Heart & Herd is a small group experience that pairs our workbook Say Howdy to Healing & Hope with guided exercises at the farm. Sessions are 90-120 minutes and include discussion, reflection, and ground-based activities (FBEAP exercises) with the horses. The focus is on healing, growing your faith, nervous system regulation, and building a healthy support “herd.”

All activities are ground-based. At this time we do not ride the horses.

Not at all. Many women who join have little or no horse experience. The exercises are designed so anyone can participate and learn.

No. We are not a licensed therapists. What we offer is a faith-based personal growth and support experience using tools from the book Say Howdy to Healing and Hope!, and guided interaction using FBEAP with the horses.

Yes! We use principles of Faith-Based Equine Assisted Philosophy (FBEAP).

At this time, Heart & Herd groups are designed for women ages 18 and older.

As Our Healing Farm grows, men’s groups may be something we explore in the future with the right structure and support.

We do not work with young children at this time.

We may also explore teen girls groups (ages 16+) in the future once the women’s programs are more established.

You don’t have to read it before joining, but participants will walk through Say Howdy to Healing & Hope during the sessions. There are reflection exercises and scripture-based homework between meetings.

You can fill out the Heart & Herd interest form on the website. When sign-ups open, you’ll receive an application and details about upcoming groups

Our Healing Farm is a ground-level property, and many activities take place outdoors. The bathroom available to participants has a 32-inch door opening.

Because the experience takes place on a working farm, participants should expect natural outdoor terrain, including grass, gravel, dirt, and sand, which may be uneven in some areas.

Participants who use wheelchairs may be able to access parts of the farm with assistance, though natural surfaces may make mobility more challenging.

Support persons or assistants are welcome to attend and may also participate in the group experience if helpful.

Heart & Herd sessions also include group discussion and interaction as we walk through parts of the workbook together. Because of the outdoor setting and interactive group format, individuals with significant mobility or communication limitations may find some aspects of the experience challenging.

If you have accessibility questions, we encourage you to reach out before registering so we can discuss whether the experience would be a good fit.

The in-person farm experience is a suggested donation of $150 and includes the Say Howdy to Healing & Hope workbook.

If the suggested donation is a concern, we encourage you to visit the Support the Mission page to learn about scholarship opportunities and submit an application. We never want finances to stand in the way of someone experiencing a breakthrough.

Comfortable outdoor clothing and closed-toe shoes or boots. Since sessions take place outdoors, participants should be prepared for changing weather conditions.

Heart & Herd groups are intentionally small and personal, typically with 5–8 participants, so everyone has space to share and participate.

Because we live in Michigan, sessions may occasionally be adjusted depending on weather conditions. Some activities may move to covered areas or indoor discussion spaces when needed.

That’s completely okay. Many women join the experience without much horse experience or feeling a little nervous at first. We will be right beside you, guiding you through each activity at a comfortable pace.

Our herd is gentle and accustomed to working around people, and the herd has your back as we walk through the experience together.

Yes. The book stands on its own and can absolutely be used as a personal study without interacting with horses.

Say Howdy to Healing & Hope introduces the principles of Faith-Based Equine Assisted Philosophy (FBEAP) to help readers understand how God can use horse behavior to reflect things happening in our own lives. While the Heart & Herd experience allows participants to observe horses together and discuss those insights as a group, the lessons, reflections, and tools in the book can still be meaningful even without direct interaction with horses.

Many readers may choose to work through the book with a friend or their own small “herd” for encouragement and accountability.

Our Healing Farm does not offer certification in FBEAP.

Certification is provided through the team at Unbridled Faith, led by Elaine Davis.

Our groups are support herds, not certification programs.

If you are seeking official certification, we highly encourage you to connect directly with Unbridled Faith.

The current spring online group that’s in session is a pilot program, meaning we are testing what it looks like to bring a small portion of the Heart & Herd experience into an online setting.

The primary focus of this group is the book study Say Howdy to Healing & Hope. Everything we do centers around the workbook, reflection, and group connection.

As part of the pilot, we may include select pre-recorded FBEAP-based exercises from the farm to see if any meaningful connection or insight can still happen without being physically present with the horses.

We are very open about the fact that:

• Some parts may or may not work well

• Some parts will not translate the same as in-person

• This is a learning process

The heart behind this is to offer support to those who are too far away to attend in person, as well as those navigating chronic health challenges or life circumstances that make it difficult to come to the farm, and to see if even a small piece of the experience can still bring reflection, growth, and encouragement.

If participants connect with a pre-recorded FBEAP exercise and feel led or impacted, that’s a gift.
If not, the book study and group experience stand fully on their own as a powerful foundation.

This is not a replacement for the in-person FBEAP farm experience, and it is not a certification program.

We are holding this loosely, and how this pilot unfolds will help guide whether the Holy Spirit leads us to continue or expand it in the future.