Acres of Hope

Acres of Hope 

Acres of Hope is a youth ranch and mentorship organization dedicated to bringing transformative HOPE (Healing, Opportunity, Purpose, Education) to adolescents who have experienced trauma and are feeling HURT (Harmed, Unseen, Rejected, Traumatized). We have been doing this work since 2020, and currently serve 90 youth annually, offering over 1850 sessions to youth free of charge.

We provide mentoring sessions for teens age 12-19 who have experienced trauma, helping them to experience breakthrough and healing. We run these sessions both inside our horse arena and outside on the trails of our ranch. Our model utilizes trained session horses in a method commonly referred to as equine-assisted mentorship. The central idea behind this is that the process of learning to work with and relate to horses alongside a consistent mentor provides unique opportunities to help youth who have experienced trauma.

The heart of Acres of Hope is our equine-based mentoring approach, where youth engage in one-on-one or small group sessions with trained mentors and horses. We also offer archery-focused sessions in addition to our sessions with horses. This model fosters emotional healing, provides a sense of belonging, and offers valuable life skills. Through these interactions, we empower each youth to rediscover their voice, gain confidence, and build resilience, helping them to break the cycle of trauma and move toward a brighter future.

Our project is to purchase a specialized draft horse saddle for one of the horses. The primary horse who would use this saddle is named Aslan, and she works with youth in our teen mentoring sessions. Eventually, this saddle would also be used for Aslan’s younger brother, Stanley. Both of these horses are a breed called a Norwegian Fjord, who were bred to pull carts and carry heavy burdens. Fjord Horses are broader than the average horse, and so require a special saddle that fits properly. These saddles are specially designed for broader horses and cost over $3,000.