Musical Ride horses help build character and confidence for troubled youth

When you approach Jewel View, a farm northwest of Toronto, it's the big country sky and the pastoral scenery that holds your attention.

But not for long.

At the end of the winding driveway, near a barn, is Ellen Downey, a petite blond with a commanding presence.

"There are a few basic rules about the farm and the barn," she announces to a group of new arrivals. "First rule: No yelling. Second rule: No running."

The ground rules are aimedat six teenagers from the Youthdale Treatment Centre, a residential facility for at-risk youth.

"Leave your issues at the door, guys," says Downey. "Horses are very emotional animals.So they pick up on your emotions. If you're angry or upset or mad, they're going to feel that."

The teenshave just arrived from Toronto; this is their first day at the farm, located in Hockley Valley. Over the next 10 weeks, they'll have the opportunity to learn basic horsemanship skills.

Downey has worked with troubled adolescents for 30 years. An accomplished rider, she hasofferedequine therapy to at-risk youth since 2001 through the Youthdale Riding Program.

"There are many programs that are out there for disabled kids they'refabulous," she tells CBC News. "[But] there's no other program that I know of for kids that arein treatment, that are at risk."

The teens in the riding program come with a lot of emotional baggage and"social problems," she says, rhyming some of them off. "ADHD, anxietydisorders, suicide, ... self-harm."

"I designed [the program] with these kids in mind because I really feltthey needed to have an opportunity to experience what I experience withhorses, which is just this great bond and partnership."

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Most of the teens havenever been around horses, so Downey and herteam of volunteers work on building their self-confidence around the largebeasts. Today's lesson is grooming and leading the horses. But before that, each youth will be pairedwith a horse.

One of the girls is already caressing Rocamo. The black gelding is imposing at17 hands high. Still shecan't hide her excitement. "I can't wait to learn how to ride him," she tells the group later that night.

Because the youth are minors, and living in a group home, CBC News is not using their full names.

The Mounties are here!

Rocamo is short for Royal Canadian Mounted. He and two other horses Kracker and Matt are former members of the iconic RCMPMusical Ride.

When the horses were retired a few years ago, they weredonated to the Youthdale Riding Program, believed to be the first time RCMP horses have been used in such a program. RCMP Const. Terry Russel helped clinch the deal.

Equine therapy

7 years ago

Duration 0:47

At-risk adolescents build confidence and self-esteem with the help of special horses

A community relations officer for the GTA, Russel was invited to come see the ridingprogram in 2013, when he learned that Downey had always hoped to get an RCMP horse. He had once been part of the Musical Ride in the '90s, so he made a call to Ottawa.

Russel was so impressed with theprogram that he stuck around as a volunteer, teachingthe kidsMusical Ride moves.

"There's something about these horses," he says. "They know these kids are not experienced horse-riders, but they take care of these kids. They don't run off. They don't buck the child off the horse. They take care of them."

Downey coaxes a young boy to get closer to his assigned horse, Carusso. He's been standing back, still not sure what to expect. Thepale greygelding is the gentlest of all the horses here.

"He's so sweet," Downey reassures the boy. "He won't kick you. He will never kick you."

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Allison Guzman, 18, isn't so shy with her horse, Kody. She's trying tolead him around the farm's brightly lit arena but the chestnut-coloured quarterhorse is having none of it.

"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" she shouts. One of the instructors noticeshow Guzman has taken control of the situation. "Good job, Allison. That's showmanship quality right there!"

Guzman and Kody are old friends. She was in this program last year andliked it so much, she asked if she could come back, even though she's nolonger a resident at the Youthdale Treatment Centre.

"I feel, with people, it's complicated because you don't know what they'rethinking. Are they judging me? But with the horse, it's just so raw. If thehorse doesn't like what you're doing, the horse will show you. There's no mixedmessages."

Guzman was sent to her first group home when she was 12. The last two years, shewas at Youthdale. She says she was an angry, at times violent, young girl. There wasn't muchstability at home, she says.

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"Growing up, I had a lot of anger-management problems and I wasn't able tocontain my anger. If I was angry at my teachers, I wouldn't hold back, I wouldjust yell at them. [Other] students, I would yell at them and get in fights."

A few weeks later, nearing the end of the 10-week program, it's clear the horses' therapeutic effects have made a difference.

In one stall, Guzman is gently fixing Kody's unruly mane, making sure he lookshis best. "His hair is really weird," she says. She fiddles with the bridle,worried it's too loose.

Nearby, another young rideris having problems saddling his horse. But he turns downan offer ofhelp from his trainer. "I can try it by myself," he says. The self-confidence doesn't go unnoticed. "Good job," says the trainer.

For several weeks, the group has been practisingone of the routines used by the Musical Ride, which will be performed during a graduation ceremony. Const. Russel, who's been coaching them, signals for the music to start.

"They perk up and they know it's showtime," he says, referringto Rocamo, Kracker and Matt.

Horses are 'great neutralizers'

Nearby, Ellen Downey watches her young charges with pride.

"The horses are the great neutralizers. They just bring an amazing calm to thekids, an amazing amount of confidence. [They] somehow bring out just the mostmagical unconditional response with the kids."

For Guzman, the anger she felt all those years seems to have gone away. She credits Kody for that.

"This is nice," she says. "I only get it once a week, but I kind of want more [of] these kinds of relationships.

"It's funny because it's a horse," she laughs. "And I'mlike, OK, I need friends now."