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11410 104 St., Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 2Z1| Phone: (780) 513-9504| Register Online| Contact Us
Peace Wapiti Academy
Painted Ponies

Meeting students where they are

About Painted Ponies


Peace Wapiti Academy (PWA) offers Painted Ponies, a multi-dimensional wellness program geared toward Grade 10 students. A unique feature of the program is the use of Equine Assisted Learning, an effective approach to human development that encourages individual and team growth. Students learn valuable life skills while working with horses, including leadership skills, and how to care for their own mental and physical health. The class runs throughout the school year and includes weekly visits to the Peace Area Riding for the Disabled Society (PARDS) facility for hands-on learning with the horses.

Student Feedback


"My favourite part of Painted Ponies has been making new friends and growing closer to people I knew before. It's also been fun to learn more about mental and physical wellness as I didn't know as much about those before we started."
– Khyler Davis


"It’s more than just learning about horses. You learn how to be a better version of you. It helps you find ways to make negatives into positives. It has helped me a lot."
– Ally Hall

Recent Activities

Emergency Equine First Aid course for PWA’s Painted Ponies class

On October 16-17, 2017, the Painted Ponies class completed Emergency Equine First Aid certification, led by instructor Leah Batchelor of Safe Haven Stables in Sexsmith. On the first day, students learned equine First Aid and injury prevention, including how to make a donut bandage using polo wraps or tube socks. On the second day, the group met at Ms. Batchelor’s farm for hands-on scenarios with three of her rescue horses – Whimper, Mooshoo and Jackie (pictured above) – that will live out the remainder of their lives on her farm. The students met the requirements of the course and received equine First Aid certificates, good for the next three years.