Dear Horse Owners, 

Project R.I.D.E. Inc. is a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Equine Therapy Center located in Elk Grove, California (near Sacramento).  We are always looking for new horses to join our program. We are seeking gentle, well-mannered horses to join our program, where they will play a vital role in helping individuals with physical, emotional, and developmental challenges build confidence, strength, and connection.  Horses become trusted partners in life-changing experiences for our riders. In return, we ensure each animal receives attentive care, proper training, and meaningful purpose.

Please feel free to share this information with any horse owners you think may have a horse suitable for our program.  We are happy to schedule a tour or answer any questions you or potential owners may have

Workload

Our lessons are typically 30 minutes long, and all of our riders have some type of special need.  During lessons, horses are primarily led at the walk, with occasional trotting.  The typical workload is 3–4 half-hour lessons per day.

Horses are hauled to our barn facility during their work weeks and stay at our 52-acre ranch facility during their off weeks.  At the ranch, they have access to 3–5-acre pastures and plenty of downtime to just be a horse.  We offer horses a purposeful second career in a professional program.  With top-notch care.  Workloads are monitored closely and adjusted for each horse. 

 Guidelines for horses:

Horses considered for our program need to:

• 8-20 years old, mature and experienced (older horses are considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Patient, kind, and well-mannered in hand, with a been there, done that attitude
• Reasonably sound, with a steady, predictable gait
• Low maintenance--horses already on medication can be considered if the owner is willing to continue paying for the routine medications 
• Trailer well
• Get along well with other horses
• Be comfortable in stalls with turnout during lesson weeks
• Be able to live in a pasture setting with one or two other horses during their off weeks
• No vices such as cribbing, weaving, biting
• While we prefer healthy, sound horses, we are willing to consider horses with mild special needs.

Once we receive the application, we will contact the owner and schedule an appointment to meet horses that appear to be a good fit. During the visit, we conduct a brief evaluation of the horse. If everything goes well, we will schedule an intake date for you to bring the horse to our Herald Ranch location.

Trial Process

Every horse starts their journey at Project R.I.D.E. with a probationary period. Every applicant goes through our "boot camp" training program; on average, this process takes 2 to 4 months and culminates in mock lessons that simulate typical lessons. If all goes well, after passing a series of mock lessons, they’ll officially join the team!  If a horse tells us they’d rather not pursue a career in therapeutic riding, we will contact you to pick up your horse within a reasonable time. 

Once at the ranch, the horse begins their journey with a 10-day quarantine to ensure the health of our herd. We begin bringing the horse to our Elk Grove arena (approximately a 25-minute drive from the ranch) after the quarantine has ended and the horse has settled a bit. They are then gradually acclimated to our program, environment, and lessons.

If the horse is a good fit, they are introduced to lessons and officially become part of our program.  Near the end of the trial period, the owner will receive a lease-loan contract.  This contract can be revoked by either party, with at least 2 weeks' notice.

If a horse is ever determined to be unsuitable for our program, either during the trial period or the lease-loan period, the owner will be notified and asked to pick up their horse. Many owners appreciate this arrangement because they retain ownership and can request to bring their horse home at any time.

Some owners prefer to donate their horse to our program. A horse must typically be in our program for at least a year before we will consider a donation. This allows us time to determine whether the horse truly enjoys the work, as most horses need approximately four to six months of experience in the program before we can make that assessment. It is important that the horses love their job here at R.I.D.E. and that R.I.D.E. is a good fit for the horse.

This information is intended to help you decide if your horse might be a good candidate for our adaptive riding program. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the process, please reach out—we look forward to getting to know you and your horse!

Office Phone Number: 916-685-7433

Email: projectride.tamara@gmail.com