A bond that can't be broken: Idaho Youth Ranch equine therapy changing lives

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Idaho Youth Ranch offers a wide variety of services to kids who have gone through some pretty tough times.

One of those services is equine therapy, a therapy that allows kids to build a bond between them and a horse.

"The horse can be a confidant. Someone that you can share your feelings with and share those deep, deep hurtful experiences that you've had and might not want to share out loud or share with a person. You can come share it with the horse, and the horse isn't going to tell anybody," said Sadie Nabeker, equine therapist for Idaho Youth Ranch.

Equine therapy involves a variety of kids with all kinds of backgrounds. Many of them struggle with adverse experiences.

"Most of them have a background that contains significant kinds of trauma. So, that can range from living with domestic violence, to abuse, to loss," said Whitney Sringston, director of marketing for Idaho Youth Ranch.

It's what they learn in the arena that helps change their lives.

"I hear from parents that they're more interactive at home. They're not in their room as much. They're doing clubs or sports, or they're going out and trying to make more relationships. You really see that growth from being so alone and so withdrawn to branching out and being more interactive and really healing and growing," said Nabeker.

Last year Idaho Youth Ranch's equine therapy program worked with over 158 kids. Nabeker said she's seen some amazing things.

"They come here with that courage and they confront that, and they learn coping skills, and they learn about themselves. They really are able to learn about who they are and grow as a person," Nabeker said.

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