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The HALT Foundation is all about...

Leading the advancement of Equine-Assisted Therapy and Learning, expanding access, supporting practitioners and equine partners, and ensuring services are available to all, regardless of ability to pay.

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Logo for The HALT Foundation featuring a stylized blue and white illustration of a horse’s head and a person’s arm embracing it, with “HALT” in large letters and “Foundation” written below in script.

Our Vision:

To be a leading advocate of Equine-Assisted Services throughout Virginia and beyond.

Our Mission:

To resource and advance the life-giving field of Equine-Assisted Services through Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL)

Our Purpose:

The primary purpose of The HALT Foundation is to advance the field of Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning (EAP and EAL) by:

  1. Developing awareness and skill through education and trainings.
  2. Supporting EAP and EAL centers that provide services.
  3. Contributing to the care and overall well-being of the equine partners in this field.


The secondary purpose of The HALT Foundation is to enable everyone seeking Horse Assisted Learning and Therapy (HALT) to receive services, regardless of ability to pay.

 

Watch Our Founding Story

Meet Our Board

A smiling man and woman kneel on a gravel path with three dogs—two black and one yellow—on a leash. Fields, fences, and bare trees are visible in the background.

Barbara Robbins

President/Learning specialist

Barbara Robbins is the founder and president of The HALT Foundation. She, along with her husband Alan, has owned and operated Rocky Hill Stables LLC, a horse boarding facility in Rockingham County VA, since 2000. She has been providing Equine-Assisted Learning and Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy since 2003 as the owner and founder of Horse Assisted Learning and Therapy (HALT). She is certified through ARCH (Arenas for Change). She and her husband enjoy trail riding with their personal horses. In addition to her equestrian pursuits, Barbara holds an MA in Conflict Transformation and Organizational Development and previously worked part-time as a consultant with Cooperative By Design, serving organizations and faith-based groups in high-level conflict and strategic planning. Barbara and Alan have three grown sons, three beautiful daughters-in-law, and five very special grandsons. Barbara breeds Labrador Retrievers in her spare time.

A woman sitting on steps, smiling and hugging a large black-and-tan German Shepherd dog. The dog is standing and facing the camera, both appear happy and relaxed.

Kim O'Donnell

Scholarship/Grant Liaison

Kimberly O’Donnell, an experienced educator in advising, instruction, talent development, and corporate recruiting, is the Director of Development at a K-8 independent school in Orange, Virginia, where she leads strategic engagement for capital projects. She has previously designed career exploration, professional skill workshops, and internship programs for Albemarle County Public Schools and the University of Virginia.

​A lifelong equestrian, riding coach, and PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Kim’s background in natural horsemanship, dressage, and adaptive riding instruction informs her practice and coaching. She is committed to advancing the Equine Assisted Services (EAS) profession, fostering meaningful horse and human connections through accessible programs and research-driven studies emphasizing therapeutic value.

A smiling woman stands outdoors next to a light brown horse with a white blaze on its face, holding the horses lead rope. A wooden fence and trees are visible in the background.

Paige Bahr

Secretary/Equine Specialist

​Paige has lived in the Shenandoah Valley for most of her life, graduating from Broadway High School and then from James Madison University in 2010. She now works as a medical coder at a local physician’s office. Paige’s family owns and operates a small horse boarding facility in Timberville. She grew up riding and showing Reining horses and her family also bred and raised Quarter Horses for many years. She enjoys trail riding and learning about developing a better connection with horses. When not at work or at the barn you can find her reading, listening to podcasts and audio books, hanging out with family and friends, swimming, and spending time with her border collie Raven.

A young woman in a graduation gown and sash stands outdoors on a paved area, holding her graduation cap and smiling. Trees and grass are visible in the background.

Deanna Driver

Social Media

Deanna is currently a graduate student in the Master’s of Addiction Counseling Program at Colorado State University with goals to be a licensed addiction counselor and a licensed professional counselor postgraduate. She graduated from Virginia Tech in 2023 and is originally from Mount Crawford, Virginia, in Rockingham County. She is currently living in Washington, D.C. and working as an intern at a private practice. In her free time, she loves exploring the city, running, thrifting, reading, and being around friends and family! She has enjoyed being on the HALT Foundation board and is excited to continue doing work with the organization!

A woman in a pink vest sits on a mossy rock in a forest, smiling and petting a black dog wearing a red collar. A green tennis ball and a dog leash lie on the ground beside them.

Elise Greene

Mental Health Specialist

Elise Greene, LCSW, is the owner of GreeneCare Counseling, LLC, a behavioral health practice specializing in animal-assisted and nature-based mental health interventions. Her work is grounded in the principles of Green Care, a global movement emphasizing the interconnected well-being of humans, animals, and the environment, with a strong commitment to ethical practice and animal welfare.

Elise is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with professional experience spanning community mental health, integrated healthcare, palliative care, psychosocial rehabilitation, and perinatal loss support. As the spouse of a retired Navy Veteran, she has also worked extensively with military members and their families in both community and military hospital settings.

She holds a certificate in Equine-Assisted Mental Health from the University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection (2021), completed the Foundation Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy certification with The HERD Institute in 2024 and is a member of the Arenas for Change (ARCH) community. With academic training in both sociology and social work, Elise brings a systems-oriented, humanistic, and strengths-based perspective to her work and leadership.

Elise lives with her partner, Jon, and enjoys spending time with her family, which includes four daughters and their partners, five grandchildren, and three foreign exchange daughters from Switzerland, Austria, and Sweden. She finds restoration and inspiration through time spent in nature, with family, and in experiential connection with animals – especially her three dogs, cat, mini pig, and horse.

An older woman with short light hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a blue V-neck shirt with a logo that says HALT and features a dog and the words Healing Animals with Love & Trust.

Kim Wilkins

Volunteer Coordinator/ Administration

This country girl grew up in West Virginia loving the outdoors. Fell in love with my high school sweetheart and got married just after graduation. Four kids and eleven grandkids later, my husband and I sold our house and most of our belongings and started full-time RVing in 2020. We’ve been very blessed to witness so much of the beauty the United States has to offer.

When invited to first volunteer with a HALT session, I found just how healing horses could be. I watched as small children overcame their fears and teenagers experienced their first interaction with a horse and immediately fell in love with that connection. When you see a group of adults learning to trust in a horse in order to complete a team task, your heart melts. Time and time again I have been witness to the power of impact that lies in the hearts of these large animals. These blessings have enriched my life and when asked to serve on the Board of Directors, I was happy to serve and look forward to learning even more.

A woman with straight, light brown hair and a black sweater stands outdoors, with a blurred background of trees and grassy fields. She is looking at the camera with a slight smile.

Debbie Bahr

Treasurer/Equine Specialist

Organizations who have benefited from grants or scholarships from The HALT Foundation

Cross Keys Equine Therapy, Harrisonburg

Healing Strides of Virginia, Roanoke

Dream Catchers of Williamsburg

Charlottesville Area Riding Therapy (CART)

Ride with Pride, Staunton

Still Meadows Enrichment Center and Camp, Harrisonburg

Faith, Hope and Horses, Elkton

Willow’s Haven Farm Sanctuary, Timberville

Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue, Afton

Unbridled Way Forward, Rougemont, NC

Tarpan Horse Conservation Program, Staunton

Sunka Wakan Wichohan (Standing Rock Indian Reservation, North Dakota)

James Madison University Counseling Department