisted psychotherapy, a fully ground-based approach that pairs a licensed mental health professional with a certified equine specialist. These sessions focus on emotional growth, processing trauma, strengthening communication skills, and supporting mental and behavioral health.

Horses Help SWI provides individual riding lessons designed to build horsemanship skills, rider confidence, and a deeper understanding of the horse-human connection. Lessons are tailored to meet each rider’s goals and emphasize safety, communication, and partnership.

Our newest program, Horse Powered Reading integrates social-emotional learning with academics; thus, allowing students to see and experience reading with the entire mind, body and emotional awareness by creating metaphors for the skills involved in reading. Students interact with horses from the ground, while using toys and props to identify obstacles and learn five critical reading skills – phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.