Unbridled Hope Therapeutic Riding
Brend Curujo, Coordinator
“Unbridled Hope Equine Program is a newly registered PATH Int’l Member Center that operates under the umbrella of The Heart of Florida Youth Ranch in Citra, FL. Through the Heart of Florida Youth Ranch, Unbridled Hope seeks to provide equine assisted learning skills and development to address trauma and loss issues that many of the foster children face as a direct result of physical, mental, or sexual abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment. As with many therapeutic programs, Unbridled Hope seeks to utilize both non-mounted and therapeutic riding activities with a mental health component included as well to develop and improve clients physiologically, sensorially, emotionally, cognitively, and socially to address day to day living skills holistically.
Unbridled Hope Equine is unique in that the clients we work with day to day actually live on the same property as the equine program, and the children who demonstrate an ability to be responsible and dedicated to the well-being of the horses are able to assist in feeding and caring for the horses in the program further developing their bonding abilities. As stated above, the children we serve are in foster care and removed from their families. Not only do they often lose the day to day connection with their biological family, but they usually have to change schools when they come to The Ranch, they bring little to no clothing or personal belongings, they leave behind pets, friends, church, community, etc… Life as they know it is turned upside down, and they are expected to trust the very system that took that all away from them (in their perspective). Attachment and trust, as a result, are two of the most difficult issues we face while working with these children. Incorporating equine assisted learning skills and activities, the children begin to bond with their chosen horse, the instructor, the volunteers, and their peers. It is a gradual process, but it is our belief and experience that the children will have trust breakthroughs much quicker when facilitating the bond via equine assisted programming.
Currently, Unbridled Hope has six full sized horses. We are seeking to add a very select few additional horses to accommodate rotation of horses for classes preventing overexertion and allowing for room to change a horse out temporarily if needed in the event of an equine getting injured or having an illness. We would ask that you might consider visiting the Unbridled Hope Equine Program, and furthermore, consider sponsoring a child, horse, or program area as an up and coming, innovative PATH Int’l member center that focuses on a unique and very much in need client base with the number of children coming into foster care constantly growing. If Unbridled Hope achieves targeted progress and goals and continues to grow, we would like to eventually open our program up to foster homes and families in the local community and surrounding areas.”
Unbridled Hope is a registered member of PATH Intl.
(Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship)
Unbridled Hope
