Equine Education for Disadvantaged Youth

History of Dreams

Phone: 614.864.9500

E-mail: DreamsOnHorses@aol.com

Dreams on Horseback changes the lives of more than 1,800 children each year in the Columbus area.  Dreams became reality in 2002 by transporting horses to United Way agencies, schools and churches to provide educational programs to inner-city youth.  In 2003, founders David and Jennifer Hansen renovated a farm called Field of Dreams located in Blacklick to provide a home for Dreams’ programs and to allow city youth to enjoy a ranch experience with horse rides through beautiful wooded trails.

Dreams constructed a new equine center in 2007 to house an innovative educational partnership with the Gahanna-Jefferson School District to provide alternative educational opportunities for at-risk youth.   Students who have cognitive or behavioral challenges that impede their learning processes practice employment and social skills while earning credit towards graduation.  The program also allows youth to develop a relationship with their horse and use equine assisted learning to gain self-awareness and learn new skills.

In 2009, Dreams expanded the program options for special needs students by offering Dare to Dream (DTD).  DTD focuses on youth with developmental disabilities and uses horse activities to provide sensory input and executive functioning skill acquisition (such as sequential task planning, following multiple step directions, etc.)  Activities include grooming and tacking a horse in addition to handler-led rides.

 

    

In 2006, Dreams launched Strides for Pride, a program for youth diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Children who are non-responsive in traditional therapy not only learn to express themselves while interacting with our horses, but also practice problem solving skills and communicating appropriately with peers while completing series of tasks with the horses.