Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program

Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program Equine assisted activities for adults and children with mental and/or physical challenges.

Our facility is a premium accredited member of PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International), and our horses have passed a strict safety rating based on the PATH system to provide the safest experience possible. The loving staff of our program consists of instructors certified by PATH and trained volunteers dedicated to enhancing the lives of the participants.

Stash update 🖤🐾We’re so happy to share that Stash’s surgery went well and he is officially on the road to recovery. Than...
05/21/2026

Stash update 🖤🐾

We’re so happy to share that Stash’s surgery went well and he is officially on the road to recovery. Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared his story, sent kind words, and of course the surgeon and staff at the Santa Ynez Valley Pet Hospital. It truly means so much to us.

While we’ve made progress, we have not yet reached our fundraising goal for his medical expenses. Please continue helping us spread the word and consider donating if you’re able. Every share, donation, and message helps give Stash the care he needs while he heals.

Thank you for supporting our sweet barn kitty. 🐈‍⬛✨

Donate here:
https://www.syvtherapeuticriding.org/donate

Calling on our community!Unfortunately, Stash recently broke his leg and is scheduled for surgery this Monday at Santa Y...
05/18/2026

Calling on our community!

Unfortunately, Stash recently broke his leg and is scheduled for surgery this Monday at Santa Ynez Pet Hospital. His surgery and recovery are expected to cost approximately $2,000–$3,000, and we’re hoping to raise these funds through the kindness and support of our incredible community.

If Stash has ever made you smile, kept you company at the barn, or simply stolen your heart, we would be so grateful for any donation, share, or words of encouragement. Every bit helps give this sweet boy the care he needs and the best chance at a full recovery.

To donate please visit:
https://www.syvtherapeuticriding.org/donate

Thank you for loving our barn kitty as much as we do. 🤍🐈





Take a seat at the table. Make a difference in the arena.At Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program, every lesson c...
04/07/2026

Take a seat at the table. Make a difference in the arena.

At Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program, every lesson changes a life. From confidence gained in the saddle to connections built beyond words, our impact reaches far beyond the arena.

Now, we’re looking for passionate individuals to help guide and grow that impact.

✨ Now Recruiting:
• Board Members
• Board Secretary
• Fundraising Committee Members

Whether you bring leadership experience, organizational skills, or a heart for community and fundraising, there is a place for you here.

Join a mission that serves 70 students each week and continues to grow. Your voice, your ideas, and your time can help shape the future of this program and the lives it touches.

💛 Be part of something meaningful.
💛 Help us expand access to therapeutic riding.
💛 Make a lasting difference.

📩 Email [email protected] to learn more.

After 15 incredible years with us, Baard is officially retiring! 🤍🐴Baard, our gentle 33-year-old Fjord (turning 34 in Ju...
02/19/2026

After 15 incredible years with us, Baard is officially retiring! 🤍🐴
Baard, our gentle 33-year-old Fjord (turning 34 in June!), joined SYV Therapeutic Riding Program in 2010 and has been a steady, kind, and patient teacher ever since. While we’ll miss seeing him in lessons, we’re so happy to share that he has moved to a beautiful retirement home where he’ll enjoy a slower paced life.
Beloved by staff, volunteers, and students alike, Baard has left hoofprints on all of our hearts. His calm spirit and generous heart helped countless riders build confidence, strength, and trust in the saddle.
He’ll now spend his days grazing lazily in a lush green pasture alongside another former program favorite, Freya, soaking up the sunshine and simply being a horse. 🌿
Back at the barn, his sister Mari (another cherished member of our herd) is already feeling his absence. The bond between them has always been special, and while we know she’ll miss her brother, we’re comforted knowing he’s just beginning a peaceful new chapter.

Thank you, Baard, for your years of service, your gentle kindness, and the love you gave to everyone who had the privilege of knowing you. You will always be part of our SYVTRP family. 💚

It was a true honor to attend the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting for the proclamation honoring Dr. Ma...
01/13/2026

It was a true honor to attend the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting for the proclamation honoring Dr. Mary Ann Evans.

Dr. Evans’ legacy of service is extraordinary. She founded the Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People and Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program, and her many years of leadership also include founding the SYV chapter of National Charity League as well as Hearts Therapeutic Riding.

We are deeply grateful to Mary Ann for her vision and lifelong acts of service. Because of her work and the community she helped build, we are able to serve an average of 65 students each week at SYVTRP and continue her impact throughout the Santa Ynez Valley and across the county.
Photo from left to right: Tara Barnicoat, Board President; Dr. Mary Ann Evans, Founder and Board Member Emeritus; and Jillian Knight, Interim Executive Director.

🌟 Calling the SYV Community! 🌟Looking for a meaningful way to give back? SYVTRP is seeking dedicated volunteers to help ...
01/13/2026

🌟 Calling the SYV Community! 🌟

Looking for a meaningful way to give back? SYVTRP is seeking dedicated volunteers to help support individuals with disabilities through the healing power of horses.

🐴 You don’t need to be a seasoned rider, just a caring spirit and a willingness to learn. From assisting in lessons to supporting riders on the ground, every role plays a part in creating confidence, connection, and joy.

✨ At SYVTRP, each ride is more than a lesson, it’s an opportunity for growth, independence, and empowerment. Your time and heart can help make those moments possible.

🤍 Ready to make an impact that truly matters? Join our volunteer team today!

📧 Email [email protected] to get started.

01/01/2026

🌟 Happy New Year from the Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program🌟

As we step into a new year, the year of the horse, we are filled with deep gratitude for the incredible community that makes our work possible. Horses symbolize strength, freedom, and healing, and every day we are reminded of how powerful that connection truly is. Our motto, Walk. Trot. Heal. reflects the honor we experience daily as we support children, adults, and seniors through the joy, trust, and partnership found in the saddle. The Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding program is more than an organization, it's a community. A place where riders, families, volunteers, horses, and supporters come together to celebrate progress, resilience, and hope.
Thank you to everyone who walked beside us this past year. We look forward to continuing this journey of healing, one step, and one hoofbeat, a time in the year ahead. 🐎💛
Here's to a year of gratitude, growth, and healing.

Shop tomorrow at Charlotte's in Santa Ynez and 10% of sales goes to our program. Huge thanks to Ramon and Charlotte for ...
12/23/2025

Shop tomorrow at Charlotte's in Santa Ynez and 10% of sales goes to our program. Huge thanks to Ramon and Charlotte for their wonderful generosity!

12/02/2025

⚡️TODAY FROM 10am to 5pm!! ⚡️ December 2nd is Giving Tuesday and Charlotte’s unwaveringly selected the Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program as their chosen charity. We are horse people and understand the magic of what a horse can do for a human. SYVTRP is an amazing program and it WORKS.
So, please pop into Charlotte’s (at the corner of Edison and Sagunto in Santa Ynez) from 10-5 to pick up a lovely piece and 10% of ALL sales will go to SYVTRP (excludes layaway). Don’t live in the area but want to pick up a treasure and support an amazing program? No problem; we ship!
In case you didn’t know, Christmas is coming, and Charlotte’s is filled to the brim with not just these incredible squash blossom necklaces but hundreds of rings, bracelets, earrings, pendants, brooches, buckles, belts and everything else that is shiny and fabulous. So this year, put a smile not just on one person’s face but also the students’ of SYVTRP! ❤️🤠

A huge thank you to Charlotte Becerra of Charlotte’s for supporting our program!

✨🐴 Holiday Gift Shop Benefiting SYV Therapeutic Riding! 🐴✨If you’re looking for unique equine-themed items, whimsical or...
11/29/2025

✨🐴 Holiday Gift Shop Benefiting SYV Therapeutic Riding! 🐴✨

If you’re looking for unique equine-themed items, whimsical ornaments, or the perfect hostess gift for your upcoming holiday gatherings, you’re in luck!

Our friends at are hosting a Holiday Gift Shop, and 100% of the proceeds support the Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program. 🤍

🛍️ Shop here:
https://jimvreelandford.myshopify.com

(Link also in the comments!)

Thank you for supporting our riders, our horses, and our mission. Happy holiday shopping! 🎄✨🐎

Address

195 N Refugio Road
Santa Ynez, CA
93460

Telephone

(805) 350-2229

Website

http://www.syvtherapeuticriding.org/, http://www.syvtherapeuticriding.org/e

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