A Safe Space for All: How a Colorado therapeutic riding center has given participants a place to be themselves
By Emma Fraser
Emily Haines smiled and motioned towards her son Jayden, who was atop Fire, a brown and white horse who had his ears perked, strutting around the cold indoor arena scattered with blue rain barrels and smaller white baskets full of stuffed animals.
“He comes into the room and he knows,” she said, as Jayden grinned and ran his hands over Fire’s long mane.
Haines and her 6-year-old son have been using the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center, located in Longmont, Colo., for about three years. After Jayden was diagnosed with autism, Haines read a lot of research about the beneficial use of horses for both children and adults with neurological and physical disorders.
“Everything is, ‘can’t do this, can’t do that,’ but here, there is no pressure,” she said. “He would scream and cry at first, then he touched them and now he’s like, ‘f--- yeah, let’s ride horses!’”
With Jayden being nonverbal, Haines hopes for him to “communicate with the world around him in his own way.”
Jayden Haines riding Fire with his side walkers. Photo by Emma Fraser.
Jayden using the reins to steer Fire. Photo by Emma Fraser.
With the use of horses, Haines said, she could see this possibility.
Jayden walked past his mother with his three side walkers, all there to support him throughout his session on March 11th. His smile was wide and his body was working hard with his posture up and heels down. He steered Fire with the reins towards the rain barrel in order to drop off a stuffed animal into the white basket that sat next to it.
“He’s able to pick up the reins now,” Haines said. “The steering has helped with his hand motions. Take this door for example,” Haines motioned to the industrial door that led outside the arena. “Now he can open that door on his own. Before, he wasn’t able to do that.”
Jayden, like other participants who use therapeutic riding, sees many benefits to not only their personal goals, but also to the way they interact with others and the world around them. With Haines’s background in social work and the criminal justice system, she knows just how impactful different methods of therapy can be for those looking for alternatives to traditional forms. Moving from New York City to Lafayette, Colo., in 2015 was a substantial change for Haines. She became pregnant a few years later and has remained in Colorado since. She is the first to say how hard social work can be, and with her background, she is widely versed in the need to provide safe spaces for all.
The Program Details
The Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center, located in Longmont, Colo., has been helping those with physical, mental and a range of disabilities since 1980. With multiple goals for each participant depending on their respective situations, the center works to provide Equine Assisted Activities and therapy services year-round. Services offered at the center are those of Therapeutic Riding (TR), Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT), ground lessons and other special services. Each service differs in that they aim to help participants accomplish personal goals. Whether it is helping them feel more independent, confident, or working on therapeutic goals, the center works hard to ensure that every time a participant is with a horse, they feel comfortable.
Equine Assisted Therapy is focused on personal physical and mental goals, not so much improving riding skills and techniques. Therapeutic Riding, also called Therapeutic Horsemanship, is focused on developing riding skills that can then help facilitate personal goals. While the difference can be hard to understand, it is crucial to know that EAT practices differ from TR practices, but there is some intersection between the two. TR can include grooming horses and tacking/untacking, depending on the session. EAT does this as well and focuses more on the element of brushing and taking care of the horse to create a therapeutic environment.
The center aims to provide year-long sessions for those with varying disabilities. They have had their Premier Accreditation Status from PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) since 1982.
Fire’s bridle and brushes, all used during the tacking and untacking stages of a session. Photo by Emma Fraser.
With 23 horses and over 40 participants ranging in age, from 4 years to 100, the center is a dynamic and special facility for those who seek horse to human interaction. The number of participants vary by season, with the winter being hard because of weather and temperatures in Colorado, as well as by each participant's personal life and circumstances.
The center’s foundation allows for them to help a wide range of disabilities, including but not limited to, cerebral palsy, ALS, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, traumatic brain injury, stroke, developmental delays, autism, Asperger syndrome, dementia and visual impairment.
With sessions varying from 30 minutes to an hour, participants can choose to ride in a group or private setting. Being in a group lesson can help provide a “social aspect,” Jessica Arts, an instructor at the center since 2020, said as she led the session on March 11th. Arts teaches group lessons and works with participants every day on their personal and riding goals.
Participant Maggie riding Beastie during an EAT session. Photo by Emma Fraser.
Participant Luke riding Patron during a therapeutic riding session. Photo by Emma Fraser.
Arts attended Colorado State University and studied therapeutic horseback riding there, while also gaining hands-on experience. Arts started out at the center as a volunteer, then received her undergraduate degree and finally returned to Longmont, where she now works as a full-time instructor.
Being social and truly independent when riding is a big draw to therapeutic riding. Participants can work with personal, occupational, physical and speech therapists, as well as others. They then work with the riding instructor, Arts, to come up with goals for their sessions.
Jayden Haines works on muscle movement as well as relaxing “his body and mind,” his mother says. He used to flail and so the movement of the horse has been so “relaxing and grounding for him” she says. The program has shown Jayden that there are so many ways he can communicate with the world around him.
Arts and participants' personal therapists sometimes “exchange notes” about an individual, to produce exercises that may suit them best. Participants often set goals for themselves in the riding realm and in a more traditional therapy realm, each helping the other in a mutually beneficial relationship.
The Money Aspect
Affordability is a major factor in the therapeutic riding realm. “Horses are expensive! I can’t get caught up in that,” Haines said, laughing as she motioned toward the equipment and participants in the riding arena. The prices for riding lessons are steep, ranging from $80 to upwards of $150 per hour. The center aims to make classes accessible and affordable for all participants and families.
Insurance can help, but for most, paying out of pocket is the norm. For any therapies related to horses, insurance coverage can be very hard to come by. This is why places like the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center have developed scholarship programs and different payment options for participants and their families. The center’s rates are “half that of typical riding sessions,” Arts noted, which is extremely helpful in terms of affordability. There is financial support if needed. Haines, and other families, note how this program is the most affordable in the area. The center tries their best to accommodate everyone and ensure that a participant can take part in sessions without having to worry about the costs.
For those wanting to use insurance for equine therapies, there is some hope. New modifications for Medicaid are accepting some EAT programs and sessions, depending on the state and program being submitted. Therapeutic riding is not yet covered but is in the works.
The center’s arena before a session. The blue barrels are used for steering exercises. Photo by Emma Fraser.
Adaptive riding equipment being used for an EAT session. Photo by Emma Fraser.
Building a Community
Roarke, an almost miniature, light brown horse carrying another student, walked past Haines. With different riding goals in mind, his rider aimed around the barrels and weaved a serpentine pattern through them. He picked up stuffed animals and then dropped them into the white baskets. The exercises being done are with purpose, and while they are fun for the participants, they also help with motor and social skills along with interaction and focus.
Since Arts often works with participants’ personal therapists to determine goals that they hope to gain out of therapeutic riding, the pairing of horse and rider is critical. Using Roarke for one student and Fire for Jayden was done with purpose, as each horse’s particular gait can help one participant more than another based on physical, mental and emotional needs. The skills learned in the saddle during a session help improve riding skills and also work on skills related to life out of the saddle as well.
“I did it!” Jayden said as he and Fire lapped the arena, getting his own stuffed animal into the white basket that lay in front of his mother. Before coming to the center, Jayden did not speak. Haines is adamant that being around the horses and doing sessions for years has helped him literally find his voice.
“There is a fear of the unknown. Riding has helped with that and with expressing himself,” Haines said. She smiled as her son walked past her watching on the side of the arena. Haines, like other families that attend sessions at the center, feel a sense of community when they are there. Haines noted that “people are understanding and kind” and that “the staff is amazing.”
“When we go out to places, people are always like, ‘Is your son OK?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, he’s chillin’!” Haines explained. “But people question him, you know? They don’t think he understands or is listening. But he is listening.”
At the center, Jayden can be fully Jayden. “When we get here, and he is running around or doing stuff, people are just like, ‘Oh, Jayden’s here,’ and it’s nothing big. It’s not a big thing.” Haines thinks highly of the center, where her son is accepted and no one turns an eye or sees anything “not-OK" with his behavior.
Jayden picking up Fire’s reins. Photo by Emma Fraser.
Fire and Roarke, two of the horses being used in Monday night’s session, are just some of many saintly horses that the center allows participants to ride. The horses make the program possible and must be “thoroughly vetted and trained,” Arts noted. Other horses, like Sink, a horse in training, have been in the program for awhile, being trained in order to meet all the safety requirements. Sink still has lots of training to get through but is on his way to becoming the next valuable asset to the center’s program. The horses all have jobs that can be emotionally and physically demanding for them as well. Taking good care of them and ensuring that they are feeling their best is a crucial part of the process.
Sink’s rider mounting for a training session. Photo by Emma Fraser.
Participant Grace riding Magic with her side walkers helping out. Photo by Emma Fraser.
The Horses
The center’s staff attribute the program’s success to the horses who make the sessions possible. Side walkers, volunteers and instructors all know that the horses come to sessions with open minds and often make participants feel heard and understood, in a way that may not always be possible outside of the facility. Experts on equine therapies note that a big reason why these practices work is because horses have no biases. They do not hold preconceived notions about people or their conditions.
The horses are arguably one of the most important aspects of equine assisted therapies and therapeutic riding. Horses in therapeutic riding programs must go through much training and tests to be cleared to be reliable and safe enough for participants. While methods to training horses differ at each program and facility, the core values of calmness, being gentle, attentive and reliable in a variety of environments and situations remain true for most therapeutic horses.
Experts discuss that getting horses used to things flying in the air, carrying long sticks or objects while a rider is in the saddle, hearing loud noises and ensuring they do not “spook” at noises, are all just a few ways that horses need to be vetted for programs.
Fire has his own personality and cool demeanor. He carried Jayden around the arena, listening to cues from his rider and the side walkers, as well as making sure everyone stayed safe. Horses like Fire are hard to come by, as their personalities and calmness make them such kind and gentle animals.
Participant Grace after her session, taking care of Magic. Photo by Emma Fraser.
Other horses at the center, Honky Tonk, Magic and Patron, just three out of the many that are used, are all seasoned professionals in the therapeutic horse world. Honky Tonk’s smooth gait, Magic’s patience and Patron’s good spirit allows them to be great partners for a session. Each are different breeds, have diverse backgrounds and different personalities, but are safe. They easily carried their riders around the arena and listened attentively to the commands they were being given.
Taking diligent care of the horses and knowing when they are “done” with their job is also crucial to therapeutic programs. “Knowing if a horse is going to work out in a program can take weeks or months. Even if you get to the end and they do not pass a test, they cannot be in a program,” Arts said. Even if a horse has been doing extremely well in all their practices, one spook or issue can lead to them not being fit for the job. Safety is the biggest priority for programs. “Some horses are not meant for this job, or get tired of it,” Arts said. “That’s ok, this job is hard on them physically, mentally and emotionally too, and we need to take care of them.”
Horses are “prey animals,” Arts said, “they live in the present moment and help us live in the present moment.” Being present, taking care of the horses, riding and being focused are all aspects of sessions that sometimes those on the outside may not see. The practice of being present in oneself can be extremely therapeutic and help guide someone to live in the moment. Horses at the center help bring participants to the now and help give them confidence in themselves and in their riding skills.
There are “therapeutic elements to all things horses– riding, being with them, brushing, talking, and more” Arts notes. Just being around the animals helps to relieve stress. Experts discuss how grooming horses and touching them allows for a sense of understanding to be transmitted, a sense that cannot happen with other humans. Horses work to help the participants not just learn how to ride, but become more confident in their independence and abilities.
Participant Chris riding Honky Tonk during a St. Patricks Day themed session. Photo by Emma Fraser.
Living in the Moment
Jayden can relate to the horses being fight or flight animals, in that they have to live in the present moment. Haines noted that when her son goes to his sessions at the center, he has to be present. He has to “be here” and “pay attention to the horse and the people around him.”
While there are many emotional elements to therapeutic riding, the physical elements are critical to some riders’ personal goals. “Jayden’s core has improved so much, the stirrups help with keeping his heels down,” Haines said. Jayden often walks on his toes, so having the riding equipment that allows him to stretch and challenge certain muscles is important and helpful to his riding goals. “Steering, using his hands and reins as well as talking, have all helped and improved,” she says. Having a somewhat more limited motion in his hands when he was younger, Jayden’s sessions have allowed him to have more range in motion and improve greatly in the physical realm.
After taking sessions for years, Haines said that Jayden began speaking and using his voice about a year ago. Being around the horses allowed him to feel accepted and comfortable, and not only has helped with physical goals but also emotional and mental ones too.
Different forms of adaptive riding equipment. Photo by Emma Fraser.
Jayden leading Fire out of the arena after his session. Photo by Emma Fraser.
“He wants to say thank you to him,” Haines motioned to her son, who stood in the center of the arena as he was helped off Fire. The class had ended and Jayden was now standing in front of his horse. He smiled and reached his hand out to say thank you to Fire and show appreciation for all the work they put in– together. “See, he’s touching his nose and stuff,” Haines smirked. When Jayden first started, he was afraid of this element of the program— being close and touching the horses. Now, he shows his love for the animals in special, caring ways.
Jayden and Emily Haines are just one family whose lives have been transformed by the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center. The center works to provide participants with a form of therapy and assistance that caters to personal goals and also offers an opportunity to be with horses in a safe, kind setting. Participants and families see the happiness that comes from being around the horses, the learning of riding skills and taking care of the animals. The magic from the facility is palpable among the amazing staff, horses and participants that walk through the door every day.
Jayden simling at Fire. Photo by Emma Fraser.
The Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center is one of many centers around the U.S. that works hard to give people the best experience possible. They do not try and “fix” or change anyone. They want participants to be their true selves, feel comfortable and be confident. Developing a sense of independence and self-awareness as well as giving people a space to feel seen and understood is the main goal.
“I choose to send him here because he loves it. It’s advantageous. He’s happy,” Haines said as her son disappeared with Fire into the stabling area. She greeted him on the other side, smiles reaching ear to ear on both their faces.
“Thank you!” Jayden giggled as he grinned at one of his side walkers who led him to the waiting area. Haines met her son with a similar grin, “Ready to go home, Bud?”