HEARTS & HORSES, INC
Hope. Horses. Healing.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Therapeutic Riding and Therapy Services
Therapeutic Riding: Children and adults with disabilities work with PATH Intl. certified instructors in equestrian skill-based lessons to develop independent skills that carry over to their everyday lives.
Therapy Services (Hippotherapy): Physical, occupational and speech-language therapists partner with a horse to provide a powerful therapy team. The horse's movement can improve balance, strength and coordination for individuals with disabilities.
"Changing Leads" Program for Youth At-Risk
Youth-at-risk find friendship, develop trust and form a deep connection when partnered with a horse. Emotions and behaviors are explored in a safe setting to reflect, learn and grow in order to improve the development of trust, respect, empathy, self-respect and confidence, accountability and conflict resolution.
"Riding in the Moment" - Program for Seniors with Alzheimer's and Dimentia
Seniors with Alzheimer's and dementia find joy in equine related activities. For some it is a chance to experience past memories and for others it is a new adventure.
Hearts & Horses for Heroes
Wounded service personnel and veterans interact with a horse to nurture self-awareness, trust, coping skills and relationship skills, contributing to improved quality of life and hope for the future.
Where we work
Awards
Instructor of the Year - Tamara Merritt 2010
PATH International
Horse of the Year - Sir Rocko "Bud" 2012
PATH International
Adult Independent Rider of the Year - Cliff Uber 2012
PATH International
Premier Accreditation 2002
PATH International (formerly NARHA)
Premier Re-Accreditation 2008
PATH International (formerly NARHA)
Premier Re-Accreditation 2013
PATH International (formerly NARHA)
Loveland Chamber of Commerce 2014
Non Profit of the Year
Adult Independent Rider of the Year - Karissa Peterson 2016
PATH International
Equine of the Year - Region 10 "Sadie" 2016
PATH International
Veterinarian of the Year "Dr. Suit" - Region 10 2016
PATH International
Volunteer of the Year - Dave Culbertson 2016
PATH International
Equine of the Year "Cola" - Region 10 2018
PATH International
Premier Re-Accreditation 2018
PATH International
Professional of the Year "Liz de Kock"- Region 10 2020
PATH International
Equine of the Year "Varsity" - Region 10 2020
PATH International
Volunteer of the Year - Carol McKennan 2020
PATH International
Veterinarian of theYear "Dr. Lecair" - Region 10 2021
PATH International
Affiliations & memberships
North American Riding for the Handicapped Association 1997
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
In 2021 we served 605 participants which is lower than previous years due to COVID.
Total dollar amount of scholarship awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
605 participants received scholarship awards totaling $439,464
Total number of volunteer hours contributed to the organization
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Total volunteer hours are increasing since COVID
Percentage of riders on scholarship
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
In 2021-22 Hearts & Horses worked with 564 volunteers which reflects a decrease from previous years.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our goal is to make an impact in the lives of individuals with disabilities through equine assisted therapies and activities.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The strategies that we use to impact the lives of others includes utilizing the equine for its movement and motion (therapeutic riding and hippotherapy) along with the emotional impacts of the equine for our mental health programs.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have a highly trained herd of four-legged therapists (equines) which serve as the conduit for our Equine Assisted Therapies and Activities. In addition, all of our staff are also highly trained personnel, holding numerous certifications and creditentials through the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH) Intl. All of our therapists are licensed through the state of Colorado.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Our programs have always been highly regarded; however we have added several new programs in 2012 that add to the depth and breadth of the clients that we can serve. In 2014-15Hearts & Horses underwent major improvements in our facilities through the renovation of an existing indoor arena and the addition of offices and volunteer space.
In 2019, we realized our dream of building our Lucky Hearts Arena, replacing a fabric arena that has not held up to Colorado's harsh winds and heavy snows. The replacement arena is an insulated steel building thatis warmer for our participants and safer in winds. With a more efficient design, have been able to serve twice as many participants which has allowed us to expand our operations to meet the growing needs of children with disabilities in our community.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is hard to come up with good questions to ask people, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
HEARTS & HORSES, INC
Board of directorsas of 11/27/2023
Dr. Mike McGinley
Senior Consultant, Brakke Consulting, Inc.
Term: 2022 - 2023
Tracy Hogue
VP Business Development Officer, Bank of Colorado
Bob Dehn
President, Front Range Fire Protection, Inc.
Elizabeth Kearney
Prinicpal, Elizabeth Lamb Kearney, P.C.
Jared Goodman
Vice President, Cushman & Wakefield
Dwight Sailer
Co-Founder/Owner, Highcraft Builders
Marlene Stone
Partner, IONFocus
Kim Buxbaum
VP-Relationship, Manager, Independent Financial
Sarah Morgan
Owner, Martini's Bistro
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 12/28/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.