Cleaning up after horses started out just as court-required community service for one of our Gracehaven residential group home youth. Admittedly, mucking stalls wasn’t very enjoyable at first.
“But through that hard work, she learned she actually really loves horses,” explained the Gracehaven case manager who helped connect the teen with a nearby farm. “Whenever she gets to go to the barn, she’s glowing because it makes her so happy!”
The weekly duty quickly became a delight for this youth who now also has learned to care for the horses in other ways.
While it’s not the official equine therapy some of our young child sex trafficking survivors have experienced in the past, there are certain therapeutic benefits this teen has experienced through her recent community service hours.
“Since she tends to be quiet and well-behaved, the one-on-one time with a staff member at the farm allows her to speak up more,” her case worker said. “She also has discovered another passion in her life and is already looking into ways she can take care of animals and continue her time with horses beyond her required service.”
In addition to equine therapy, Gracehaven loves to provide other creative outlets and educational experiences for the youth we serve statewide thanks to your generous support.