Olive's Branch Healing

The mission of Olive’s Branch Healing Incorporated (OBH) is to cultivate healing and create access to horses for marginalized, urban and rural communities through equine-assisted services. Founded and centered on Jesus Christ, OBH provides opportunities for both horses and people to experience restoration. Through our programming participants will have the opportunity to explore the depths of themselves and the world around them by contributing to the work of rescue, rehabilitation, and the repurposing of OBH horses. Our services are here to provide life skill and leadership development, cultural awareness, team building, exploration of faith and more in partnership with a horse or horses. Our goal is simple: to restore horses and restore people.

We believe that horses are not to be hoarded, but to be shared in community with others. In the past, horses were seen with the elite, powerful, and wealthy. Today, we at OBH desire to create access to horses for those who never would’ve had the opportunity due to their abilities, location, financial status, ethnicity, and gender. In order to do so, it is our top priority to create a safe, inclusive barn environment for all no matter their sexual orientation, gender identity, faith or worship preferences, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or abilities. Whether it’s welcoming participants on the farm or bringing the horses to the city, we hope to provide access to horses for all.

Our Equine-Assisted Services consists of the following:

• Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL):
  • According to PATH International (the association Olive's Branch Healing operates their services under), Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) is an experiential learning approach which promotes the development of life skills applicable to academic, personal, or professional pursuits through guided equine interactions. Participants will pursue personal or group identified goals through quality activities formulated by the Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL, Destani Langford).
• Equine-Assisted Coaching: 
  • The Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL) is able to partner with educational, mental health, and medical professionals to pursue goals that they have for their clients in partnership with a horse(s). Equine-Assisted Coaching/Psychotherapy/Counseling/Services (EAP/C/S) is an interactive process in which individuals participate in clinically structured equine activities to improve and enhance mental, emotional and social functioning (for example IEPs and treatment plans).
• Horsemanship Program:
  • Our horsemanship  program is focused on establishing a more holistic view of the nature of the horse, caring for them, training, handling, and riding skills.  This program is geared towards individuals or groups who are considering horse ownership at some point in their future. 
• Experience Olive:
  • Experience Olive is a program created to introduce people to the world of horses. Participants will work in partnership with the horse(s) to explore and develop horsemanship skills. Through this introduction, participants may receive insight to areas of challenge that may or may not be evident to the individual/group. If participants choose to continue services with us and participate in our Equine-Assisted Learning program, they may choose to continue to focus on challenges or goals identified during Experience Olive. All Experience Olive sessions are unmounted.
• Hoofbeats and Heartbeats in the City
  • Hoofbeats and Heartbeats in the City is a program that brings about the power of horses to urban areas, ensuring accessibility for those unable to visit our farm. It provides joy and healing regardless of participants’ circumstances. Each session integrates faith, using horse activities to illustrate Gospel teachings. Interacting with horses reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, positively impacting mental health.