For more than 40 years, Green Acres Ranch has been a fixture in Temecula's equestrian community, providing horse boarding, riding lessons and summer camps for young equine enthusiasts. Owner Margaret Rich, her daughter Katherine and son Roy, have taught thousands of students and served hundreds of families who have come to the Ranch to learn English and Western riding, cow horse skills and dressage.
But Rich noticed that many of her students had disabilities and that they needed instructors with special training to accommodate their needs. So in 2010 she became PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) certified and the GAIT (Green Acres Interactive Therapies) Program was born. GAIT provides interactive equine therapy to students with ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, intellectual disability, learning disability, vision impairment, spinal or head injury and other developmental delays.
GAIT plays a crucial role in the local community by harnessing the connection between horses, farm animals and students to effectively address the unique learning, developmental, emotional and physical challenges faced by many disabled people. Now a 501(c) 3 organization,
GAIT just celebrated its 10th anniversary of providing much needed therapies to children with disabilities and their families.
“Amazing things happen when those kids are on the back of a horse,” Rich says about GAIT’s interactive therapy. “Their whole perspective changes. Many have been immobile in wheelchairs always looking up at everyone. Then all of a sudden, you put them on the back of a horse and they’re not only mobile, they’re looking down on you. And that’s very powerful.”
As the owner of Green Acres Ranch and the Founder & Director of GAIT, Rich has long understood the power of horses, not only as an experienced horsewoman, but also in the lives of GAIT’s students. “It’s the connection they make with that animal. A horse is nonjudgmental, and when these children go to therapy, they’re in a clinical setting and they [may feel like they’re] being judged. When they come here, they’re outdoors, getting to enjoy horses. And horses just suck up all the stress. Physical activity is a huge healer,” she says.
And Rich has seen some astounding results from her work with GAIT students. “There’s Emily who couldn’t walk and her doctor said she needed surgery on her hips. She was able to build up core strength from riding,” Rich says. “And we had a boy who was totally nonverbal who one day just started speaking. He was riding and out of the blue he said, ‘Horse! Horse!’ It was absolutely incredible.”
GAIT receives some outside funding from the City and County, but is mainly dependent upon corporate and private donations to finance the program. Rich says, “If we can raise enough money beyond our operating expenses, it will go directly to scholarships for GAIT. And the majority of those donations come from our annual Pony Up for GAIT fundraiser in October. We have exciting horse events, great food, a big silent auction, all with a Western theme. It’s a lot of fun.” (See Sidebar).
PONY UP FOR GAIT - October 5, 2024 at 4 -10 PM
Grab your boots & tickets to GAIT's annual fundraiser! Enjoy cocktails, tacos, delicious BBQ and live music and pony up for a wonderful cause - equine interactive therapy!
events@gaitprogram.org | www.gaitprogram.org | 951-302-2384