During the Fall Sessions, two local schools participated in the new state law granted by HB1137 and made the short trek to Narrow Gate Horse Ranch once a week. The kids who come have experienced trauma, are most often struggling with behavior issues, and integrating into school culture in appropriate ways.
We are so happy to serve these “tough cases” at NGHR!
From my work with this “kids from hard places” demographic for nearly over 20 years now, I can tell you, the toughest kids are the most eager.
This past fall, these students were a part of a series of lessons entitled, “How to Be Awesome”. Each class, students discuss a new characteristic associated with “being awesome” and then go out and practice using that characteristic with the horses in the arena. Awesome characteristics include things like: treating others with kindness and respect, understanding nonverbal communication, asking questions, connecting to others, regulating emotions, understanding that being awesome is a choice.
William*, a quiet teenager, came to the ranch with his school group. He didn’t goof around. He was kind of a loner. William kept his head lowered, but wasn’t disengaged. He offered genuine answers. I could see all the potential in this reserved young man.
A couple lessons into our session we were teaching students to lead horses. I watched William as he walked our palomino, Reno, towards me. I went over to meet him and walk a little ways with him. His face looked so peaceful. I asked him how it was going. He smiled the biggest smile and said,
“You know, walking with this horse is like releasing a huge pressure valve.”
I smiled at him and agreed. Inside, my heart jumped for joy. Little moments make a big impact on these kids and their lives. God is working through that horse. We can’t teach that. They need to feel it... experience it. It was William’s moment. Whatever pressure had been building up for him, it was time to experience peace from that.
These classes make a huge impact on the young people who can come.
They're coming from a school environment where they are not successful. Most of them have already been labeled - loser, troublemaker, etc. As volunteers, we don’t know these labels. More importantly, the horse doesn’t know that about them. I love asking students,
“Who do you want to be to this horse?
This is an opportunity to be successful that they don’t have in other areas of their lives. Being with a big, powerful, 1,000 pound horse is out of their comfort zones. They have never experienced something like this.
A lot of these kids have been to therapy and know the words they are supposed to say.
But here with us at Narrow Gate, they don’t have to do anything like that. They have to be real and present to engage the horse. The power of it not being another human being with their ideas and agendas is monumental. The horse reacts to their actions and their feelings giving them feedback in real time from a place of no expectations.
One little moment can change a kid's life. They learn by doing. They create the learning, and then it’s really theirs.
After 25 years of experience, I’m still amazed to see how God works in the arena. We set things up and help to create a sacred space for these hurting kids.
Then, we get to watch what happens.
- Linda Benson
- Student name changed for anonymity