Equine-Assisted Activities & Therapies
Through the healing touch of horses, Listening Horse Therapeutic Riding provides active military, veterans and their families, and anyone living with a special challenge an opportunity to improve their emotional, physical or neurological health. At no cost to the participant, equine-assisted therapy "ground work or riding" is offered under the supervision of highly trained, dedicated staff and community volunteers. Special challenges include, but certainly are not limited to: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Autism, Down Syndrome, Brain Injury, Alzheimer's, Grief, Cancer, Physical Injuries, Substance Abuse Recovery and Spinal Cord Injury.
Classes
Building Trust
Classes begin with grooming and groundwork. Groundwork is an intense communication that helps establish the participant as the leader. These activities create a bond of trust between horse and human, teaching the horse to rely on the participant for instruction and safety. An improved focus develops for both the human and the horse, as the participant is able to communicate with greater sensitivity and patience.
Managing Recovery
This can be an important skill, especially for those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). During these activities, the horse helps the participant learn to recognize and manage their feelings; to live in the present, rather than remaining in fear, pain, anger and other difficult emotions. An increase in trust, confidence and self esteem will be evident as the participant cultivates a relationship with the horse.
Strength in Motion
For those with physical challenges, equine assisted therapy offers outdoor exercise that helps build overall strength. An increase in core strength greatly improves gait, flexibility and physical balance. When riding, the human body's reaction to a horse's gait is the same as it would be if the person were actually walking themselves. This motion is highly beneficial to the human, as it increases brain activity, muscle activity and strength, and oxygen distribution.
Individual Support
The weekly classes will be adjusted to best support the participant's specific needs and progress. The individual will develop an improved relationship with the horse through their grooming, groundwork and mounted (if they choose) time together. Upon completion of their first 8-week session, participants are invited to come to a 2nd session to continue their journey and new-found relationship with the horse.
New Riders Welcome
Previous experience with horses is not necessary to benefit from this program. For many of our participants, this is their first exposure to horses. All you need is a sense of humor and a sense of wonder for what these magnificent animals can provide to the human soul.
Events
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April 2023
Spring Session Begins
We're excited for the start of our spring session! Would you like to sign up to participate or volunteer? Give us a call! -
June 21-24, 2023
Rodeo de Santa Fe
Come volunteer as an usher, ticket taker, program seller....It takes a village to pull off this amazing 4-day extravaganza and we're proud to lend as many hands as possible. -
June 24, 2023
Exceptional Kids Rodeo
Free and open to the public. Come on out and participate in this wonderful event. It’s a fun way for kids of all ages to experience the cowboy way of life. Ride a horse, enjoy a variety of simulated rodeo events including riding a bucking barrel, roping hay bales, stick horse races, and much more! PRCA cowboys are among the many volunteers on hand to make this a special day for everyone. Bring the family and enjoy the festivities at the Rodeo de Santa Fe main arena. -
August 2023
Yard-sale fundraiser extravaganza
This is a ginormous, 2-day event to raise money for our program. All kinds of treasures from furniture, equipment, household items to art, rugs and so much more! -
November 11
Veterans Day Parade
Come out and show support to those who have sacrificed so much for our country! Listening Horse volunteers, participants and therapy horses enjoy riding and walking in the annual parade. Gathering on Murales Rd. behind Ft. Marcy. Parade begins at 10am & travels around the plaza.
Team of Horses
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Shalomar
As a youngster, he showed in dressage and jumped. After working in search and rescue for 5 years, he served with pride as a mounted police horse the last 15 years of his professional life. Shalomar is very quiet, patient, and loves to please his rider. We're so lucky to have both him and his mom on our team.
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Magic
Magic is a huge and beautiful, flea-bitten grey, quarter horse. Born in 1999, he's lead a very chill life and loves to connect with humans. Though he's not in any hurry to move quickly, he's always watching for the food to come his way. He's been lending his skills as an equine therapist since 2013.
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Squeaky
Another mare has joined the herd and we’re thrilled! She’s loving, friendly and patient -- three attributes of a fabulous equine therapist. Squeaky’s in her mid-twenties and the 2nd flea-bitten grey, quarter horse of the herd. We look forward to seeing what else she and Magic have in common.
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Jester
Jester may the new kid on the block with equine-assisted therapy, but barrel racing has been in his repertoire for years. Born in 1997, he was raised in Santa Fe and ran barrels competitively. He has a perk in his step and shines with a rider on his back. He’s such a joy to be around and loves a crispy carrot.
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Brush
Brush was born in 2002 and started his equine-assisted therapy career in 2016. Gentle and loving, Brush is very chill and loves connecting with people. His good looks and temperament bring him lots of attention from his herd friends and humans alike.
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Tucker
He began his therapy work in the spring of 2016. Tucker already has a long list of folks he has served at Listening Horse. He also does Search and Rescue for the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse and if anyone can handle all this important and hard work, it's Tucker. He's loved by all.
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Promise
She is full of personality and connects beautifully with those who show her their honest side. Though we don't know her exact age, we believe she was born in 1992 and has been a therapy horse since the beginning, in 2010. Many of Promise's younger years were spent checking fence lines and cows for BLM.
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Our Shipping Container
Look what we got! The generous grant funds we received from Triad National Security, LLC—the operator of Los Alamos National Laboratory—bought us a ginormous shipping container. Now we can consolidate the storage of tack, supplies, and equipment—making accessibility so much easier.
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A Note of Thanks
Huge thanks to LANL and Triad National Security for supporting the Listening Horse program and helping us meet an important goal! (Pictured: our awesome volunteers working on the tractors in order to stabilize the new container.)
Testimonials
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When asked if Listening Horse is benefiting me as a therapeutic process, my answer is a clear yes! The Listening Horse program allows me to step out of my day to day personality and regular life stressors, to more fully connect with my natural self. The horse I work with is so good at being a horse that I am somehow reminded how to be a more embodied human. My heartfelt thanks to Listening Horse for facilitating such a magical process. Ramkrishan
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"...I love Listening Horse and can't wait to start riding again. I feel so relaxed and calm with Zorro. He has taught me so many things in a way not imagined. The volunteers are astonishing and they know what they're doing. They have many different was to teach things and I think that's great because people have different ways of learning. My experiences so far have been magnificent and I hope many more people join and see what I'm talking about." Pricilla Guillen
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"The story of Promise makes me appreciate her more, makes me love her. She bends her head down toward me as I’m brushing her. She nuzzles my waist and I tense up at the prospect of being bitten. But I don’t shy away. “I’m not going to hurt you, old girl,” I murmur. Is she convinced? It’s hard to say, but she doesn’t bite–just nibbles the edge of my coat with her lips and goes back to standing still in the sun. Then, brushing her warm flanks, I see her lick her lips. I see her mouth and chin tremble, quiver slightly, like the face of a child about to cry. For some reason, the sight of this moves me unexpectedly. I turn away from Gus to hide my sudden emotion, my tears. Promise trust me. In the moment she inhabits, breathing easily with her eyes closed, I am not a threat to her. I am not a threat to her, and the world is not a threat to me. I am safe. I am not going to die. At the edge of the arena is a tree and some shade. The sun has risen and the air is warming. I feel like I can sleep beneath the tree for a while, stretched out there with Promise close by. I feel like I can lie down and find dreams of snowcapped mountains and green pastures and blue skies again, before the world was broken." Alex E. Limkin
Supporters & Donors
Veterinary care, feed, insurance and advertising are just a few of the ways in which supporters of Listening Horse help to keep our program alive. Our mission includes keeping our program free to participants and operating exclusively through the dedication of talented volunteers. All the support and various forms of donations we receive from the community are met with extreme gratitude and thanks!
Team of Humans
Listening Horse was started in 2010 by three military veterans. Throughout their lives, each individual experienced the emotional and physical benefits of bonding with and learning to trust a horse. They believed other people could experience similar benefits by developing a soulful connection with equines, particularly folks in the military community. Years later, Listening Horse continues to work closely with veterans, active military and their families, in addition to welcoming people of all ages who face special, life challenges.
Run by an incredibly dedicated group of volunteers, we always welcome the helping hands of others. Many of our volunteers are veterans. Some volunteers have a life time of horse experience. However, it's not necessary to have ever worked with horses in order to get involved just a desire to lend a hand and let a horse change your life.
Gus Jolley
President
Gus received his certification as an equine-assisted therapeutic riding instructor in 2002 from the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH Intl.). He is also certified in CPR and first aid. He has over 50 years of horse experience and 17 years as an equine-assisted therapy instructor. Gus is an active member of the American Legion and Vietnam Veterans of America. As a former range technician with the Bureau of Land Management, Gus led staff and volunteer groups on horseback into wilderness areas of the Colorado Rockies, as well as teaching horse safety classes for BLM in Albuquerque and Canon City, Co.
David Mead
Vice President
David has over 20 years of horse experience including two years as a therapeutic riding instructor. He was co-owner of a successful commercial contracting business in Santa Fe for six years before becoming a full time Real Estate Broker. He is currently co-owner of Mead & Von Eschen Group Realty in Santa Fe, NM.
Laurie Seton
Member
Laurie is a former Santa Fe business woman with a background in retail management, marketing, and special events planning. She joined Listening Horse in 2010 as volunteer coordinator and immediately devoted herself to learning how to ride, working with horses and with riders with special needs. She is currently the Communications Director and a Listening Horse instructor.
Sue Taylor
Secretary
Sue became involved with Listening Horse during the first American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) endurance ride fundraiser and is new to the board. She has been around horses her whole life, not generally as a rider, but in a support role for her riding family. Sue is looking forward to working with the instructors at Listening Horse and learning all that is involved with Therapeutic Horsemanship. Sue currently works at PNM.