Hooves of Hope Ranch

04/25/2026

-assisted therapy supports whole-child development:

• Motor skills (coordination, strength, balance)
• Sensory processing (attention, body awareness, regulation)
• Social-emotional growth (confidence, expression, relationships)

Through safe, relational experiences, children build skills in a way that feels natural, engaging, and meaningful.

https://www.hoovesofhoperanch.com/contact

04/21/2026

What looks like “just a dog”…
is actually doing something powerful 🐾

Animal-assisted therapy supports children in ways that go far beyond what we can see:

• Reducing anxiety and stress
• Building empathy and connection
• Increasing motivation and engagement
• Supporting sensory and emotional regulation
• Improving impulse control and social skills

This isn’t just comfort…
it’s co-regulation, relationship, and nervous system support 🤍

At Hooves of Hope Ranch, we see how healing happens through connection—one relationship at a time.

04/20/2026

Our therapy dog Scout & our Founder Tammy Schamuhn visiting some beautiful people 💕

04/18/2026

🐾 Therapy Animals
These animals offer comfort, connection, and emotional support in settings like hospitals, schools, and therapy programs. Their presence helps reduce anxiety, build trust, and create a sense of safety.

🐕‍🦺 Service Animals
These highly trained animals perform specific tasks to support individuals with disabilities—helping them navigate daily life with greater independence.

Both are powerful. Both change lives.
But they serve in different ways.

At Hooves of Hope Ranch, we see firsthand how therapeutic connections with animals can support healing from the inside out 💛

04/15/2026

This is why we utilize play therapy at Hooves of Hope Ranch

This video introduces and promotes the value of play, play therapy, credentialed play therapists, and membership in the Association for Play Therapy.

04/10/2026

Napping is the best 💕

03/27/2026

Tucker is our tiny but mighty miniature donkey with the biggest personality on the ranch. He joined us three years ago as a rescue, arriving underweight, covered in lice, and carrying the quiet heaviness that often comes from neglect.
But Tucker had other plans for his story.

Over time, with safety, steady care, and a whole lot of love, he transformed. The once withdrawn little donkey has grown into a mischievous, larger-than-life character who absolutely believes he is the biggest equine in the herd — despite being the smallest. He bosses the big horses around, refuses to tolerate nonsense, and proudly lives up to the classic donkey reputation for stubbornness. When Tucker decides he’s not doing something… he’s not doing it. And when he decides he is? There is no stopping him.

He’s also our resident escape artist. Tucker occasionally slips away to visit the surrounding wildlife, but true to his loyal heart, he always comes home by the end of the day.

Tucker has a special gift for connection. His favorite things in the world are bum and back scratches , and long snuggle sessions with clients. He will happily sit with a client for an entire session, soaking up affection and offering his steady, grounded presence in return. He works especially beautifully with children who are strong-willed or oppositional — perhaps because he understands that spirit so well.
Tucker’s story is one of resilience, personality, and the power of safety to bring out the truest parts of who we are.

And around here, we wouldn’t have him any other way. 🤍

To schedule a therapy session with Tucker and his human co-therapist visit--> https://www.hoovesofhoperanch.com/contact

03/24/2026

Welcome “Ollie” to Hooves of Hope Ranch 💕

Ollie is a gentle 10-year-old Fjord horse who recently retired from the WELCA Lil’ Bits Therapeutic Riding Program, where he spent years helping children with Autism Spectrum Disorder build confidence and connection.

With his calm, sweet nature, Ollie has a special way of helping people feel safe the moment they’re near him. His steady presence and kind eyes make him a natural therapy partner, and we’re so grateful he’s now part of the Hooves of Hope Ranch family.

We can’t wait for the many quiet moments of connection and healing Ollie will bring to those who visit the ranch. 🐴💛

03/19/2026

Some connections don’t need words. 🤍🐴

Animals meet us exactly where we are—without judgment, without expectation. In their quiet presence, children (and adults) often feel something powerful: safety, connection, and the freedom to simply be themselves.

At the ranch, we see it every day. A child leaning into a horse, a hand resting on warm fur, a nervous system slowly settling. These moments may look simple, but they can be deeply healing.

Animals have a way of opening the heart in ways that nothing else quite can.

✨ They offer calm.
✨ They offer connection.
✨ And they remind us what unconditional presence feels like.

03/16/2026

Meet Buddy 🐑

Buddy the sheep lives at Hooves of Hope Ranch, but his journey to belonging wasn’t easy.

He came to us from another farm where he was rejected by his mother and raised entirely by dogs. For a long time, Buddy didn’t even realize he was a sheep. When he arrived at the ranch, moving in with our goats and other sheep was a big adjustment, and he struggled to find where he fit.

His story is a lot like the experience many children have when moving between foster homes or into adoptive care — learning who they are and where they belong.

Today, Buddy is one of the calmest and most grounding animals at the ranch. Children often feel drawn to his gentle presence.

Buddy reminds us that identity and belonging can take time to build — and sometimes the animals who have faced the greatest challenges become the ones who help others feel the safest. 💛

03/13/2026

Happy Friday from Hooves of Hope Ranch 💕

03/10/2026

“Love Yourself” is a confidence-building, animal-assisted therapy group for girls ages 8–11, held at Hooves of Hope Ranch, just east of Millet, Alberta.

Led by a registered child psychologist alongside a Master of Counselling intern, this nurturing psychoeducational group helps girls strengthen self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-awareness while learning healthy social skills and peer connection.

Through gentle animal-assisted activities, creative art expression, mindfulness practices, and hands-on experiences in nature, girls are invited to discover their strengths, find their voice, and build trust in themselves—all in a safe, supportive, and joy-filled environment where growth happens naturally, one moment of connection at a time. 

TIME: 4-6:30 p.m.
DATES: April 10-May 15 (Fridays)
LOCATION: Hooves of Hope Ranch Millet

https://www.hoovesofhoperanch.com/groups

FACILITATORS: Anh Ambler, P. Psych 7346P & Stephanie Driver, Intern in Masters of Counselling Psychology

*Groups should qualify for reimbursement under “psychological services” with extended health care plans if you are covered by counselling services by a Provisional Psychology

*If you live in Wetaskiwin or Leduc County there are subsidies available (up to 80%)