CHAPS Equine Assisted Services | Our Programs
CHAPS accepts participants aged four and up that are medically able to participate, with a diagnosed condition that will benefit from our services.
*CHAPS does not discriminate based on age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, political affiliation, etc. Limitations are solely based on physician’s recommendations & scholarship availability.
Equine Assisted Services (EAS) encompass the innate kindness, honesty and non-judgmental aspects of the horse as well as their movement, which mimics movement in the human pelvis.
Horses are unique in that they can attend to human needs on many levels: physical, mental, physiological and social.
At CHAPS, clients get a hands-on experience with learning to groom as well as learning horsemanship skills. No matter which program you participate in, you will ALWAYS find connection with the horse, staff, and volunteers.
Equine Assisted Service (EAS) Programs Offered through CHAPS
Pony Pals
The CHAPS ponies travel to town to serve youth and seniors during winter session. This program focuses on socialization/verbalization, social skills, fine & gross motor skills as well as memory & recall.
CHAPS has worked with the Child Development Center, Greenhouse Living for Sheridan, the Hub on Smith St. and Holy Name Catholic School.
Pony Pals is a specialized Equine Assisted Learning program.
Patriot Ponies
Thanks to a grant from the Marna M. Kuehne Foundation, CHAPS travels to the Veterans' Home of Wyoming and the skilled nursing facility to serve veterans. We focus on education, memory, recall and socialization. In the future, CHAPS hopes to serve the Mountain View Living Center, a long-term care facility at the Sheridan VA Medical Center.
Patriot Ponies is a specialized Equine Assisted Learning program.
Adaptive Riding
A traditional riding lesson with therapeutic goals. Not only are our riders learning safe horsemanship skills, they are also developing social skills, communication skills, confidence and self-esteem, overall physical fitness, balance, coordination and agility. Riding is proven to improve seated posture, core strength and balance.
Adaptive Carriage Driving
Therapeutic driving is an alternative to riding for people who are not physically able to sit astride, afraid of riding, or exceed our horses' weight limits. Driving focuses on core and upper body strength, spatial awareness and cognitive learning as well as fine & gross motor skills.
Operation Mustang 2.0
A non-mounted program working with a BLM Mustang to promote hands-on horsemanship while improving presence, patience and perseverance. Mustangs can be hypervigilant, reactive and untrusting. We discuss the similarities between Veterans and the Mustang. Benefits include a better understanding of body language, leadership and partnership.
The original Operation Mustang is credited to BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center in Harvard, IL.
Haltering Hope &
Horses 4 Forces
A non-mounted, equine facilitated psychotherapy group program focusing on facilitating personal skill development that helps attend to and reduces emotional reactivity, assists in processing trauma and fosters the development of strength-based tools to work through triggers and emotions. This program is facilitated by the horse while guided by the Equine Specialist and Mental Health Professional. CHAPS offers multiple groups per week including Haltering Hope, which is a group for foster youth, caregivers & women, as well as Horses 4 Forces, a group for Veterans.
Have a question about a particular program? Contact our office today at (307) 673-6161 or email info@chapswyo.org.
2025 Applications will be available December 1, 2024.
Applications for 2025 will be accepted after 1/2/2025 - DO NOT TURN IN BEFORE 1/2/2025.
Due dates for applications are as follows: February 11, 2025 for ANY session; April 22, 2025 for Sessions 2-4; June 17, 2025 for sessions 3-4; September 2, 2025 for session 4.