HOPE Ridge

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Some of you might be wondering, "What is HOPE Ridge"? Well, HOPE Ridge is us. It is Richard Mudge and myself (Maud Peters), and our team of awesome equine teachers and healers. We will introduce ourselves in more detail in separate posts. In this post, I'd like to explain to you what we do here at HOPE Ridge.

In a nutshell, we work together with our horses to help people. All kinds of people, of all walks of life. We do what is called Equine Assisted Learning (or EAL for short), as well as Equine Assisted Personal Development coaching (or EAPD). To explain what each one is, I'll break it down a little:
EAL is an experiential learning program which focuses on developing essential life skills to help strengthen an individual's (your daughter's, your nephew's, your own) ability to experience life to it's fullest. For example, if your daughter is shy and reserved, the program we facilitate will help build her confidence and encourage her to become more assertive and self assured. If you and your family are struggling to see eye to eye, our equine teachers can help you find your way back to a better mutual understanding. Or if your child has either been a victim of, or is accused of bullying, our equine teachers will help them learn and grow from their experience, giving them the tools they need to be happy and successful. EAL is usually in a group environment, suitable for schools, corporate groups, families, or any group that is looking for a life changing experience.

EAPD is also experiential learning and falls under the EAL umbrella, but it focuses on the individual rather than a group setting. It is more of a healing approach and focuses on helping you overcome whatever may be holding you back from experiencing life to it's fullest. EAPD is extremely helpful in various circumstances, ranging from helping individuals overcome the effects of PTSD, ADD/ADHD, Depression, or whatever personal barriers they may be facing.

Why horses? Horses have traits that encourage us to be open, ready to discover more about ourselves, and face the future with a sense of purpose. Horses do not lie. There is nothing artificial about a horse. They don’t care who is looking at them, or what the person thinks about them. Horses never judge. They value and accept each person as they are. Horses listen when you speak. They will look at you and, regardless of your fears, accept you for who you are. They can also be like mirrors, showing us a who we really are. They will give us honest and immediate feedback, allowing us to learn and grow from the interaction. Horses are, like us, family oriented. How they interact with each other can be related to how we as humans interact with one another. They are incredibly intuitive beings which simply cannot be fooled into believing something that is not true. They live in the moment. They live with authenticity. And they teach us how to do the same.