“This program has helped way more than any other therapy has in every aspect of life.”
Parent of Therapeutic Riding Participant
Reflections from the Executive Director
Dear Friends,
The 2023-2024 fiscal year was dedicated to program excellence, sustainable growth, and measuring the impact of the Hearts & Horses programs that have served the Northern Colorado community since 1997. We believe in everyone’s ability to reach their fullest potential and we witness this in our staff, volunteers and most importantly, our participants.
At Hearts & Horses, participants are celebrated for their strengths, not defined by their diagnoses. Our instructors develop a curriculum that focuses on the attributes of each individual that fosters resilience and goal-setting, empowering each person to persevere and succeed.
In recent years, our growth has been limited by the age and working capacity of our herd. Our intentional efforts to lower the average age of the herd—by recruiting new, younger members and helping retirement-age horses find their forever homes—have paved the way for us to reduce our growing waitlist and get more riders into the program.
We’ve also refined how we measure program impact, shifting from tracking total riding hours to focusing on unique individuals served. This adjustment gives a clearer picture of unique engagement, though the total rider numbers may appear lower due to this shift and our current herd capacity.
Hearts & Horses remains committed to ensuring equineassisted services are accessible to all. Our services harness the unique, healing connection between humans and horses, and have proven to support mental health, physical rehabilitation, and emotional resilience for individuals across diverse backgrounds and diagnoses. Quantifying this impact will show how equine-assisted services are making a positive difference in people’s lives and help us reach more in need of our programming.
All our achievements are made possible by our dedicated volunteers, one of the largest programs in Larimer County, and the generosity of our donors. Their support allows us to keep our services accessible, our herd healthy, and our mission moving forward.
Thank you for helping us make a difference for the past 27 years and beyond!
With sincere gratitude,
Jan Pollema Executive Director
“As Executive Director, I am continually inspired by the transformative impact we achieve together. Behind every success story stands a team of dedicated staff and volunteers, generous supporters, and resilient participants - all working to create meaningful change, turn challenges into opportunities and transform hope into action.”
Jan Pollema Executive Director
About Us: Serving Our Community for Over 27 Years
Vision Statement
Our vision is that every person has a safe and supportive environment to develop physical strength, intellectual growth, and positive social-emotional learning in a community built on respect, leadership, generosity, and kindness.
Mission Statement
At Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center, our mission is to enhance physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being through equine partnerships.
Programs
Therapeutic Riding
Children and adults with disabilities work with certified instructors in equestrian skill-based lessons to develop independent skills that carry over into their everyday lives.
Changing Leads
Youth at-risk find friendship, develop trust, and form a deep connection when partnered with a horse to explore emotions and behaviors in a safe place to reflect, learn, and grow.
Therapy Services
Physical and occupational therapists utilize purposeful equine movement as a therapy tool to address impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities in patients with neuromotor and sensory dysfunction. This treatment strategy is used as part of an integrated treatment plan to achieve functional goals.
Hearts & Horses for Heroes
This program is designed for our service personnel and Veterans of every era. The vision for this program is to help Veterans heal and grow by restoring the wisdom of their mind, body and spirit through their interactions with horses, each other, and the natural world.
Riding in the Moment™
This program helps adults and seniors facing the challenges of aging, memory loss, and age-or injuryrelated cognitive impairments to find joy in equinerelated activities.
Research
Hearts & Horses participates in large-scale research projects that look at the efficacy of equine-assisted services on a variety of populations. This research is helping to develop a body of scientific evidence that quantifies the unique elements that equine-assisted services provide for people with disabilities.
Training and Education
Hearts & Horses is a highly regarded training facility and hosts several PATH Intl. workshops and certification courses throughout the year.
Demographics
We served participants from numerous counties along the Front Range of Colorado including Larimer, Weld, Boulder and Adams County and as far afield as Cheyenne, WY!
In 2023-2024, Hearts & Horses partnered with 3 local agencies for one day retreats and special summer programming, providing life changing opportunities to 39 individuals from SummitStone Health Partners, Childsafe and Respite Care.
608
PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED BENEFITS
from Equine-Assisted Services at Hearts & Horses in 2023-2024.
CHILDREN 56% ADULTS 44%
“I
feel so much better after riding. It’s extremely calming.
I
can definitely feel a difference when we are on break.”
Therapeutic Riding Participant
Diagnoses Treated at Hearts &
Quantifying the Impact
88%
report that overall the Hearts & Horses program was extremely positive.
Changing Leads
In our full-day Changing Leads school program, the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) is completed by a parent or caregiver at the beginning and end of an eight-week session. This assessment is a reliable and validated measure of social and emotional intelligence that scores students along eight social/emotional competencies.
As the chart shows, the skills that are a predominant focus in the Changing Leads program all have a significant increase between the median pre- and post-scores. This helps to validate that the Changing Leads program is indeed improving skills that the students need to navigate school and life with more success.
“I am proud of the connections I made with everyone, both friends and horses.”
Scholarship Cooper Home
Hearts & Horses is proud to partner with Cooper Home, a transitional program within the Poudre School District designed to help 18- to 21-year-old students with intellectual or developmental disabilities transition into adulthood. Their curriculum focuses on classroom and arena activities designed to enhance students’ understanding of the following skills: time management, self advocacy, independence, responsibility, problem solving and planning. During the eight-week spring semester 75% of students improved in their understanding of these transferable learning skills thanks to the interaction with each other and their horses.
Veteran Pain Clinic
EQUINE-ASSISTED SERVICES FOR CHRONIC PAIN
Participants Report Having
79%
79%
80%
323 SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
53% PARTICIPANTS ON SCHOLARSHIP
$661,689 TOTAL SCHOLARSHIPS &
SUPPORT PROVIDED
Rider Scholarship Spotlight
Meet Nova
From the moment Nova arrived at our ranch, her bright smile, resilience, and infectious spirit captured our hearts. At just six years old, Nova is a fighter who inspires everyone she meets.
Born with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and cerebral palsy, Nova also lives with hearing loss and low muscle tone. Searching for ways to improve her core strength and balance, her parents discovered Hearts & Horses.
Nova’s father, Michael, recalls her early days in the program: “She was timid and uncertain in herself or her ability to ride. She was hesitant in her interactions with the horses and with the staff.” He says that now “her confidence has increased beyond my wildest expectations…now, she rides proudly and confidently, takes the opportunity to carry the tack and doesn’t shirk the heavy work.” In terms of physical benefits, he adds, “her balance has improved drastically and the core strength is much better than she had before.”
Receiving a rider scholarship from Hearts & Horses has been life-changing for Nova and her family. Michael encourages others to support the scholarship fund, saying, “By donating to this fund…you are allowing many disadvantaged people to feel the thrill of riding a horse. You allow their family the chance to see a light shine in their child’s eyes that will burn forever. You allow freedom to those with no mobility…Above all, you help bring joy and happiness to people that would otherwise never have the ability to bond with such intelligent and loving animals.”
Thanks to the scholarship program, Nova’s story is one of growth, strength, and unbridled joy.
“I believe that Hearts & Horses has encouraged me to be my bravest and best version of myself.”
Therapeutic Riding Participant
788 DONORS Finance
$704,727
HEARTS & HORSES 2024 LUCKY HEARTS GALA (NET)
HEARTS & HORSES UNDERWRITES
78% of all program costs to keep our services affordable
16 AVG. AGE OF HERD 4,189 BALES OF HAY CONSUMED The Herd
626 VOLUNTEERS GAVE THEIR TIME Participants 608 PARTICIPANTS $661,689 AWARDED IN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS
45,444
$1,652,358.75
Photo by Jackie Nunnally
Stories from the Saddle
ASD Study
Hearts & Horses is proud to partner with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children’s Hospital Colorado on a five-year NIH-funded study on therapeutic riding for children and teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Led by Dr. Robin Gabriels, the study measures physiological changes before and after riding to assess how equine-assisted services improve emotional and social health. This groundbreaking research helps explain the “magic” of our work with evidence-based outcomes.
Veteran Pain Clinic
For three years, we’ve partnered with the Cheyenne VA Medical Center’s Whole Health Initiative on a six-week Equine-Assisted Services (EAS) for Chronic Pain program. This innovative approach pairs Veterans with a mental health professional, an equine specialist, and a horse to foster healing. The program helps participants live alongside pain, approaching it with acceptance rather than resistance. Results are remarkable: 79% report decreased pain, and 80% report better sleep. One Veteran shared, “I now remember who I was before the pain and fear. I want to live life again, not just witness it.”
Watch Our ASD Research Video
Learn More about EAS for Chronic Pain
Therapeutic Riding
Grace and Leo, who have Down syndrome, thrive at Hearts & Horses, where they’re valued for their unique potential. Their instructor sets high expectations while tailoring tasks for small, achievable successes, building their confidence both in and out of the arena. For their parents, Hearts & Horses provides a transformative, inclusive environment that challenges societal limits and empowers their children to tackle difficult tasks. The program fosters growth, resilience, and inspiration, offering therapeutic benefits while encouraging their parents to see endless possibilities for their children’s future.
Therapy Services
For 20 years, Taylor has been part of our Therapy Services program at Hearts & Horses. Living with a chromosomal disorder that causes developmental delays and seizures, Taylor has found a place to grow with the consistent, patient support of her team, especially from her volunteers, Phil and Bianca. They challenge her to exceed expectations, helping her build trust, communication, and confidence. Through horseback riding, Taylor forms deep bonds with her instructors and side walkers, enabling her to express herself more openly. Her family treasures the therapeutic benefits, independence, and joy she experiences. For Taylor, riding feels like being “on top of the world.”
Watch Grace & Leo’s Story
Watch Taylor’s Story
Based on fiscal year 2023/2024 financial review.
How We Use Our Donor Dollars
87 cents of every dollar donated was spent on programming for our participants.
2023-2024 Cost of Service
An hour-long lesson costs $115 to provide. Through our community support fund, lessons are made significantly more affordable covering $75/ hour for all participants. Participants are asked to contribute $40/hour when able.
Sharing the Hope
Thanks to our miniature donkeys, Levi and Paco, Hearts & Horses has taken its mission on the move. Since joining our herd, this pint-sized duo has excelled in training and has made a profound impact on our community. Their small size and friendly demeanor make them perfect ambassadors for outreach events and groundwork classes, where they engage participants in meaningful ways.
Levi and Paco have trained to navigate adaptive equipment like wheelchairs, ramps, and electric doors, showcasing their adaptability and gentle nature. They’ve also become cherished visitors at Pathways Hospice in Fort Collins, a nonprofit providing compassionate palliative care and grief support.
Volunteer Denise shared, “People lit up when they came in, especially when they rested their heads on hospital beds to be petted. We all had tears.” Levi and Paco bring joy not only to patients and families but also to the hardworking hospice staff, spreading smiles wherever they go.
Committed to Excellence
Note from Michael McGinley, Board President
DEAR FRIENDS OF HEARTS & HORSES,
Reflecting on the past year and speaking for my fellow Board members, I am again filled with pride and gratitude for the incredible journey we have all embarked on together. Hearts & Horses is and has always been a place where lives are transformed, and this year has been no exception. Our community continues to grow and thrive, thanks to the unwavering dedication of our staff, volunteers, and YOU, our incredibly loyal and generous supporters.
At Hearts & Horses, we have always believed that every individual possesses unique strengths, talents, and potential. Our mission goes beyond addressing challenges; it’s about celebrating the whole person and what they aspire to achieve. This year, our amazing staff, volunteers, and equines have gone above and beyond to create an environment where participants are not defined by their deficits but are empowered by their abilities. We have witnessed incredible stories of resilience, growth, and achievement. We’ve seen participants set and reach goals that once seemed out of reach. We’ve watched them build confidence, develop skills, and express themselves in ways that inspire all of us.
Again, none of this would be possible without support from you, our community. As we look ahead, we remain committed to programs that provide the opportunity to shine, to achieve, and to inspire for all our participants.
Thank you for being a part of the Hearts & Horses family. Together, we are making a difference.
WITH DEEPEST GRATITUDE,
MICHAEL J. MCGINLEY Board President
“At Hearts & Horses, we have always believed that every individual possesses unique strengths, talents, and potential. Our mission goes beyond addressing challenges; it’s about celebrating the whole person and what they aspire to achieve.”
Michael J. McGinley, Board President
Hearts & Horses Staff
Board of Directors
MICHAEL McGINLEY, Ph.D.
Board President | Joined January, 2019
Senior Consultant, Brakke Consulting, Inc.
SARAH MORGAN
Secretary | Joined January, 2022
Owner, Martini’s Bistro
KIM BUXBAUM
Treasurer | Joined November, 2022
VP-Relationship Manager, Independent Financial
BOB DEHN
Board Member | Joined July, 2020
Owner, Front Range Fire Protection, Inc.
JARED GOODMAN
Board Member | Joined March, 2017
Vice President, Cushman & Wakefield
TRACY HOGUE
Board Member | Joined November, 2019
Vice President, Bank of Colorado
ELIZABETH KEARNEY, P.C.
Board Member | Joined September, 2016
Principal, Elizabeth Lamb Kearney, P.C.
JOHN MOTSCHALL
Board Member | Joined June, 2024
Owner, Toyota of Laramie and Trailer Works of Laramie
DWIGHT SAILER
Board Member | Joined July, 2021
Owner, HighCraft Builders
“The different lessons that are planned every week always seem to be tailored perfect for [my mom] and her needs.”
Caregiver of Riding in the Moment™ participant
Supporting Organizations
We currently do not list any individual or household donors in our annual report. If you would like to be listed in future Annual Reports please contact info@heartsandhorses.org.
• Action Plumbing
• Adolfson & Peterson Construction
• Arkins Park Stone Corporation
• Awards Unlimited
• Al’s Granite
• Amazon
• ANB Bank
• Andrew Allen Charitable Foundation
• Arkins Park Stone Corp.
• B & B Nonprofit Consignment
• Bank of Colorado
• Barnyard Vet Supply
• Bender West Foundation
• Black Eagle Fence
• Bohemian Foundation
• Brock & Company, CPA’s, P.C.
• Business Card Factory
• Business Equipment Services
• Carlton Family Foundation
• Chartered Technology
• CJ’s Patio Grill
• Claude Bennett Family Foundation, Inc.
• Clelland & Company
• Clint Clymer
• Coal Ridge Animal Hospital
• Colorado Hay, LLC
• Combined Federal Campaign
• Coulson Excavating Co., Inc.
• Creature Comforts Pet Retreat
• Credit Union of Colorado Foundation
• Creepy Walk in the Woods
• Cushman & Wakefield
• Custom On-Site
• D & I Prehung Door Co.
• East Bay Community Foundation - Brickyard Berridge Fund
• Ent Credit Union
• Enviropest
• Erion Family Foundation
• Equine Chiropractic Consultant
• FCI Constructors, Inc.
• Ferguson Fire & Fabrication
• Fire Marshal Services
• First Advantage Bank
• First Citizens Bank
• FirstBank
• FNIC
• Fort Collins Breakfast Rotary
• Fransen Pittman
• Front Range Fire Protection
• GH Phipps Construction
• Gilman and Mary Hallenbeck Family Foundation
• Grapevine Giving Foundation
• Gregory Electric
• Happy Horse Tack Shoppe
• Henderson Management and Real Estate
• Hiatt Farms
• HighCraft Builders
• Houska Automotive
• HUB International Insurance Services
• Intermountain Painting LLC
• Jax Mercantile
• JM Post Veterans Club
• Johnson Muffly & Dauster PC
• Jorgensen Charitable Trust
• JP Morgan Chase Foundation
• Ken and Dolly Munsch Family Foundation
• King of Glory Lutheran Church
• KL Realty
• Larimer County Behavioral Health Services Department
• Leclair Equine
• Lind’s Plumbing
• Longmont Community Foundation
• Love Bridal by Tatyana
• Loveland Design Carpet One Floor & Home
• Loveland Ford Lincoln
• Loveland Lions Club
• Loveland Longears Sculpture Park / Lucky Three Ranch
• Loveland Mountain View Rotary
• Lucille Erwin Middle School
• Lynx Loan Fund
• Martini’s Bistro
• McKee Foundation
• Mesara Family Foundation
• Michael J. Suit, DVM, LLC
• Network for Good
• NoCo CARES
• NOCO Real Producers
• Norgren Family Fund
• Northern Colorado Mustang Car Club
• Nutrien
• Oleo Acres Farrier Supply Inc.
• Otter Cares
• Otteman Arts, LLC
• Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
• PATH Intl
• Performance Horse Complementary Medicine Service, PLLC
• Pierson Real Estate
• Poudre Pet & Feed Supply
• Poudre Valley REA
• Premier Fire Protection Inc.
• Preuss Family Foundation
• Priest-Zimmerman Inc.
• Prosci Inc
• Rachel Soto Vesta Real Estate
• Realities for Children
• Riverview PK-8 School
• Road Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 669
• Rocky Mountain High School
• Rocky Mountain Region of the Porsche Club of America
• Running Horse Veterinary Clinic
• Sampson Construction Co., Inc.
• Santangelo Law Office, P.C.
• Scheels
• Shad & Sherry Zimmerman Charitable Fund, a Donor Advised Fund of Renaissance Charitable Foundation
• St Paul Lutheran Church
• Subaru of Loveland
• The Ark Christ-Centered Sober Living
• The Holzworth Auction Company, LLC
• The Willenbrock Group at UBS
• Temple Grandin Equine Center
• Trinity Lutheran Church
• Turner Middle School
• Tykeson Family Foundation
• USMA Class of 1961
• VFW 4334 Auxiliary
• Viking SupplyNet
• Volentine Family Foundation
• Walker Manufacturing Co
• Walmart Foundation
• Walsh Construction, Inc.
• Walton Giving Fund
• Weibel Enterprises
• Wells Fargo Advisors
• Western Land and Water
• Wilson Machining
• Winsupply of Denver Fire Protection
Community Collaborations
These organizations have supported Hearts & Horses in FY 23/24 with volunteer support and retreat collaborations.
• Adams Tree Service
• American Hippotherapy Association
• Arkins Park Stone
• Banner Health
• Big Thompson Elementary School
• Boy Scouts of America
• Brinkman Construction Group
• Calvary United Reform Church
• Campion Academy
• CarMax Cares
• Cheyenne VA Medical Center
• Children’s Hospital - Colorado
• ChildSafe
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Loveland)
• Colorado Hay, LLC
• Colorado Nonprofit Association
• Colorado State University (Social Work, Equine Science, Occupational Therapy)
• Compass Community Collaborative School
• Coulson Excavating
• CSU Pre-Vet Club
• CSU RamServe
• CSU Slice
• CSU’s Temple Grandin Equine Center
• Department of Human Services-Larimer County
• Desperados 4H
• DOVIA (Directors of Volunteers in Agencies)
• Enviropest
• FNIC
• Fort Collins Vet Center
• Foundation for Global Sports Development
• Fransen Pittman
• Front Range Fire Protection
• GH Phipps Construction
• Give Next, Bohemian Foundation Community Program
• Group Mission Trips “Week of Hope”
• Harvest Farm
• Headwaters Realty Group
• High Plains School
• JE Dunn
• Larimer County Alternative Sentencing/Community Corrections
• Larimer County Behavioral Health
• Larimer County Workforce Center
• Loveland Barricade
• Loveland Community Fund
• Loveland Ford
• Loveland Mountain View Rotary
• Metropolitan State University Denver (Social Work)
• Mighty Adventure Camp
• Mile High Labs
• Mill City Church
• Morning Star of Fort Collins
• Namaqua CenterSummitStone Health Partners
• NoCo Cares
• Nonprofit Learning Lab
• Nordson Medical
• Northern Colorado Draft Horse Association
• Northern Colorado Mustang Car Club
• Northpoint Colorado
• Otterbox & Otter Cares Foundation
• Pathways Hospice
• PDC Energy
• Points of Light Foundation
• Polaris Expeditionary Learning School
• Poudre School DistrictCooper Home 4 Living
• Powered by Partners
• Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.)
• Realities for Children
• Respite Care
• Rocky Mountain Health Plans
• Safelite Autoglass
• Sample Supports
• Seven Lakes Memory Care
• Sherwin-Williams of Loveland
• SOUL
• SUNY Cobleskill (Therapeutic Horsemanship)
• Team Select Home Care
• The Ranch Events Complex
• Thompson R2-J School District
• Thompson Thrift
• Tractor Supply
• Trinity Lutheran Church
• UC Health
• United Way of Larimer County - Make a Difference Day
• University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
• University of Colorado-Boulder
• University of Denver (Social Work)
• University of Northern Colorado (Human Services, Marketing)
• University of Wisconsin
• University of Wyoming
• Veterans Administration
• VFLA Architectural Group
• Volunteers of America (RSVP Program)
• Walmart
• WaterPik
• Western Land and Water LLC
• Western Midstream
• Williamsburg Academy of Colorado
• Windsor Charter Academy
• Windsor Rooted Small Volunteer Group
“Working with the horses helps me focus on the present in
Therapeutic Riding Participant
