‘It’s really hard to be a teenage girl these days’: Bridle Up Hope empowers women and girls through healing with horses
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)— Healing doesn’t always happen in a traditional setting. For some girls and women, it starts in the saddle. A partnership between Champ’s Heart and Bridle Up Hope gives women the opportunity build confidence, resilience, and inner strength through horsemanship.
“Our mission is to inspire girls and women to learn habits and horsemanship and build hope, confidence and resilience,” said Savannah Christiansen, one of the program instructors.
The non-profit goes beyond a typical riding experience. Participants learn life skills alongside horse training, forming a partnership between rider and animal.
“The fun part about Bridle Up Hope is we’re reaching a new generation of girls,” said Emily Sellers, the executive director, “We can help instill confidence, resilience, and that self-worth that sometimes feels like it’s lacking. It’s really hard to be a teenage girl these days.”
Participants begin with classroom sessions focused on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, learning principles like responsibility, goal-setting, and leadership.
From there, they head to the arena for equine-assisted learning, applying those habits in real-time with horses.
“We’re helping teach life techniques and training and helping them apply those in their everyday lives,” Seller said, “Because if you don’t have confidence, your horse doesn’t want to work for you.”
The program has a global reach, with locations spanning from Utah to Ukraine, and now a growing presence in Idaho Falls since it's grand opening in September.
Bridle Up Hope recently had their first advancement with their girls, and is now enrolling for our second session of girls and women.
“The confidence that radiates off the girls is empowering in itself,” Emily said. “At first, they’re quiet, shy, and soft-spoken. By the end, it’s like a new flower has bloomed. That’s pretty incredible.”
For more information on this program click HERE.
