"In riding a horse, we borrow freedom"
~Helen Thompson
Our Vision, Mission & Values
Vision
Courageous Connections is committed to providing a relationship-based community for people of all ages, which fosters a sense of purpose, growth, and empowerment for all. Our vision includes the acquisition of a farm property that encourages interactions with nature where all are treated with kindness and respect.
Mission
To promote the physical and emotional development of people of all ages and abilities through safe outdoor therapeutic experiences.
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Core Values
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We honor the unique talents, abilities and character of everyone
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We respect each individual is differently "abled".
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We recognize everyone is on their own personal journey.
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We encourage our community members to strive to become all they can be.
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We will tread lightly on the earth and at all times try to leave it better than we found it.
Our Approach
We exist to bring humans and horses together to inspire participants with challenges towards achieving their individual goals. People with physical, cognitive, or emotional challenges, as well as the elderly, face a host of similar struggles leaving them with feelings of powerlessness, incompetence, and exclusion. There are many published reports showing the positive changes in confidence, communication skills, self-esteem, and physical strength through Equine Therapies, and we have seen the magic that occurs when people with diverse concerns partner with horses to transform their challenges into capabilities.
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One of our core beliefs is that the horses are valued and treated as integral partners in our program. Before each class begins we make the time for participants to greet their horse and build their relationship.
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Our volunteers are an essential part of our program and we couldn't succeed without them. We also strongly believe that there are many benefits to creating strong intergenerational bonds, and have encouraged seniors to share their experience and empathy with our younger participants. Our sessions have included volunteers from ages 11 - 82 years old and all of them have expressed their delight in being a part of this inspirational and heartwarming experience.
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Courageous Connections is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Snohomish County and is a PATH International Member Center and adhere to their standards to ensure the safety of the participants as well as the competence of our instructors.
Why Horses?
Do you remember having a passion for something, maybe as a child, and you just knew it HAD to be a part of your life at some point? Something that was such an integral part of who you really are as a person you weren't or aren't able to let it go?
That is exactly what horses have been for the Co-Founders of Courageous Connections. Sue and Kathy have had a life long desire to be close to horses. Together they turned this heart-felt desire into Courageous Connections, a means of offering others the experience of engaging with horses first hand to feel their magnificence up close.