Equine-Assisted Learning

CERTIFIED PROVIDER

CLTS — Children's Long-Term Support

As a certified CLTS provider, our program is an approved service for eligible children with disabilities in Dane County, Wisconsin — meaning many families can access our program through their support plan.

"Every child who walks through our barn doors brings their own story. Our job is simply to hold the space for them to write the next chapter."

EQUINE-ASSISTED LEARNING

A Safe Space Where
Your Child Can Flourish

Through the gentle presence of horses, guided activities, and a nurturing farm environment, children build the confidence, connection, and life skills they carry with them long after they leave the barn.

Are You A CLTS Case Worker or Parent looking for services for your child?

Is This Program Right
for Your Child?

Our Equine Assisted Learning program welcomes children and teens ages 8 to 18 who may benefit from a therapeutic, nature-based environment. We specialize in working with children who have a range of needs and diagnoses, and we meet each child exactly where they are.

You don't need to have all the answers before reaching out. Many of our families simply knew their child needed something different — something that lit them up. That's enough.

We Welcome Children With

WHO WE SERVE

8 - 18

years of age

Individual sessions tailored to each child
Skilled, compassionate facilitators
Gentle, well-trained horses
Safe, structured farm environment
Collaboration with parents & therapists
IEP-aligned goal setting available

PROGRAM GOALS

What Children Build Here

Every session is purposeful. Through interactions with our horses and guided activities, children make real, measurable progress in areas that matter most to their growth and daily life.

01 Social Skills

Turn-taking, non-verbal communication, peer interaction, and reading social cues through working with horses.

02 Emotional Regulation

Identifying and expressing emotions, coping with frustration, and building patience in a calm, supportive setting.

03 Communication

Verbal and non-verbal expression, following instructions, and building language skills through guided interaction.

04 Confidence & Independence

Mastering tasks, making choices, and experiencing real achievement — building genuine self-esteem along the way.

05 Sensory Integration

Tactile experiences, rhythmic movement, and multi-sensory engagement that support processing and focus.

06 Empathy & Connection

Caring for a horse's needs builds a powerful, non-judgmental bond — and opens the door to connecting with others.

THERAPEUTIC ART COMPONENT

Where Creativity Meets the Barn

Woven into our Equine Assisted Learning program is something special: art-making guided by a nationally recognized educator. No prior art experience is needed — only a love of creating in a beautiful, welcoming space.

Art offers children another language. For children who struggle to express themselves verbally, putting pencil to paper or hands into clay can unlock something profound — and deeply healing.

MEDIA WE USE

MEET YOUR ART GUIDE

Lois Feiner

Nationally Recognized, Award-Winning Art Educator

Lois has been teaching art to youth since 1986 and brings a wealth of skill, heart, and creative wisdom to every session. Her approach is tailored to each child's individual needs, using art as a pathway to specific social, emotional, and developmental goals. Children of all abilities thrive under her gentle, encouraging guidance.

THE PROCESS

How We Get Started

We make enrollment simple and personal. There's no pressure — just a conversation to see if this is the right fit for your family.

Reach Out

Fill out our short inquiry form or send us a message. We'll respond within 48 hours.

Connect

We'll have a warm, no-pressure conversation to learn about your child and answer your questions.

Visit the Farm

Meet our team and horses in a relaxed introductory visit before sessions begin.

Begin Sessions

We build an individualized plan around your child's goals and begin at a pace that feels right.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PROGRAM

Meet Your EAL Team

Our team brings together expertise in equine-assisted learning, behavioral sciences, and art education — united by a shared belief that every child deserves a space where they can truly thrive.

Stacey Bean

Founder & EAL Facilitator

Stacey is the founder of Indigo Trails Farm and a functional medicine practitioner, gestaltist, and speaker with over 30 years in health and wellness. She holds an MD from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and an MS in Exercise Physiology from UC Berkeley, and is certified in the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method.

Her personal journey through perimenopause inspired her deeply integrative approach — combining root cause healing, nutrition, and gestalt principles with the transformational power of horses. As a certified CLTS provider, Stacey brings warmth, expertise, and genuine heart to every child and family she works with.

MD | Equine Gestalt Coach | Functional Medicine | CLTS Provider | MS · UC Berkeley

Rhawnie Thompson

EAL Facilitator

Rhawnie brings both deep expertise and exceptional compassion to her work with children. With a degree in Behavioral Sciences and extensive hands-on experience working with children with special needs and autism, she has developed a profound understanding of each child's unique challenges, strengths, and needs.

Since joining Indigo Trails in 2021, Rhawnie has become the heartbeat of the EAL program — building genuine connections with every child and weaving equine-assisted therapy into individualized, transformative experiences. Her love of animals, especially horses, shapes everything she does.

Behavioral Sciences | Special Needs & Autism | Equine-Assisted Learning

Lois Feiner

EAL Facilitator & Art Educator

Lois brings 39 years of teaching experience to Indigo Trails Farm — working with students from elementary school through high school, including extensive experience with children on the autism spectrum and those who have experienced trauma. She holds a BA in Art from the University of Maryland and a Master's degree in Principalship and Curriculum Development from Edgewood College, and holds Wisconsin administrative certification in both roles.

A lifelong horse lover, Lois is deeply passionate about the intersection of art, healing, and the natural world. She understands firsthand how creative expression calms the mind, unlocks emotion, and opens doors that other approaches cannot.

Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award — one of education's most prestigious honors, awarded in 1999 with an unrestricted prize of $25,000 for exceptional contributions to teaching and educational leadership.