About HALO and Equine Assisted Learning

Welcome to Horse Assisted Learning Organization, or HALO, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Boerne, Texas that is dedicated to supporting foster youth through equine-assisted learning and mentoring. Equine-assisted learning is a therapeutic approach that involves interactions between individuals and horses to promote personal growth and development.

HALO was founded by Jill Ammann in October of 2022 in partnership with In The Irons, Inc. Jill's passion for helping children in the foster care system led her to discover the Stable Moments® program created by Rebecca Britt, which she adopted as HALO's flagship program. Stable Moments is a 10-month community mentorship program that utilizes structured activities to achieve life skills for children impacted by foster care or adoption.

The program starts with an intake assessment to determine if it is a good fit for each child, after which program directors develop an individualized plan of care to address specific life skill goals in six areas. HALO's equine and non-equine activities are color-coded to correspond with the plan of care focus colors, making it easier for mentors to choose activities that address specific goals.

Mentorship is at the heart of HALO's program, as research has shown that one long-term, healthy relationship with an adult builds resiliency factors in children with complex trauma needs. Each participant is matched with a mentor for the 10-month program, and together they develop a plan for each session that includes a connecting activity, a life-skill development activity, and a transition activity.

HALO tracks progress through pre- and post-test assessments, as well as activity logs completed by mentors at the end of each session. This helps the organization develop progress summaries to demonstrate each participant's progress and the program's overall impact.

Equine-assisted learning provides a unique therapeutic experience. A horse is assigned to each mentor/mentee pair which they will learn to take care of and who will assist in all of the equine activities. Horses are known to be sensitive and perceptive animals, making them effective partners in helping people develop self-awareness, build confidence, and develop communication and trust skills. By incorporating equine activities into the program, HALO provides a safe and nurturing environment for foster youth to build relationships and develop essential life skills.

HALO depends on community mentors who volunteer one hour every week to make this program possible. HALO believes in breaking the generational cycle of foster care and will be rolling out more programs to do its part in ending the foster care crisis. Stay tuned for updates and information on how you can get involved with HALO and its equine-assisted learning programs.