Hearts & Hooves™, Inc.

Our Therapy Animals

All of our current herd of twenty-four miniature horses and seven therapy dogs have gone through extensive Hearts and Hooves certification training. Veronique Matthews, founder of Hearts & Hooves, dedicated her recovery time to developing an intensive animal training program which makes it possible for us to bring therapy animals indoors. We also have many dedicated volunteers who have taken the time to understand the training and the unique abilities of our therapy animals.

We have used vans, trailers, SUV's and cars; there is almost no vehicle that we have not been able to put a miniature horse in to transport them to our next activity. The number of therapy animals we bring to a visit or event depends on how many volunteers and helpers are available. It is very important for us to protect the welfare of our mini's by carefully calculating a mini to people ratio so the mini's are not over stimulated at any given visit or event.

For information about scheduling a visit, contact our Scheduling Coordinator.

Who Minis Help

Austin State Hospital

The Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Services provides inpatient mental health care to youth age 3–17. Treatment focuses on emotional and behavior issues. Through interactions with the horses the children learn to love, learn compassion, and most of all, learn empathy.

Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Alzheimer Units

Once inside the door our minis and dogs instinctively go to where they know they are needed. Ms. Matthews and the wonderful Hearts and Hooves volunteers assist the residents and horses to provide a safe and beneficial therapeutic encounter.

Schools for Persons with Disabilities

The classrooms we enter vary, we have not met a person with a disability yet that the horses were not able to work with. We have some minis that have additional training to be able to pull wheel chairs, assist the blind, and provide hippotherapy for small children.

At-Risk Youth

We can create personalized programs for specific needs of each child providing individual and/or group intervention programs.

Equine Resolution Mapping

Our Equine Resolution Mapping (ERM) program is a unique intervention program that addresses emotional needs of those we help through the study of the body language. For more information contact Michele Riggs.

Therapy

Hearts & Hooves has a part time Licensed Professional Counselor, if you would like to schedule a counseling session with our therapist and therapy animals please contact Michele Riggs.

Corporate Team Building Projects

We have unique ranch or miniature horse encounters for team building.

Speaking Engagements

Veronique Matthews, the founder and executive director of Hearts & Hooves can be contacted for speaking engagements. She can bring her therapy minis, dogs and wonderful volunteers. Contact Veronique Mathews to set up a Speaking Engagement

Some of Hearts & Hooves’ regular visits include:

For information about scheduling a visit, contact our Scheduling Coordinator.