Healing with Horses Ranch - DOUBLE THE BLESSINGThe Lions lub, St. Edwards University, and Kohls for putting up fencing, clearing trails, cleaning and organizing the barn, helping to

Happy New Year! My mantra will need to be breath as we prepare for a fast and furious ride! This is a year of growth and expansion at Healing with Horses Ranch. I’m pretty sure that I say that about every year, though! Last year showed tremendous growth nearly doubling from 30 to 58 weekly participants! And so far we literally are getting applications every week. So what’s in store for 2017? We look forward to increasing our SAFE (Strides to Achieve Family Engagement) program. We have 5 instructors-in-training. We are in the process of scheduling both the PATH Intl site visit to become a premiere PATH Intl center as well as the PATH Intl Equine Specialist workshop and certification and we are planning to start the construction of the covered arena assuming the site develop-ment plan is approved by the county. Thank goodness for an amazing staff, a magician of a volunteer coordinator, talented patient instructors and instructors in training and a continuous flow of amazingly talented volunteers that share their time with us! So be patient with our progress and hang on and enjoy the ride!

Healing with Horses

Ranch

10014 FM 973 Manor, TX 78653

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Thank you to all that came to Chipotle’s on Jan 23rd. We raised over $600!

Thank you Chipotle for helping us continue to provide our SAFE (Strides to Achieve

Family Engagement) program to families learning to communicate with each and

learning how to maintain boundaries and respect the boundaries of others.

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REGISTER NOW … CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW

We had another amazing year at the ranch and none of this would be possible without the help and support

of our incredible volunteers.

Total volunteer hours (individual and group) for 2016 were 10,563!!

A big thank you to Dell, The Texas Wranglers, The Texas School for the Deaf, United Way, UT Student Groups,

The Lions Club, St. Edwards University, and Kohls for putting up fencing, clearing trails, cleaning and

organizing the barn, helping to put in the water line, and raising the canopy!

We also want to thank the many individual volunteers that helped with feeding and conditioning the horses,

lessons, organizing the barn and helped on our many committees and teams.

Our Volunteer Recognition Party will be on February 19th from 6:30p.m.-10:30p.m.

We look forward to recognizing all the volunteers that played a part in the

success of 2016.

Volunteers Make a Difference at HHR!

Jamie T - 1/5 Katy S - 1/6 David R - 1/7 Melissa Z - 1/7 Amalia N - 1/9 Bob W - 1/9 Austin H - 1/11 Trisha C - 1/11 Christian C - 1/11 Vanessa M - 1/12 Samantha K - 1/14 Lisa G - 1/16 Jackie K - 1/20 Cameron D - 1/27

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY:

(Belated)

(Upcoming)

Davina M - 2/1 Alexandra C - 2/5 Liza H - 2/8 Terry R - 2/10 Alexa S - 2/13 Jenny W - 2/15 Melissa F - 2/15

With the recent addition of SAFE, our new equine-assisted psychotherapy

(EAP) program for families, some of you in the HHR community may be

curious about this unique therapy modality. I'd like to take the opportunity

to share with you a little bit about the benefits of EAP, and why it might

succeed in some areas where the more traditional "talk therapy" might fall

short.

Horses, while generally docile and good-tempered, are large and physically

intimidating by nature, so in interacting with them there is already a

built-in opportunity for people to overcome fears and self-doubt, learn to

trust, and discover what they are capable of. Horses' very immediate and

honest responses to our behavior provide valuable feedback and endless

other opportunities for self-discovery about how we communicate with

and come across to others, what kind of energy we are putting out into

the world, how well we maintain our own boundaries and respect the

boundaries of others, and how we approach relationships in our lives, to

name just a few. Apart from being naturally drawn to their power, beauty,

affection and unique personalities, many of the young clients who come to

us at the ranch find a connection on an even deeper subconscious level,

and there is a neurophysiological reason for this. Most of our clients are

working through some kind of major trauma they have experienced, be it

recently or well in the past, and the brains of people suffering from PTSD

are wired like the brain of a prey animal - hypervigilant, always looking out

for the next threat. Being prey animals themselves, horses are all too

familiar with this way of operating in the world, making them extremely

relatable for people dealing with this, even if the person does not fully

understand why. Being an experiential type of therapy, EAP also helps

people to access different and potentially deeper parts of the brain, emo-

tion, and memory than simply sitting in an office

talking abstractly about their feelings. This deeper engagement of the

brain helps move the therapeutic process along more

efficiently. A final word on why this amazing therapy is so

beneficial - while horses may be physically intimidating, they are emotion-

ally safe. Many teens or children who come to the ranch have already

been through talk therapy and developed a distaste or distrust for it. With

horses there is simply no threat of

judgment, pre-conceived notions/assumptions, or agenda-pushing, thus

creating an incredibly safe space in which clients can express and explore

their emotions and the issues that are keeping them stuck in a place they

don't want to be in life.

And, as anyone who's spent time around them can attest to, simply being

near and breathing in a horse is therapy in itself. :)

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Feb 19th - Volunteer Recognition

Feb 21st - California Pizza Kitchen dine and donate at The Domain all day!

March 2nd-3rd 6pm-6pm Amplify Austin

March 3rd - Open House with demo rides and Duck race

April 10- April 14th - tentative Equine Specialist Workshop and certification

April 15th - Annual Easter Egg Hunt

July 2nd - 2nd Annual HHR Horse Show

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January is Suicide Prevention Month

Even though this is January... we think that Suicide Prevention can be mentioned all year long. Promoting resources

and awareness is key. Learning how you can help others and how to talk about suicide without increasing the risk of

harm.

Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. Suicide is the third leading cause of

death among young people and is often the result of mental health conditions that effect people when they are most

vulnerable. Suicidal thoughts and suicide occur too frequently but should not be considered common and can

indicate more serious issues. In many cases the individuals, friends and families affected by suicide are left in dark,

feeling shame or stigma that prevents talking openly about issues dealing with suicide.

Family Members and Caregivers - See more at: http://www.nami.org/Find-Support/Family-Members-and-Caregivers

When a friend or family member develops a mental health condition, it's important to know that you're not alone.

Many Americans have experienced caring for a person with mental illness. 1 in 25 Americans lives with a serious

mental health condition. Mental health professionals have effective treatments for most of these conditions, yet in

any given year, only 60% of people with a mental illness get mental health care.

As a result, family members and caregivers often play a large role in helping and supporting them. Millions of people

have experienced the thoughts and questions you might be having now.

You may be trying to help a family member who doesn't have access to care or doesn't want help. Or you may want

to learn how to support and encourage someone who has been hospitalized or experienced a similar mental health

crisis.

We realize that the challenges of mental illness do not only affect an individual's family members but also friends,

teachers, neighbors, coworkers and others in the community. Here we use the terms family member and caregiver

interchangeably to refer to someone giving emotional, financial or practical support to a person with a mental health

condition. Whether you're providing a lot of assistance or very little, the information here can help you better

understand the issues that you might face.

Teens & Young Adults - See more at: http://www.nami.org/Find-Support/Teens-and-Young-Adults

Mental health conditions are common among teens and young adults. 1 in 5 live with a mental health condition—

half develop the condition by age 14 and three quarters by age 24.

For some, experiencing the first signs can be scary and confusing. Discussing what you are going through with others

is an important first step to getting help. Speaking up and asking for help is a sign of strength. You will be amazed by

the support you get simply by asking.

A mental health condition isn't your fault or your family's fault—it develops for complicated reasons that researchers

are only starting to understand. But we understand a lot about how you can live well with a mental health

condition—and you have the power to take the steps necessary to improve your mental health.

Mental health services and supports are available and the earlier you access them the better. Many teens and young

adults live full lives with a mental health condition. More and more teens and young adults are speaking out about

their experiences and connecting with others. Check out Ok2Talk to see what others are saying. You are not alone—

there are others out there going through the same things you are.

Find Help in a Crisis and Information Resources— >>> I'm in crisis or am experiencing difficult or suicidal thoughts: National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273 TALK (8255) >>> I'm looking for more information, referrals or sup-port: NAMI HelpLine 800-950-NAMI (6264) [email protected] or Text "NAMI" to 741741 If you or someone you know is engaged in self-harm or having a hard time coping, visit www.halfofus.com for ways to get help If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or call 911 immediately.

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Healing with Horses Ranch volunteers, Clent and Diane LaGrone

have been married for 28 years. They have lived in various places

around the state of Texas, but they are proud to call Manor home

for the past 12 years. They have 5 children and 12 grandchildren

that are scattered throughout the state of Texas.

Clent is a retired school administrator and holds an EdD in

Leadership. Diane teaches English at Paragon Prep Middle School.

Their love of children and horses are what prompted Diane to

google those two words to see about area volunteer opportunities

~ and at the top of the list was Healing with Horses Ranch!

Neither one had ever volunteered at an Equine Therapy Center

before, but as Patty loves to say "everyone is here for a reason".

They no longer have horses of their own, so coming out to the

ranch is very therapeutic for them. They both love to "smell a

horse". Clent and Diane certainly jumped right in after completing

the volunteer training and have been involved with summer

camp, the feed team, horse shows, helping with lessons both side

walking and horse handling and grant writing.

Clent and Diane LaGrone

They both have extensive experience with horses as they were a big part of both of their lives growing up. Clent

was riding a horse from the time he could walk and he has particularly fond memories from age 5 of his first colt,

which was eventually sold by Clent's father (unbeknownst to Clent) and he spent 2 days looking for his horse!

Years after that, he got a 7-month-old colt he named Kershaw who was truly his own, especially the "breaking to

a saddle" part. Story goes that ol' Kershaw never bucked a lick. He has known and loved many other horses and

he says "you have to treat each horse differently, they all have their own unique personalities". Diane's

childhood horse was named Snowball and she would get to ride her when visiting her grandmother's house

almost every weekend.

From the time they started volunteering at the ranch, Clent has been inspired by the patience of the volunteers,

and especially those helping in a lesson. He says "it takes such patience from the entire team, the horse handler,

the side walker and the instructor and especially the horse". Diane has been inspired by Crystal, an instructor at

HHR because she is so diplomatic for someone that young. She also says "Crystal can read horses and humans in

a way that most people with years of experience can't".

One of their favorite memories of helping at the ranch is trying to get Oreo back across the creek. Oreo was

enjoying her time munching grass behind a hill so she was hard to find at first. Every time Clent and Diane would

get close, Oreo would take off running. They had a good time playing this cat and mouse game with her that day

and always smile when they think of her. Levi is their favorite because of his sweet demeanor, but also because

he came to the ranch the very day that Diane started volunteering. Clent says "Every horse that meets Diane just

loves her and they follow her around like puppy dogs, but that she seems to have a fondness for the big old

gangly ones".

HHR is very grateful for all of your help! We are especially thankful for the extra time you spent feeding

the horses over the holidays and for taking such great care of them in general. Your love for all of them

shines through and you are very much appreciated!

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Avalon was donated to us by Monte Landes in July of 2012,

making her the 3rd longest resident at Healing with Horses

Ranch. She is a 15-year-old 15.2 hand chestnut mare. She is

part Belgian draft horse - part American Saddlebred and is

registered as an American Warmblood Society Sport Horse.

That means she went through an inspection to show her

ability to be a sport horse in jumping, dressage, eventing or

driving. Monte Landes had owned her since birth and did

extensive training with Sweet Avalon in both jumping and

dressage, but mostly used her for trail riding. Unfortunately,

Avalon is quite food aggressive and they were worried that

when they did camping trips that they would not be able to

keep other horses from fearing Avalon. So after the Bastrop

fires and losing their barn and fencing the Landes decided

that needed to find a new home for Avalon. Fortunately,

Avalon was not injured in those fires!

Avalon is food aggressive, but as long as she gets fed first,

she is very calm and quiet. She loves to jump. Whenever

there is a pole in the arena, it takes all of your concentration

to keep her on the rail. Otherwise, she will aim right for the

pole so that she can “jump” it! She rats everyone out that is

afraid as she tosses her head. She needs a calm confident leader for her to feel confident! She hates to be

hung on when you are reining her. If you do hang on her, she just shuts down and goes to the middle of the

arena! She works with all levels of riders. Weighing over 1300 lbs she is strong enough to carry even our

heaviest riders with no complaints. (We do have a weight limit policy that restricts anyone weighing more

than 20% of her weight from riding her.) Avalon has attended several shows though I will say that she is not

found of all that nervous energy!

A huge thank you to Paula Vaughan for sponsoring Avalon through April 2017! Sponsoring a horse helps

them keep up their work of healing the bodies, minds, and souls of those they serve.

Healing with Horses Ranch partners with a variety of breeds, shapes, and sizes of horses to meet the needs

of all of our riders. Our horses work hard to carry everything from a rider's unbalanced weight to emotional

trauma. To join our team, our horses go through a careful screening process, ensuring the safety of our

riders. As a result, we have a wonderful team of gentle horses.

Horse Sponsorship is an amazing way to support the daily needs of our team. A contribution of $1500 covers

the annual cost of one horse's vet, feed, and farrier.

Choose your favorite horse to sponsor and your name will be placed on the stall door and on this web page

for one year. Please remember that all donations to HH are 100% tax deductible.

Our horses are looking forward to your support! CLICK HERE TO SPONSOR A HORSE

Avalon