Our Mission

Giant Steps is dedicated to enriching lives through the power of horses, team and community. Through the excellence of our equine assisted programs, people of all ages, means, and challenges experience the extraordinary benefits of therapeutic riding and activities.

Our Commitment

Giant Steps strives to create a culture of belonging by fostering an inclusive, safe, and affirming community for the people we serve and for our horses. Our commitment to equity and inclusion cuts across ability, race, gender, and backgrounds, ensuring a rich diversity of voices that are respected and fully represented. By bringing together people of different abilities and life experiences, we grow, learn, and make our program and our community stronger.

Our Story

At Giant Steps, we strongly believe that all people can break down barriers to lead richer, more independent lives, regardless of the disabilities or challenges they may face. We have harnessed the therapeutic power of horses since 1998 to help people of all ages overcome their physical, emotional, behavioral, cognitive and developmental challenges. Since then, the clients we’ve served have represented more than 60 distinct disabilities and challenges as well as members of our military.

At times, people come to Giant Steps for more than therapy. They also want an enjoyable, social activity and a place to connect with others. Programs we offer range from mounted therapeutic riding classes to ground equine facilitated learning lessons that help clients improve their physical strength and also enhance their emotional and social capabilities. Over the years we have experienced many stories of transformation, seen our clients become physically stronger, more socially engaged, and emotionally aware. This is what drives us.

Beyond our quality programming, Giant Steps is also about community. We work to create a safe space where people can come and share their experiences with other families. It’s a place where, regardless of the disabilities or challenges people may be experiencing, they have the opportunity to bond with our horses, our dedicated instructors and volunteers, and other like-minded people who are all championing for their success. Here, one person’s success is a success for the entire Giant Steps community.

Our Standards

We are proud to be accredited as a Premier Accredited Center by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, aka PATH International. Being accredited by PATH International means that we go above and beyond to hold ourselves to a higher standard of care. We work tirelessly to maintain our accreditation so that our clients feel assured they are getting the best possible treatment.

What PATH accreditation ensures:

• • PATH-accredited instructors (training, licensure, certification and qualifications are met)
    • All mounted riding lessons and ground horsemanship classes are conducted or directly supervised by PATH Intl Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors.
    • All PATH Intl Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors are certified in CPR, First Aid & AED.
    • Instructors must complete education hours each year to maintain accreditation

• Equine standards
  • • Characteristics of each horse must be matched with a client’s needs and the proposed activities
  • • Each horse must be evaluated and adequately trained for the work to be performed
  • Upholding equine welfare and management standards; horses are assured to be given a high level of care

• • Highest safety/care standards for clients
    • Clients are properly evaluated at intake to make sure that therapeutic riding is an appropriate activity
    • Medical and personal about the client is always considered confidential
    • Periodic re-assessments of clients, as their conditions/disabilities are subject to change

• PATH-accredited facility
  • • Emergency procedures and safety regulations in place
  • • Facilities are maintained in good repair and ADA compliant
  • Always emphasizing the safety of clients, volunteers, and horses