Youth Horse Program

• Young people who are neurodivergent (aged 12 to 18)
• People who want to learn real horse skills 
• People who are comfortable walking around a farm (sometimes hot weather, sometimes muddy but always beautiful!)

This program isn’t horse therapy. If you’re looking for therapeutic equine work, we can suggest other providers.

Things families have shared they’ve noticed:

• Home environment less chaotic and/or more relaxed
• Incased attendance and engagement at school
• Increase vocational options

Five weekly or fortnightly sessions 

Includes horse hire, insurance, planning and debriefing meetings. Please note: If you plan to ride you need to provide your own helmet that meets Australian standards.

A family member, support worker or carer is welcome to wait in the designated visitor area during the program.

You choose what you want to learn including how to:

• Stay safe around horses including understand horse body language
• Catch and let go of a horse
• Lead a horse correctly
• Reward and bond with a horse
• Tie up a horse with a quick release knot
• Feed and care for a horse 
• Understand horse interactions 
• Put on a saddle and bridle
• Do groundwork with horses to prepare them for riding
• Mount and dismount a horse
• Develop your horse-riding skills 

To keep participants, horses, and facilitators safe, this program is best suited to young people who can:

• Follow safety instructions around large animals
• Engage with horses calmly and respectfully
• Stay with the facilitator throughout the session

Some young people would be better supported by a different kind of program, at least for now. This includes:

• People currently experiencing significant emotional crisis or instability
• People who would find it difficult to manage strong reactions around an unpredictable animal
• People with severe allergies to horses, hay, or dust

If you're not sure whether this program is right, we'd love to talk it through with you at the intake meeting.

$2,280 program fee based on approximately 7.5 hours of direct support, plus planning, travel, and reporting 

The program includes:

• 5 × 1.5-hour 1:1 horse sessions 
• Provider travel to and from sessions 
• Individualised program design 
• Session planning, family liaison, and end-of-program report 
• Horse hire, preparation and post-session care 

Sessions delivered at a property within 40 minutes of Geelong. Saturday sessions may be available, please ask for pricing.

Step 1: Complete an expression of interest form (PDF version | Word Version).

Step 2: Meet with GAS in person. Design your adventures.

Step 3: GAS will complete service planning and any required suitability checks. You'll receive a service agreement and waiver to review and sign.

Step 4: Start achieving your horse goals.