FORT HALL — In the spring of 2022, a group of students stood in a horizontal line in a horse corral, side-by-side with their hoofed companions.

Their goal was to reach the end of the corral but only as a team, and they all had to walk in a symmetrical line the entire length, if they didn’t want to have to restart.

This activity was one of just many that students experienced while participating in the equine-guided life skills development Take the Reins Program.

Spearheaded by leadership coach and youth mentor Amanda Kumiko Kent, the program teaches youth ages 12 through 15 important communication and self-improvement skills.

This Tuesday, Kent is bringing the first class of the fall 2022 session to her ranch in Fort Hall, and she said they are accepting late registrations leading up to the event.

“Our program is designed to give students a place to learn how to make decisions, critical thinking, consequences of actions, and inactions,” she said. “These are the abilities young people need to say no to abusing drugs, tobacco and alcohol and they give teens strength to help their friends and help themselves out of bad situations.”

The program is free and will be held every Tuesday and Thursday up until Oct. 13 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Students will participate in activities that will help them identify social cues and body language, gain respect for themselves and those around them, develop self-management practices, and much more.

Among the activities youth will experience include guiding horses through obstacles to establish teamwork skills and grooming the animals, which Kent explained will allow the students to consider the importance of healthy self-care and the power of quiet time without the distraction of technology and stress.

Thirteen-year-old Nivella “Lala” Preacher, who participated in the fall 2021 session as a student and is now a teen mentor with the program, said every activity is engaging and fun.

“It was cool because I got to learn more about horses, and the second time (as a mentor) I had fun because I gained some confidence and it was fun helping Amanda,” she said.

Preacher explained that over the course of the fall 2021 session, she gained important skills that have helped her in daily life and that students can develop better self-confidence from the activities provided.

“I used to be a shy person, but I got more confident in talking to other people, and now I have a little bit more friends,” she said. “Amanda is a really good teacher.”

Kent has many moments where she witnessed students grow and improve from the classes, but one of her favorite memories involved a young student who struggled with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Kent explained he had been walking backwards as he told a story to the other students and unintentionally frightened a horse into a corner.

“We talked about what the horse was feeling, and what the student wasn’t noticing and his responsibilities when in an area with horses, as well as asking why no one else in the group said something when they saw the horse was nervous,” Kent said. “Needless to say, a similar situation happened during our next event with the same student, but this time his peers raised their hands, and spoke out to him to prevent him (from) making the horse feel so trapped.”

She continued, “The best day was the next class when again the young man with a big energy moment was backing towards the horse, but this time became aware of the horse’s nervous energy and was able to stop himself, turn around, lower his energy, and help the horse calm down and not feel afraid. He was able to walk up to the horse and as they both relaxed the other students commented on how cool it was that he helped the horse feel better and that he ‘finally noticed’ how the horse felt.”

These moments, when students are able to gain first-hand learning experiences, are why Kent has brought these classes to the area’s youth.

“I am a firm believer in hands-on learning,” she said. Such as “experience in the magic elixir that transforms someone who lacks confidence, struggles with decision making, and goes unnoticed in groups into a leader that others trust (and) want to work with, and has the inner courage to make the right choices for their own life. And I believe there is no better way than working with horses to learn these skills — they’ve been teaching (us) for over 5,000 years.”

The Take the Reins Program is still accepting new students at this time. For more information on the program or how to sign up, contact Kent at 208-241-4911.