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Equestrian/Culutral Program
Almost since the inception of New Day Ranch, our program has included the active use of horses. The horse program is an integral component of the Day Treatment program, the New Day Group Homes and the Four Dances Outdoor program.
The site of the New Day Main Campus on Coburn Road has a long history of equestrian activity. For many years it was the site of a Rodeo Club for young people. New Day's Montana/Wyoming Inter-Tribal Advisory Council has declared that the "Horse Spirit" can be strongly felt here and that it is very happy to be able to continue to work with young people.
In June 2004 New Day, Inc. proudly completed construction on the Gary Pollari Horse Barn. The facility provides a handicapped-accessible, weather-proof venue for Horse Program activities throughout the year. The barn includes an innovative ambient heating system that keeps riders warm in the coldest of weather, without heating the air in the barn.
Many American Indian families maintain strong ties to horses, which have been an integral part of the Plains American Indian experience. However, many youngsters, even American Indians, get their first exposure to horses at New Day Ranch. You might be surprised to learn that the young ladies are often better and more active with the horses than are the young men.
Fully licensed by the State of Montana, the Horse Program is supervised by professionals who instill strong equestrian skills in an atmosphere that stresses safety and respect for the horses.
Over the years approximately 80% of the youth who have resided in New Day Ranch's Group Homes have been American Indian youth from the Tribes in Montana and Wyoming. The Four Dances Outdoor Adventure program is designed specifically for American Indian youth from Montana and Wyoming.
The majority of New Day Ranch's Board members are Native Americans with extensive professional backgrounds.
The New Day Drum Group is an inter-tribal, multi-cultural and ever-changing group of young drummers who have become quite well known for their many public appearances and events in and around the Billings area.
It may surprise you to know that many of the Reservation youth come to New Day with little or no knowledge of their Tribal histories, heritage, language or songs. Their response to exposure to the richness of American Indian cultures is often profound and intense. Newly discovered music and songs from Indian culture are prized acquisitions.
New Day's Tipi Village encampment near Billings includes a youth-built sweat lodge.
New Day's Recovery Medicine Wheel treatment model is designed specifically for American Indian youth, although it works just as well with non-Indian youth. The Montana/Wyoming Inter-Tribal Advisory Council works hard to make sure that the traditions and values taught are consistent with each youth's Tribal heritage. For example, if an Arapaho youth is given an adult name as part of his/her participation, the name would be given following the appropriate Arapaho customs and practices by the appropriate persons.
Outdoor activities have always been an integral element of New Day's approach. This has reached an even higher level of development in the Four Dances Outdoor Adventure program, which makes the out-of-doors an even more active partner in our therapeutic process. Shared labor and success in hiking over a mountain pass provides a natural backdrop to discussion and counseling that simply cannot be achieved in a classroom or office environment. A four-day excursion into the numerous wilderness areas in our neighborhood corresponds with traditional Native American rites of passage for youth that include similar four-day trips into wilderness places.
Perhaps most importantly, New Day Ranch understands that American Indian families quite often do not look like the average mainstream "American Family". Extended Indian families that see Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins or even Siblings in primary parental roles are understood and supported. We know that many of our youth are being raised by single mothers, and we are attempting to develop new and special support systems specifically for them. We know how hard it can be for Indian families living off of the Reservation.
We understand Indian families and do everything we can think of to support them and help them while a youthful member of their family is growing through an often difficult and painful time in their lives.
Every child deserves to succeed and be free.
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