Spirit Fire Farm serves at-risk youth ages 12-24 in the Greater Philadelphia area (Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware counties) that struggle with one or more of the following issues: drug/alcohol addiction and abuse, self injury, eating disorders, grief and loss, trauma, depression, truancy, mild violence, crime, trouble in school, social situations, defiance, anger management/self control.
There is an application and evalutation process in order for a youth to accepted into a program. For more information on our application process, please call (925) 708-5868 or email us! To learn more about specific programs, please refer to the drop-down boxes in the navigation panel above.
***Spirit fills vacancies quickly and adds more programs to fit the needs of youth facing various life challenges. We suggest you call or email us to confirm a vacant spot in the program(s) in which you have an interest. Currently, SFF is not offering canine rehab services or music therapy.***
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Our Staff
Spirit Fire Farm, Inc. believes that “it takes a village to raise a child” and that the village should offer love and encouragement. SFF provides at-risk youth with structure, direction, and consistency through unique after school and summer programs facilitated by dedicated and caring staff. SFF staff are here to motivate, encourage and inspire youth to be the best people that they can be. Staff seek to create a family environment where individuals never feel alone in their struggles. SFF staff are not simply instructors. They are individuals who listen, share their own life experience, and love the youth they work with unashamedly. SFF staff are friends.
Director: Aislinn Vaughan
Arts Manager: Megan McCormick
Equine Assistant: Jubilee
I loved to be groomed, hugged and kissed. I have excellent ground manners and am very trustworthy. I am a pony, which means I am smaller than a horse. Because of my size, I am less intimidating, so that makes me great at teaching timid or fearful kids how to safely work with horses on the ground. However, I can be difficult under saddle. I am very sensitive to a rider’s aids and sometimes I get very nervous about certain activites because people haven’t always been patient and kind to me. At some point in my life, people took advantage of me and hurt me, so working with me can be a challenge. Because I am very smart, the kids have to come up with creative solutions to problems they encounter when riding me. They learn how to put themselves in my shoes, which connects them to feelings that they try to ignore. I act out what my rider feels, which helps them identify and then address their own struggles. I do not respond well to frustration, so if my rider wants me to do something, they have to ask calmly and quietly. They have to think before they respond to me and must carefully plan their reaction, which helps them change their impulsive behaviors. This makes me great with kids who struggle to control their anger. I am also the perfect match for young people who have experienced trauma and loss because they can relate to me. I need my riders to build trust with me, which can take time. I am very perceptive and know when kids are upset. I give them a nuzzle and warm body to hug. The kids know they are helping me overcome my struggles, too.
Equine Assistant: Romulus
When I first came to Spirit Fire Farm, I was a little bit mean on the ground because I was hurting. My back was sore, so I had many negative associations with grooming, hence I reacted with aggression when the kids tried to groom me. The kids learned how to work with me and be patient so that I could develop positive associations with grooming. They were very gentle with me, took their time, and helped me heal. Now I love being groomed and hugged. Unlike Jubie, I am not super-sensitive to my rider’s aids under saddle. I am a very good boy and help the kids build confidence and self-esteem. I love working with young people who have histories of self-destructive behavior. I am skilled at sizing up each rider’s weaknesses and I help them address those areas. I seem to know which buttons to push to get to the core of a kid’s issues. I help them improve communication because I do not respond to passive or aggressive behavior, only assertive communication. I am stubborn, so if my rider does not find the perfect balance of give and take, I will stand still until they figure it out. The only way for me to change my stubborn behavior is if they first change theirs. I need a leader to approach me with tenderness, understanding, and a kind but firm hand. When that happens, I very willing to comply with requests. It often surprises the kids that it’s that simple, and they learn to compare that to other situations in their lives. I also have a condition called ‘heaves’ which is the horsey form of COPD. It’s incurable, and medication helps, but the most effective treatment is environmental control. It makes me a little high-maintenance, but the kids don’t mind because they have compassion. They wet my hay and dampen my bedding and stall to keep the dust down. They are learning to let go of selfishness and selfcenteredness because of my condition. They have to think about my needs and pay attention to my breathing. They understand that if I’m having a tough day (it doesn’t happen often), I can’t groomed inside because of the dust or ridden because of the pressure it puts on my lungs. They make sacrifices for me, which is how I know they care.