Texas Girls and Boys Ranch Offers Equine Therapy
Foster children in Lubbock use on-site animal therapy to help process trauma while living at the residential facility.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Large Animals

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The Texas Girls and Boys Ranch provides a residential environment for foster children in Lubbock, integrating daily living with equine therapy. This program allows youth to process complex emotions through interaction with horses.
Why it matters
Equine therapy offers a vital pathway for children to work through trauma when they are unable to verbalize or specifically recall the events they have experienced. This approach supports emotional stability for youth living at the ranch.
Operating for more than 50 years, the facility provides housing and therapeutic services to children in the foster care system. The ranch continues to support these individuals even after they age out of foster care.
The players
Texas Girls and Boys Ranch
A residential organization in Lubbock that has provided housing and specialized therapy for foster children for over five decades.
The details
Children participate in structured sessions where they walk horses through various obstacles as a form of emotional processing. This therapeutic work is integrated directly into the daily living experience on the property, where residents receive counseling alongside their interactions with the animals.
Timeline
* The Texas Girls and Boys Ranch began operations in 1976 or earlier.
The Home Front
This program aligns with established equine-assisted psychotherapy models used to address complex childhood trauma. By integrating animal therapy into a permanent residential setting, the organization provides a stable, long-term support system for youth.
Residents and community members can support these therapeutic services through the organization's donation portal. Consider how consistent exposure to animal-assisted programming supports emotional development for children in residential care.
The takeaway
Equine therapy serves as a critical tool for children to process trauma in a safe, residential environment. Families can support the ongoing costs of animal maintenance and child care through the organization's website.
Further reading
For more information on animal-related services in the area, visit our Large Animals section.
More information
To support the facility or learn more about its programs, visit the Texas Girls and Boys Ranch donation portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fox34.
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