Stories
We’ve had a lot of experience helping students regain self confidence, but some students also begin to restart expectations of hope and trust.
Our Mentors find their time spent volunteering in the HP program to be very rewarding, sometimes in ways they never expected.
(All names changed to protect anonymity.)
Thank you so much for all you have done for Billy.
He really seemed to respond to the instruction and he loved Besamé. Billy has appeared to us to make some strides in maturity over the past 6 weeks. He learned some very valuable lessons from working with Besamé.
For the first time in his life, he was finally able to recognize what a controlling attitude and controlling behaviors look like and how they affect the people and in this case the animals around him. The night Besamé refused to cooperate, because Billy was upset and demanding her to do as he wanted, I think was a real eye opener for Billy. He has tended to control animals and Besamé was not about to let that happen.
The entire program has been a real blessing for Billy. We would love to get information about the 2nd-level program. Being around horses seems to have a calming affect for Billy and it proved to be an excellent addition to his weekly therapy.
Thank you again and may God continue to bless your ministry as you work with hurting young people.
— parent of a student
William went down to greet his horse, and as soon as he let Starbeth smell his hand, he talked low and confided in her that his mom had told him she was making a very tough decision and that when he leaves the group home he will go to a foster home.
He told Starbeth that he hoped his mom would be safe, and then he told Starbeth “that was enough” and they needed to go on their trail ride. I told him I would pray for him and his mom and ask God to watch over them both. He nodded and busied himself with his treasures.
This was the most heart breaking session I have had with William. We had seen so much progress but with his mom’s actions, he was so torn inside it was hard for him to open up – except for the brief moment when he was talking to Starbeth. Everything else was just open/shut and move on to get through.
Everything that was said about any of his feelings was closed with “that’s enough about that”. He was putting this hard shell around himself and being so brave. Every time he started to feel, he would close up visibly. No child should have to “man up” about his feelings.
The blessing was that he could talk to Starbeth, not me, not Ronny our horse handler, just Starbeth. William was able to verbalize his pain with this horse.
— notes from a HorsePower Mentor