Hooley Horse Youth Initiative

05/30/2026

🐴 Horse Encounters. Life Lessons. 🐴

We loved having this group of young ladies out to the farm last week as part of the Hooley Horse Youth Initiative!

Throughout their time with the horses, they learned important horsemanship skills while also growing in the SHIP traits that guide our program:

• Self-Control – Quick to listen. Slow to speak. Slow to anger.
• Humility – Consider others, then yourself.
• Integrity – Do what's right, even when no one is watching.
• Perseverance – When it's hard, keep trying.

One of the most amazing things about horses is how they help us slow down, become aware of our emotions, and build confidence through meaningful connections.

Our favorite quote from the day came from one of the young ladies:
"I feel like this horse might be reading my mind. He just gets me!"

Moments like these remind us why we do what we do. Thank you to everyone who supports the Hooley Horse Youth Initiative and helps create opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and thrive through the power of horses.

If you would like to help provide life-changing experiences like this for local youth, please consider making a gift to the Hooley Horse Youth Initiative. All donations are tax-deductible through the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne. Simply scan the QR code below to give and make an impact in the life of a young person.

05/09/2026

These students have done such an amazing job at the farm! Not only did we do some more riding today, but they also helped us move hay and even had races with our horse carts, except this time, the humans were the horses!

Over the past few days, we have worked through three of our SHIP traits:
• Perseverance — When it’s hard, keep trying!
• Self-Control — Quick to listen. Slow to speak. Slow to anger.
• Integrity — Do what’s right, when no one’s watching.

We have seen so much growth, teamwork, and encouragement from these students already. One more SHIP trait to go! Looking forward to seeing them again next week at the farm!

Horse Encounters. Life Lessons.

05/05/2026

What a great day at the farm with this awesome group of students!

So far we have learned about two of our SHIP traits:
• Persevere — When it’s hard, keep trying!
• Self-Control — Quick to listen. Slow to speak. Slow to anger.

These students showed incredible growth as they worked through new challenges with confidence and teamwork. From learning how to saddle a horse to cleaning out a hoof, they stepped up in a big way. There’s nothing quite like the experience of holding up a 1,000-pound horse’s hoof while your partner cleans it out, talk about trust and courage!

Two more days to go… let’s ride!

12/28/2025

Check out a video sneak peek of the impact of the Hooley Horse Youth Initiative’s pilot group and how you can partner with us!

Click this link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O9gCVZ42Z9PEcxb1NqmVO6DOIvDAEWy6/view?usp=sharing

We’re also excited to share that Hooley Horse Youth Initiative is now a nonprofit partner with the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne!

Our goal is to raise $10,000 to match the grant we received earlier this year from the City of Fort Wayne. These funds will allow us to provide free, life changing opportunities for under resourced youth through transformative encounters with horses. We focus teaching the SHIP character traits that are transferable to all life: Self-Control, Humility, Integrity, and Perseverance.

Your gift can:
• Sponsor a child for Summer Horse Camp
• Support a middle or high school student in our hands-on programs

👉 We would love for you to watch the video and consider giving. All donations are tax-deductible through the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.
🔗 Giving link: https://tinyurl.com/3uw7cxnf

Thank you for helping us empower youth, one horse encounter at a time.

12/01/2025

✨Yay! A new way to support the Hooley Horse Youth Initiative!✨

We’re thrilled to announce a new partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne — giving you a secure, tax-deductible way to invest in local youth through horse encounters. 🙌

Studies show the incredible social and emotional benefits horses provide: improved confidence, emotional regulation, stress reduction, and stronger social skills. We see these transformations constantly on the farm!

Our goal is simple: make these opportunities available to Fort Wayne youth who might not otherwise afford them.

Your gift can:
💥Sponsor a child for Summer Horse Camp
💥Support a middle or high school student enrolled in our hands on programs
💥Help us teach the SHIP traits: Self-Control, Humility, Integrity & Perseverance

👉👉To give a tax-deductible donation, visit:
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne – Hooley Horse Youth Initiative Fund:

https://cfgfw.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=7734

Thank you for helping impact Fort Wayne youth—one horse encounter at a time. 🐴💙

11/11/2025

11/11/2025

🐴 Hooley Horse Youth Initiative – Week 3 Update! 🐴

What an incredible three weeks it’s been! It was full of learning, growth, and new opportunities!

Last week, our students got the chance to put all of their hard-earned skills to the test during a beautiful 3-mile trail ride along the amazing Rivers Trails. It was the perfect setting to practice our SHIP traits — Self-control, Humility, Integrity, and Perseverance — in action!

We’re so proud of the progress each participant has made and can’t wait to share more exciting updates. Stay tuned for details on how you can support and get involved with the Hooley Horse Youth Initiative!

11/03/2025

Hooley Horse Youth Initiative Week 2!

Students got a chance to do some more riding this week along with learning how to drive a horse! We also got to get up close and personal with Obadiah, our Highland bull and Cleo and Millie, our Nigerian Dwarf goats.

Humble-consider others, then yourself and Integrity-do whats right when no one is watching- were our two new SHIP traits this week. We had lots of hands on opportunities to put these into practice!

On to week 3!

10/24/2025

We were thrilled to host our first group of students this week for the Hooley Horse Youth Initiative! 🐴✨

This week, our focus was on two of our SHIP traits — Perseverance and Self-Control. For many of these students, it was their very first time interacting with horses, and they absolutely rose to the challenge!

One parent shared with us,

“This is all he talks about now!”

Moments like this remind us why we do what we do — empowering youth through meaningful encounters with horses that build character and confidence. 💙

10/16/2025

🌟 We’re feeling incredibly blessed! 🌟

Hooley Farms- Horses, Highlands & Flowers is honored to be chosen as a recipient of one of Mayor Sharon Tucker’s Youth Violence Prevention Program Microgrants.

We really appreciate the story 21Alive did highlighting our new Youth Initiative. Click on the link to view the full story. 🥰

Thank you, Fort Wayne community, for your continued support and partnership through the years. Together, we’re empowering local youth and creating positive change—one horse encounter at a time. 🐴

Follow along here at Hooley Horse Youth Initiative for exciting updates in the coming days and weeks!

Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker announced ten local organizations will receive a total of $77,355 in microgrants with the goal of curbing teen violence.

REPORT: https://www.21alivenews.com/2025/10/15/fort-wayne-farm-among-ten-organizations-awarded-funding-violence-prevention/