Hurdle Jumpers
Raising Performance To New Heights

Hurdle Jumpers is an equine services company based in Bulloch County, five miles from downtown Statesboro, Georgia and 50 miles west of Savannah. We provide equine-assisted mental health and learning services to individuals and groups to overcome life’s obstacles as well as equine-assisted coaching and team building for organizations.

WHAT IS EQUINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY (EAP)?
EAP is an emerging field in which horses are used as a tool for emotional growth and learning.

It is experiential in nature. That means that participants learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with the horses, and then discussing feelings, behaviors, and patterns. This approach has been compared to the ropes courses used by therapists, treatment facilities, and human development courses around the world.

The focus of EAP is not riding or horsemanship. The focus of EAP involves setting up ground activities involving horses which will require someone to apply certain skills. Non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking, problem-solving, leadership, taking responsibility, teamwork, relationships, confidence, and attitude are several examples of the tools utilized and developed by EAP.

WHY HORSES?
Those who are familiar with horses recognize and understand the power of horses to influence people in a variety of ways. Horses are large and powerful, which creates a natural opportunity for some to overcome fear and develop confidence. The size and power of the horse are naturally intimidating to many people. Accomplishing a task involving the horse, in spite of those fears, creates confidence and provides for wonderful metaphors when dealing with other intimidating and/or challenging situations in life.

Horses are very much like humans in that they are social animals. They have defined roles within their herds. They would rather be with their peers. They have distinct personalities, attitudes, moods. An approach that seems to work with one horse does not necessarily work with another. At times, they seem stubborn and defiant. They like to have fun. So horses provide vast opportunities for metaphorical learning.

Most importantly, horses have the ability to mirror exactly what human body language is telling them. Many people will complain, “The horse is stubborn. The horse doesn’t like me,” etc. But the lesson to be learned is that if they change themselves, the horse will respond differently.

EQUINE-ASSISTED MENTAL HEALTH AND LEARNING SERVICES:
In our counseling, a specially trained mental health professional works to create a process for clients using the horse as a catalyst for insight and change. These therapeutic sessions are ideal for individual, family, or group counseling sessions.

We address a variety of mental health and human development needs including behavioral issues, attention deficit disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, abuse issues, depression, anxiety, relationship problems and communication needs.

Benefits of our services include:

• Gaining insight into harmful patterns of behavior and facilitating necessary change;
• Development of trust and respect;
• Immediate cause and effect feedback.

Individual Counseling: Hurdle Jumpers will design your session toward working through your specific issue or problem. Sessions are generally 60-90 minutes in length.

Family Counseling: Equine therapy is very effective for a variety of situations, including pre-marital counseling, marriage counseling, parent-child conflicts, and reintegration of youth into the home following placement in treatment Sessions are generally 90-120 minutes in length.

Group Counseling: Special groups for women’s issues, adolescents, anger management, addictions, and assertiveness are available. Length of group sessions may be 2 hours to 4 hours depending on the group’s needs.

EQUINE-ASSISTED COACHING AND TEAM DEVELOPMENT:
Hurdle Jumpers’ workshops are tailored for use with businesses, groups, and teams. Church and school groups and other community organizations find many equine-assisted activities adaptable to their needs and help in the development of leadership skills and team building.

Outcomes an organization can expect are:

• An increase in creative problem solving skills;
• Development of trust and respect among peers/co-workers;
• Increased communication and assertiveness skills;
• Development of choice making and goal setting skills.

Details:

• An initial assessment will be conducted with members of your organization to design the best workshop to meet your needs.
• Hurdle Jumpers has flexible hours and includes evening or weekend appointments.
• Workshops are a half-day or full day in length
• Cost is based upon length of session.
• Beverages and meals, if necessary, will be provided.
  

OUR STAFF:

Carol Lind Bryan, CCS, CACII, EAP I
Carol Lind was born and raised in Statesboro, Georgia. As a teenager she rode horses and competed in barrel racing which provided a sense of security and well being during her troubled teen age years. She graduated from Georgia Southern University with a B.S. in Psychology and later earned her law degree from Mercer University. Carol Lind married Dr. Robert Bryan in 1989. With the birth of their daughter, Sara, they began to pursue their mutual love for horses and founded Mill Creek Ponies where they have raised Dartmoor ponies and provide equestrian services for people interested in riding. Most weekends, you can find the Bryan’s supporting Sara as she competes in the Hunter/Jumper class on her large pony or horses. Their son, Ross who loves the farm for its fishing and other outdoor activities, is a music major at Georgia Southern University and plans to attend dental school. In 1998, the Bryan’s opened a halfway house in Statesboro to provide a structured living environment for women recovering from substance abuse. In 2001, Carol Lind stepped down as Clinical Director of Willingway Hospital. She started Hurdle Jumpers as a means combine all the interests in her life – horses and counseling. She is a Certified Addiction Counselor Level II, a Certified Clinical Supervisor, and has earned a level one certification in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.

Diane Diver, CAC II, EAP I
As a child, Diane rode horses on her grandparent’s ranch in Colorado Springs, Colorado, loving the trail rides she took in the mountains. She graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BBA in Finance and worked in the banking industry for several years in Texas. She received her MBA from the University of Notre Dame in Marketing and spent the next eight years in the field of product management for three consumer product goods companies. She decided to leave the corporate world as Director of Marketing and is now pursuing a career in the mental health field. For the past six years, she has worked at Willingway Hospital. She is a Certified Addiction Counselor Level II and has earned a level one certification in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.

CONTACT US:
For more information or to visit our facility, please contact Hurdle Jumpers at (912) 587-PONY or (912) 536-2141.