About us

At Herd 2 Human, our mission is clear: to empower individuals to lead happier, healthier lives by harnessing the therapeutic potential of equine relationships. We are dedicated to providing a supportive, non-judgmental, and nurturing environment where healing and personal growth flourish.

Our team of certified equine therapists, instructors, and support staff work tirelessly to ensure that every participant’s journey is unique, personalized, and transformative. We believe that the horses in our care play an integral role in helping individuals discover their inner strengths and overcome obstacles, and we are committed to sharing the profound benefits of equine therapy with our community.

Our Mission

Founded by passionate equine professionals who’ve witnessed the remarkable impact of equine-assisted therapy, Herd 2 Human was born out of a commitment to making a difference. Our journey began with a vision to provide a safe and nurturing environment where individuals facing emotional, psychological, and physical challenges could embark on a path to healing and empowerment.

Our founders’ love for horses, combined with their extensive expertise in horse training, counseling, and equine management, led to the creation of a center where horses and humans come together to facilitate profound personal growth. Since our establishment, we’ve had the privilege of witnessing countless individuals find strength, resilience, and self-acceptance through their interactions with our equine partners.

Meet Our Instructors

Jeffrey T. Patterson (Jeff)

Owner, Founder of Herd 2 Human/Master Instructor

Jeff has been a horseman since childhood. Like many horsemen, Jeff was taught ways of handling horses that were far from beneficial to him or the horse that bordered on abusive. As Jeff recognized and accepted responsibility for his poor approach to horsemanship and started listening to the horse, he discovered a means of communicating with the horse that changed his world. As a result, Jeff developed and teaches a methodology entitled Herd 2 Human, proven to be an affective aid in trauma therapy and building personal relationships. Utilizing this systematic approach to thought, technique, and timing, Herd 2 Human creates a safe place for the horse, provides the human with a sense of value and purpose, while developing new emotional pathways from places of fear to inner peace and confidence.

Since 1981 Jeff’s work as a private investigator has been digging deep into the intimate lives of others … gathering facts and examining the personalities, habits, and emotional states of those involved in trauma, dispute, and broken relationships. In addition, to the countless hours on the street observing sub-rosa human behavior, Jeff has examined hundreds of clients, family members, and witnesses, listening and documenting their personal stories of abuse, betrayal, mistrust, and violent acts such as rape, suicide, and homicide. On many occasions, Jeff used horses to assist him in overcoming seemingly impassable roadblocks with witnesses who were unable or unwilling to express themselves due to trauma. The combination of years of investigation with a lifetime of horsemanship has been a unique and invaluable education in trauma and the domino effect it has on everyone involved.

Darlene C. Patterson

Co-Owner, Co-Founder of Herd 2 Human/Master Instructor

Darlene has been at Jeff’s side since they married in 1976 and has assisted in developing Herd 2 Human from its conception. Darlene is an accomplished rider and loves to instruct. Her thousands of miles of endurance conditioning and competitions afford her an exceptional ability to help others with balanced, efficient riding techniques, athletic conditioning of the horse, and relationship building skills. She has ridden over 20,000 miles in conditioning and over 4,000 miles in competition with the American Endurance Riders Conference and competitive trail riding associations, in addition to managing (with Jeff) 3 well-attended competitions. Darlene has skills in business to include, but not limited to, accounting, payroll, accounts payables, and receivables with a family construction company. Darlene is a Reiki Master, trained in the Mikao Usui method.