Cloud Dancers Therapeutic Horsemanship
Grants Awarded
Focusing on underserved youth aged 9–18 in Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties, the Cloud Dancers Outdoor Equine Leadership Program provides meaningful, comprehensive, and inclusive outdoor horse-centered activities, promoting personal growth, leadership and environmental stewardship. Participants will engage in equine-assisted sessions throughout the year at Cloud Dancers' equestrian facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico, learning about horse-keeping and nature while improving teamwork and communication skills. The program, funded by scholarships, prioritizes accessibility to all, fostering long-term connections to nature and their communities for these traditionally excluded youth.
Founded in 1982, Cloud Dancers Therapeutic Horsemanship Program, Inc. was established with a mission to provide equine-assisted activities for individuals with physical, cognitive, emotional, and/or social needs through innovative riding, vaulting, and ground programs. Today, Cloud Dancers continues this mission by improving the lives of children, youth, and adults through inclusive equine-assisted programs that promote personal growth, confidence, communication, and connection. Through its Therapeutic Horsemanship Program (THP), participants engage in both mounted and unmounted recreational activities designed to strengthen self-confidence, communication, resilience, responsibility, and interpersonal skills. THP provides participants with meaningful opportunities to build trust, develop emotional awareness, and learn effective relationship and communication skills. Cloud Dancers’ Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) program offers half-day, full-day, and multi-day workshops for licensed mental health professionals, businesses, organizations, and community members. Professional trainings address ethics, self-care, confidentiality, and the integration of Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) practices, while community workshops focus on leadership, teamwork, communication, mindfulness, creativity, and personal growth. Each workshop is led by a New Mexico-licensed counselor certified as an Equine-Assisted Psychotherapist, in collaboration with a certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. Cloud Dancers’ Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) program partners with mental health agencies and trained therapists to provide sessions for clients experiencing mental and behavioral health challenges. Participants work alongside therapy horses and equine specialists to develop emotional regulation, problem-solving, empathy, social skills, and communication. By interacting with horses in a safe, supportive environment, clients gain insight into emotions, behaviors, and relationships through a therapeutic approach that encourages personal growth and healing.