Happiness Through Horses expanding as more kids come to nonprofit farm
In two years, the nonprofit Happiness Through Horses has expanded to three locations near Fort Lupton and is hoping to qualify for Colorado Gives Day soon.
Kim Swaney, of Longmont, co-founded the nonprofit with Fort Morgan teacher Shauna White to help preteens and teens struggling with trauma or emotional or behavioral issues build confidence by working with horses.
When they broke away from under the nonprofit umbrella United Charitable Programs in March 2016, Happiness Through Horses was partnering with Inner City Slickers to put on four day camps per year.
Now, Swaney said, the organization has expanded to three ranches, partnered with 11 barns, got a horse trainer on board and filled the various year-round programs with kids from Boulder, Weld and Larimer counties.
Over the past two years, the organization has worked with 50 children, Swaney said. She has plans to create an offshoot youth leadership program and mentorship program to further grow the organization.
Tuesday, a group of teens and preteens gathered at Rockin’ Moon Ranch to muck out stables and groom horses in a hands-on
therapy session.
The group was part of the organization’s Happiness Club. They get together at one of the ranches, talk about leadership, conflict resolution or another tough topic, then get to work caring for the horses. At the end, if the weather is good and the horses are in the right mood, the kids saddle up and ride.
“It’s a mix between Girl Scouts and 4-H,” Swaney said. “We talk about how everybody is feeling that day … and we do a lot of trust-building. Trust is a big deal because most of these kids need a mentor that can listen to them.”
She said the kids she works with have myriad issues or trauma from having a parent die, being in the foster care system or witnessing domestic abuse.
“These kids all have something in their past and working with horses is a great way to center yourself and ask, ‘How can I be my best self for these animals today?’ ” Swaney said. “You have to leave everything in the past in the past and move forward and be present.”
Tim Kutscher, 10, walked by Swaney carrying a bucket full of dirty hay from one of the horse stalls.
“This is our fourth one and there’s more in there to take out,” he said happily as he passed.
Kutscher moved on to grooming one of the horses, explaining that he didn’t want to brush the horse too hard because he was afraid of hurting the stallion.
“I like to go over it with my other hand after I brush him because, see the hair is still sticking out after, and I want it to look nice,” he told Michelle Greeott, who stood nearby.
Greeott, who is Mrs. Longmont 2018, brought Kutscher to the Happiness Through Horses Spring Break workday. Kutscher and his grandparents live with Greeott and other members of the family have struggled with homelessness.
Greeott said the nonprofit does great work for the kids, and that’s why Happiness Through Horses is one of the community organizations she supports as part of her title as Mrs. Longmont 2018.
“I have a child who is now an adult, but who had a hard time when he was a teen. I wish there had been a program like this out here. It helps kids to come out and care for others, especially care for animals,” she said. “Timmy lives with me and he has been through some challenges even though he’s just a young kid. He gets to come out here and love something unconditionally … I think that’s so important for kids nowadays, even if the horse can’t talk, he feels that love and it fills his heart.”
Swaney said the next step for her nonprofit is to increase their annual revenue to $50,000 to qualify for Colorado Gives Day. She hopes to do that, in part, through the first Happiness Hoedown on April 29 in Loveland. Swaney is still in search of sponsors for the event.
She said the program has grown exponentially in the last two years and she has been scrambling to find funding to keep up with it, especially because it’s difficult to turn away a troubled teen in need of help because of funding.
“I’m really hoping this event leads to more awareness and funding,” Swaney said about the Hoedown. “Since we partner with 11 barns, I’m hoping to make it our signature event and an annual thing one day and hold it in different locations.”