There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man ~ Sir Winston Churchill

Spring Reins of Hope

Getting to the Horse of the Matter

Spring Reins of Hope (SROH) is a ground-breaking program offering Equine Assisted services which are designed to generate personal resources and empowerment. At Spring Reins of Hope we are committed to improving people’s lives both personally and professionally. The field of Equine Assisted work is growing at a rapid pace with marked results. Founded in 2009, Spring Reins of Hope offers both Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (personal growth) and Equine Assisted Learning (professional growth).

Horses, which are herd bound prey animals, are a perfect choice to serve as gentle guides in this arena due to their inherent ability to increase self-awareness and generate opportunities for resiliency. All exercises are un-mounted and no horse experience is necessary to benefit. Please join us and explore the various services we offer. On a Zephyr Wind the horses patiently await your arrival…

• Equine Assisted Learning (EAL)
  • Leadership
  • Life Skills
  • Corporate Training
  • Team Building
• Why Horses?
  • Intuition
  • Honest Feedback
  • Prey Animals
• Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)
  • Emotional Resilience
  • Mood Disorders
  • Addiction
  • Stress Management

Spring Reins of Hope ~ Core Ideology

Core Purpose

Spring Reins of Hope strives to provide a safe environment for self-exploration and growth. We exist to generate experiences that will reveal personal resources for life mastery. The core of this work is anchored on providing behavioral rehearsal for learning skill sets, grounding emotional triggers, and improving coping strategies. Ultimately, our goal is to empower individuals to seek their own resiliency and create a personal tool box for enhanced problem resolution. We are both honored and thankful to have the horses as our complimentary guides in this work.

Core Values

1. Promoting horses as an impetus for healing and positive change in our world
2. Commitment to re-establishing both the need and value of the horse as a totem for advancement
3. The importance of adhering to a code of ethics and maintaining a strong sense of integrity
4. Sustained conviction in the power of this work for positive individual growth, and as a result of this process, generalizes to the greater good of society as a whole
5. Strong belief in our responsibility to provide a space of safety and integrity for free exploration / expression that will promote the evolution into our best selves; for our clients, our staff, our volunteers and our horses.

Envisioned Future

Creating a better world through the way of the horse. At Spring Reins of Hope, our higher purpose is to establish a world-wide mainstream understanding and acceptance of the value of equine assisted work as a viable pathway to enlightenment and growth. For thousands of years there has been a deep relationship between horse and human. Horses have been the backbone of civilization. In these modern times, the pinnacle of success for our program is to show, by example, how horses are imperative to our survival and soul advancement. It is our vision to share, that while horses are no longer needed to help build our cities or fight our wars, their role as teachers and guides remains invaluable.

What is EAGALA?

Founded in July 1999, the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) is a non-profit 501(C)(3) organization developed to address the need for resources, education, and professionalism in the rapidly growing field of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL). EAGALA aims to get professionals in the clinical and human development fields to accept EAP/L as a valid and effective approach, and to actively use it with their clientele. This benefits those in the equine fields by opening up greater possibilities for doing what they love, namely working with horses. This benefits those in the clinical and human development fields by providing a powerful, effective, interesting and fun therapeutic / educational alternative. Most of all, this benefits the clients / participants, because as those of us currently working in this area see all the time – it works!!! The growth and learning of all involved is intense and rewarding. We provide a certification program and ethics code base to an expanding international platform of facilitators. www.eagala.org

EAGALA Informational Video (EAL/EAP) Part 1 (2009)

EAGALA Informational Video (EAL/EAP) Part 2 (2009)

Spring Reins of Hope, LLC operates out of Gracefield Farm located in Stewartsville, NJ and also out of Orion Dressage Sporthorses located in Goshen, NY. We follow the EAGALA Model for EAP/EAL sessions and workshops and have EAGALA Certified Facilitators who remain current and adhere to the Code of Ethics.

Animal Assisted Therapy has been endorsed by the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 17, Section 13; and by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) as a viable option for self-exploration and growth.

SAFETY DISCLAIMER: Spring Reins of Hope realizes that horses are approximately 1000 lbs and are living animals with a mind of their own. We encourage that clients be aware of their personal space and everything in it. This is the most proficient way to maintain your physical safety.

Where in this world can man find nobility without pride, friendship without envy, beauty without vanity? Here, where grace is laced with muscle, and strength by gentleness confined. He serves without servility, he has fought without enmity. There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent, nothing so quick, nothing more patient. The world’s past have been borne on his back. We are his heirs; he is our inheritance…The Horse.
~ Robert Duncan, 1954