Heal the heroes program
As the old saying goes, “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink” ... well, what if a horse could lead our front line heroes to healing from the ravages of the COVID-19 crisis? What if a horse could show them how to trust, feel safe, and find themselves again? On June 1st, one such joint program is debuting between two well-known Monadnock area equine organizations, the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center in Jaffrey, NH, and True Hope Therapeutic Horsemanship, located in the greater Keene, NH, area.
There are few, if any, programs available that offer equine assistance specifically for nurses, doctors, and other front line workers. The Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center and True Hope Therapeutic Horsemanship are dedicated to filling that need. That said, this program will also expand to include veterans and first responders at a later date.
Horses are sensitive and astute, aware of their surroundings and quick to react. Horses don’t judge and horses don’t lie. But they provide immediate feedback, significantly enlightening the participant about the horse and themselves. By including horses in specifically designed educational experiences, equine-assisted specialists have greatly multiplied the participant’s rate of success to self-discovery and positive change. Working with horses creates a unique memory that the attendee will remember far longer than conventional methods.
Initially, the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center and True Hope Therapeutic Horsemanship will be working with front line workers including nurses, doctors, and other medical staff who have been affected by COVID-19. People from both organizations have personally seen the impact on front line workers and want to help them heal from what they have experienced.
The Conservancy program’s facilitator is an RN who recently lost two family members to COVID-19. A True Hope team member is an Emergency Services Dispatcher for police, fire, and EMS, who has family on the front line as well.
At the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center, critically endangered Newfoundland ponies are the teachers, who guide participants through a series of objective based exercises that facilitate life skill experiences, promoting knowledge and insight of self, horses, and others. This is not therapy. In fact, working with the ponies can be fun as well as an empowering experience.
Participants will then move onto Therapeutic Horsemanship with True Hope where they will build on what they learned at the Conservancy. This includes continuing to learn how to communicate with the horses in their own language and building unmounted horsemanship skills. Participants can then move onto therapeutic riding, if desired.
These two 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations see this as their way to make a significant contribution towards helping the community heal from this crisis. As such there is no cost to participants.
COVID-19 safety precautions will be strictly observed. Participants must be symptom free. There will only be two participants per lesson. Face masks will be worn by all. Hand sanitizer and proper handwashing will be used. Six feet physical distancing will be observed and any equipment used, such as halters, leads, and brushes, will be sanitized before and after every session.
Heal the Heroes is pleased to offer this program free of charge to participants, however assistance from our community, with fundraising, sponsorship, and donations, is needed and greatly appreciated. Donations of washable face masks, sanitizer, and other items are also needed.
Collectively, help us give back to these heroes who risk their lives to save all of ours. For more information please feel free to contact either organization.
Contact us at True Hope by clicking here
Contact Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center
488 Dublin Road
Jaffrey, NH 03452
603-562-8909
www.newfoundlandponies.org
www.healtheheroes.com
newfoundlandponyinfo@gmail.com
There are few, if any, programs available that offer equine assistance specifically for nurses, doctors, and other front line workers. The Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center and True Hope Therapeutic Horsemanship are dedicated to filling that need. That said, this program will also expand to include veterans and first responders at a later date.
Horses are sensitive and astute, aware of their surroundings and quick to react. Horses don’t judge and horses don’t lie. But they provide immediate feedback, significantly enlightening the participant about the horse and themselves. By including horses in specifically designed educational experiences, equine-assisted specialists have greatly multiplied the participant’s rate of success to self-discovery and positive change. Working with horses creates a unique memory that the attendee will remember far longer than conventional methods.
Initially, the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center and True Hope Therapeutic Horsemanship will be working with front line workers including nurses, doctors, and other medical staff who have been affected by COVID-19. People from both organizations have personally seen the impact on front line workers and want to help them heal from what they have experienced.
The Conservancy program’s facilitator is an RN who recently lost two family members to COVID-19. A True Hope team member is an Emergency Services Dispatcher for police, fire, and EMS, who has family on the front line as well.
At the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center, critically endangered Newfoundland ponies are the teachers, who guide participants through a series of objective based exercises that facilitate life skill experiences, promoting knowledge and insight of self, horses, and others. This is not therapy. In fact, working with the ponies can be fun as well as an empowering experience.
Participants will then move onto Therapeutic Horsemanship with True Hope where they will build on what they learned at the Conservancy. This includes continuing to learn how to communicate with the horses in their own language and building unmounted horsemanship skills. Participants can then move onto therapeutic riding, if desired.
These two 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations see this as their way to make a significant contribution towards helping the community heal from this crisis. As such there is no cost to participants.
COVID-19 safety precautions will be strictly observed. Participants must be symptom free. There will only be two participants per lesson. Face masks will be worn by all. Hand sanitizer and proper handwashing will be used. Six feet physical distancing will be observed and any equipment used, such as halters, leads, and brushes, will be sanitized before and after every session.
Heal the Heroes is pleased to offer this program free of charge to participants, however assistance from our community, with fundraising, sponsorship, and donations, is needed and greatly appreciated. Donations of washable face masks, sanitizer, and other items are also needed.
Collectively, help us give back to these heroes who risk their lives to save all of ours. For more information please feel free to contact either organization.
Contact us at True Hope by clicking here
Contact Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center
488 Dublin Road
Jaffrey, NH 03452
603-562-8909
www.newfoundlandponies.org
www.healtheheroes.com
newfoundlandponyinfo@gmail.com