Why We Do It


The LEAD with Horses mission:  To improve the social, emotional and behavioral development of children of Western Nevada through quality therapeutic and educational equine programs.


Philosophy


LEAD with Horses provides safe spaces and equine assisted services with qualified professionals. Horses provide the catalyst for positive change and personal growth.

Everyone deserves a chance to thrive. Children and youth need opportunities to explore, attain, and reach beyond their potential.

LEAD with Horses nurtures and cultivates the strengths and abilities of our children and youth – to realize the promise of individuals and the collective community. The capacity for positive growth and development is tremendous during childhood and adolescence. Unfortunately, many youth do not thrive in traditional educational and therapeutic settings, and their development is inhibited.

LEAD combines proven educational and therapeutic approaches with the power of horses to support, encourage, and empower young people in Washoe County and surrounding communities. Using a strength-based, experiential approach, LEAD with Horses provides structure and guidance to assist young people in finding their own solutions and inspiration.

We bring children, youth and families out of the classroom or the office and into a new environment with limitless opportunities for learning and development. LEAD with Horses offers opportunities to develop wide-ranging skills that can be carried over to other contexts through equine-assisted activities.

LEAD programs provide an emotional, physical, and intellectual experience. Horses build a stronger sense of self. Equine assisted activities are experiential and project-based. Put simply, clients learn by doing!

 


A Brief History of LEAD with Horses


Since its inception, LEAD with Horses has offered quality educational programming to children and adolescents, provided supplemental therapeutic activities for clients of mental health professionals, and forged new community partnerships. In fall 2015, we transitioned to non-profit status to better serve the community.

LEAD with Horses was founded in 2013 by Casey Wold and Jeane Spada-Allgood,and realizes a dream to bring horses and children together for positive growth and development. Casey and Jeane met as therapeutic equine instructors with a mental health agency. They created LEAD with Horses after the agency ended the horse program, but the inspiration to create a youth centered horse program came long before then.

Casey and Jeane worked in traditional education and mental health settings. While recognizing the importance of this work, they could see that not all children thrive in these environments. Their experiences with horses and humans demonstrated that equine assisted activities are a powerful and effective means to reach those who may be struggling in traditional settings. As horse owners and enthusiasts, Casey and Jeane understood firsthand the power of horses as teachers, companions, and guides.

LEAD with Horses continues to grow. Additional team members, volunteers, donors, and community partners help us to serve more families in our community each year. Private counseling services and therapeutic group programs have both been expanded. Our flexible and responsive trauma-informed model allows us to meet the changing needs of those we serve. We will continue to work with our community to deliver quality programs for years to come.


Who can benefit from equine assisted activities?


Anyone can benefit from educational and therapeutic equine programs! Families, parents, young adults, adolescents, and children can all benefit from a quality "horse therapy." NO previous horse experience is required.

Equine assisted activities can address a wide range of mental health and human development challenges, including:

 

Attention Deficit Disorder

Anxiety

Eating Disorders

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Grief

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Depression

Relationship Problems & Communication Needs

Anger Management

Behavioral Problems

This experiential approach to skill development is excellent for:

 

Communication

Social Skills

Leadership

Resilience

Planning & Problem-Solving

Sensory Integration

Emotional and Behavioral Regulation

Cooperation

Decision Making

Coping Skills