Impacting Lives
Making a difference with
Participants and our Community
Our participants are taking the skills they are learning from Chinook Horses and regaining control over their lives.
My daughter has done 2 programs and absorbed the information, had so much fun, and made friends. It was such a positive experience.
Chinook Horses was a great fit for our family. The interaction with the horses really was amazing for my child as they learned to work in a group. This approach to learning and healing works.
My son Noah got introduced to this program a few years ago. A once shy and isolated little boy has found his way. He found his best friend in a horse named Sir Charlie. The horse was the highlight of his week. He found understanding to his emotions and the ability to decifer his feelings. The ladies who run this program our kind hearted and always willing to her a parents concern and give guidance. My son is who he is today because of this program. He is confident in his day to day goings and routines. We continue to support and be a part of this amazing program. Totally recommend this program for any family with special needs. I have attached a picture of my son with his favorite horse from the program.
My son's general attitude has improved so much during equine therapy. Teachers at school have noticed an improvement with his willingness to participate in class and verbalize with them about tasks as well as with his peers during recess.
At home I've observed an increase in confidence to try new things and also increases conversation, hardly ever do I just get one-word answers or head shakes anymore.
My son's overall comfort with people and also with animals has improved even when animals are bigger than him.
I can't say enough good things about the equine therapy my son receives from Chinook Horses through Blue Skies! With his successes, he gains confidence and I gain pride and relief watching him experience more of the world as a joyful thing instead of a fearful one.
Thank you all so much!
Chinook Horses is a wonderful nonprofit that helps connect children and adults with special needs to free roaming horses in a confined and safe place. The horses have a "sense" built in to them that knows when someone needs a one-on-one contact. A soft muzzle rub or just their presence standing close can help remedy anxious or excitable behavior in the clients. I have witnessed it! This kind of interaction is so needed in helping children and adults cope. Their therapy sessions together with the horses unlocks potential and a chance of finding a calming and regenerating space. Chinook Horses provides this therapy!
I have had the honor to watch Chinook Horses grow over the past few years and see the amazing impact it has had not only for those who benefit from the therapy work done at Chinook Horses, but also the very positive impact it has had on the volunteers as well. I'm happy to say I was one. It was a very rewarding experience to work alongside horses and a very well trained staff. I would do it again.
The facility the program operates out of is top-notch, the equipment first-rate and a very well trained and educated staff. We are very lucky to have such a program in the Billings area.
I began service with Chinook Horses as an AmeriCorps VISTA member back in August. Through my observations of sessions, I have witnessed the incredible power of healing through relationships with equines. Chinook Horses' incredible team consistently creates a safe atmosphere for learning and healing, and is a critical piece of the mental health ecosystem in south-central Montana.