A visit to Triple Creek Ranch Therapeutic Riding Center

Recently, I was invited by my friend Minta Leslie to visit Triple Creek Ranch. I accepted with great gratitude and excitement to go for a visit.
You see, many years ago, I had started this non profit. Many people had joined me in getting a Therapeutic Riding Center opened in Redding CA. After running the organization for over 7 years, due to health reasons, I had to hand it off to the TCRI Board and the new manager Eilene Reeves in 2009. I moved away soon after and this would be the first time going back for a visit since then. I was excited to get to see some of the horses I knew and loved, along with visiting friends, and seeing the new location. I had mixed feelings... so eager to see how the program was doing, and emotional because I had missed it.

I met up with Minta and we drove out together with her son William. He is a 10 year old who is also a volunteer of the program.

We heard the roar of the 4 wheeler as Eilene pulled up from the bottom of the hill. She had other volunteers with her. I was introduced to them, and given the names of all the new horses from William... and lastly reunited with a few familiar faces... Uno and Joe, two of the horses I had received for donation when I ran the program.

Uno is a 16 hand AQHA that had been donated, from a man who used him for professional rodeoing in Calf Roping, after he had been injured a couple times due to his genetic disposition of weak fetlocks. The quick stopping and backing required from calf roping, blew out his hind left suspensory, then a year later after recovery blew out the hind right side. My dear friend and friend of TCRI, Dr. Jen Powers, called me and offered this $40,000 horse to be donated. That was around 2007. Well I was overwhelmed with seeing my old friend again after so many years of my absence. He looked so great! I took a few pictures with him, of him and with my friend Minta and new Program Manager Eilene.

After the quick tour and visit, the cars started pulling in. It was the last night for a family that had been blessed and attended TCRI for quite a while. They were moving out of the area. They also brought other family members out for this final farewell.
I got to capture a few of them on this last visit with the horses and the ranch.

I thought you might like to see a few of the horses and how happy the individuals were while working with these therapeutic horses. Along with sharing a piece of my heart, for the love of the horses and what they can do for so many... especially children and adults who have physical and cognitive disabilities.
If you have a Therapeutic Riding Center near you, I highly recommend you support them... Whether with your time or financially. Not everyone can afford or live in a place that is conducive to owning a horse. For those of you who are blessed and can... Think about it for a moment... How your way of life, though be it a challenge, is such a blessing to you and your family. And as you know, it is so rare for a child to even see a farm or ranch with horses anymore. This is a wonderful way to share the lifestyle.

Dear Lord, please Bless those around the world who support and/or open up their Ranches/Homes to help others heal through sharing horses for therapy.

Thank you for allowing me to share something so dear to my heart.
Carla