Mission Statement
Hearts & Hooves’ purpose is to provide a unique service to people of all ages in Edmonton and surrounding areas who can benefit from an indoor miniature horse encounter. We visit people of all ages, indoors at hospitals, schools, care centers, or in their homes who are elderly, terminally ill, and medically fragile. We also visit individuals that are emotionally and mentally ill, mildly, moderately, and severely challenged, and those who are learning and physically challenged. Our visits also provide relief and comfort to caregivers and families.
Hearts & Hooves Initiatives also include specialized services for the following programs.
- is a new program that Hearts & Hooves has developed in response to community requests and would like to pilot in summer 2009. This program will offer daytime volunteer, recreational, and work experience activities at our farm for adults and youth with a variety of disabilities who may benefit from learning through the love of horses.
– focuses on including mini horses in the lives of seniors residing in long term care facilities through frequent visits and as part of specialized programs coordinated with Recreational Staff, Physical Therapist, and Occupational Therapists in the benefit of improving the quality of life for senior residents in care.
– goal orientated therapy based programs for children with special needs in Edmonton and area schools. Hearts & Hooves Reach Out Program provides social, motivational, educational, therapeutic, and recreational incentives and benefits to already existing programs and goals.
– success orientated program that helps youth who have histories of abuse and have been involved with the law by incorporating the youths in volunteer activities and visits with the Hearts & Hooves mini horses. Hearts & Hooves Spirit Quest Program focuses on helping youth discover parts of themselves through interacting with miniature horses, seniors in care at a long-term care facility.
- Hearts & Hooves Youth Volunteer program meets bi-weekly to help with the care and rescue of the horses, fundraising initiatives, and many other meaningful and engaging goal orientated tasks at the farm. The youth in the program also act as handlers on all the weekend visits as well as the Day Programs hosted for groups at the farm.
In addition, Hearts & Hooves aims to help miniature horses through means of rescue, ongoing care, adoption, and through advocating for them.
Hearts & Hooves offers Level I and Level II Workshops to teach the principles, guidelines, theories, and hands on training of Equine Guided Activities and Interactions with miniature horses indoors as part of therapy programs.
Hearts & Hooves publishes educational and informational material to share with others on Human and Horse relationships with the intent to increase awareness of Equine Guided Programs as well as advocate for the proper care and treatment of horses.
Hearts & Hooves’ inspires and engages those we meet to find release in the sparkle of their own smile, the magic of sharing a memory, the joy in heart-felt laughter, and creating special moment in time.
Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with Hearts & Hooves in Texas, USA (H&H Canada believes in the integrity and value of the horses and the people we work with, running a charity/not-for-profit, requires responsibility and the assurance to our sponsors and donors that we are a legitimate organization).
Contact Michelle at hearts_and_hooves@yahoo.ca for more information.