By: Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer/Editor for Hire

Shepherd Youth Ranch, located in Creedmoor, NC, pairs rescue horses that have experienced abuse and neglect with children who have also experienced trauma.

Founded by Ashely Boswell in 2004, the program relocated from just outside of Charlotte, NC to Creedmoor seven years ago to provide local youth with equine-assisted learning and psychotherapy. The ranch currently serves a 12 county area with Vance, Granville, Franklin and Wake being their most heavily served population.

Trained horse counselors work with children and their families; however, Boswell believes it is the horses themselves who do the counseling. “Our horses have a great impact on these children’s lives,” said Boswell. “They are prey animals and can really read the nonverbal cues of people and know what’s going on.”

Since the therapy involves animals, Boswell believes this helps create a non-threatening environment that allows the children to open up and express their thoughts and frustrations.

Boswell has found that most of the participants two biggest fears are the fear of abandonment and the fear of rejection. “Many of the children have been abandoned by one or both parents,” Boswell said. “Also, many of the children have a fear of bullying and being rejected.”

At first, some of the children are intimidated by the sheer size of the horses. Boswell believes that overcoming this initial fear helps build life skills, “When a child can accomplish something in spite of that fear [of horses] they can then take the skills they learned with the horse out into the world and overcome other fears.”

Participants begin with Trail 2 Success, the foundation program of the ranch. This is a 24-week intensive equine-assisted learning program. Children attend weekly sessions while their parents attend monthly multi-family sessions.

After completing the Trail 2 Success program, children can enter the Shepherd Academy program to continue their work with the horses. “Children can participate in the Shepherd Academy program for as long as they want,” said Boswell. “The goal is that they will become interns and volunteer and serve other programs as mentors for other children.”

Both the Trail 2 Success and the Shepherd Academy programs are available for children ages 7-17. The ranch also provides a therapeutic riding program for children ages 4-17 with autism.

Many of the ranch’s horses have been with the program since it was first founded. According to Boswell, the majority of the horses are from abusive situations and were purchased directly by the ranch or were rescued by more official means.

Boswell explained that while the program began with mostly court-ordered participants, the word has spread about the ranch’s services and many children are now there of their own accord.

These children are often referred by school counselors, mental health professionals, youth organizations, court counselors, teachers and parents.

One of the most satisfying outcomes of the program, according to Boswell, is the positive effect the equine therapy has on the participants’ self-esteem and suspension rates, “During and after graduating from our program, there is a 95 percent decrease in both in and out of school suspension rates and a 99 percent decrease in recidivism.”

Boswell reports that only one child has gone back into the court system after completing the program in the 14 years it has been in operation.

In summing up the overall mission of the ranch Boswell stated that “we believe through God’s creation itself, the horse, that we can reach the unreachable.”

For more information on Shepherd Youth Ranch including their mission and volunteer opportunities, please call (919) 480-1535 or visit their website at www.shepherdyouthranch.org.