Each girl at Uinta Academy gets her own horse. By assuming ownership of a horse, she also assumes the responsibility for providing for its well being. Every day she must feed, water and groom her horse.However, caring for the horse isn’t the only component in developing a relationship with it. By working with her horse, she puts in the time and effort necessary to make sure the horse feels safe and trusting. As prey animals, horses view all situations with suspicion and fear. They communicate primarily through body language, while humans communicate primarily through speech.
Therefore, each girl learns a lot about relationships; communication, reciprocity, tolerance, and showing concern. Many girls find it easier to practice these skills with their horses rather than to practice with a person. All of these exercises teach the girls that trust, effort and communication are essential qualities of any healthy relationship.
The girls do not ride their horses because these relationships need to be purely altruistic. This teaches the girls that they can develop relationships without the expectation of getting something in return.
For girls with no prior experience, the size and quickness of a horse can be intimidating. If a girl is initially uneasy about approaching her horse, the staff works patiently with her until she feels more comfortable. As she confronts her fears and learns to approach and handle her horse, her confidence grows and she feels empowered to confront other challenges.