REINS Therapeutic Horsemanship Program

REINS Therapeutic Horsemanship Program offers therapeutic equine-assisted activities that include therapeutic horseback riding, adaptive riding, and mental health programs. Students take part in lessons that may involve riding horses, playing games, and socializing with other students. Volunteers and participants are involved in activities such as leading horses during lessons, side walking with students to ensure safety, grooming and tacking horses, maintaining and improving the facility, tractor work, and riding on the tractor, and the program also offers Mini Outreach Opportunities (M.O.O).

• Ages: 0–18 years old
• Schedule: Lessons are offered Monday–Friday during the day and on Saturdays, with a midday break each day.

REINS Therapeutic Horsemanship Program began in a backyard in San Marcos, California in 1984, purchased its permanent property in Fallbrook in 1999, and paid off its mortgage in 2009. The mission of the program is to support the physical, mental and emotional health of disabled children and adults with therapeutic equine-assisted activities. The program serves nearly 200 weekly students and involves over 100 weekly volunteers who assist in all aspects of the program, including leading horses, side walking, grooming, tacking, and facility maintenance. It serves children and adults with disabilities and offers therapeutic riding for a wide range of disabling conditions, including cerebral palsy, autism, down syndrome, head injuries, hearing impaired, visually impaired, multiple sclerosis, seizure disorders, speech and learning disabilities, and sensory integration dysfunction. Lessons use meaningful and purposeful activities based on client interests and needs, and clients can work to refine fine motor, gross motor, bilateral coordination, oral motor, and visual motor skills. Riders experience the rhythmic motion and warmth of the horse, which stimulate and exercise the rider’s muscles and increase mobility of the pelvis, hip, and spine, and they experience weight shift and trunk mobility as if walking on their own, along with a wide range of sensory input through different gaits of the horse; at a walk, riders experience rhythmic, three-dimensional movement, and at a trot, rider alertness is increased, posture is aligned, and riders become more aware of their own body. The program describes itself as a supportive community for riders and their families where riders are the majority, and it notes that equine-assisted activities and programs at REINS transform and enhance the lives of participants, their families, volunteers, and staff. REINS provides equine-assisted activities in Southern California and serves students from Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties, with support from many in the community and foundations that seek out organizations serving children with physical or learning challenges. There are opportunities to donate a horse, sponsor a rider, or contribute to the program.

The leadership team includes Chief Executive Officer Kaitlyn Siewert, Chief Operations Officer Nikki Harmer, Chief Development Officer Jody Leaf, Development & Communications Manager Maddi Larsen, Development & Marketing Manager Isabelle Perez, Chief Financial Officer Shauna Jopes, Finance Director Cindy Salazar, Finance Coordinator Jazmine Olson, Director of Operations Katie Miller, Barn Administrator Kristen Sears, Volunteer Director Lacy Page, Manager Barbara Larsen, and Director of Partnerships and Engagement Allison Solander.

Parent, donor, foundation, and student quotes describe the program’s impact and atmosphere. One parent and instructor, Lisa Almendarez, states that “REINS is not only for the special people that ride every day and the volunteers that give so much of themselves. REINS’ magic lies in the directors that care and dream, instructors that teach, horses that support and the riders that inspire.” Legacy donor Helen Lovaas says, “REINS has provided enrichment in the lives of children and their parents unlike anything money can buy. Lord willing, it can continue on for many lifetimes.” Foundation representative Bettye Geurin-Burns, President of the Donegan Burns Foundation, says that the foundation seeks out organizations that work with children who have physical or learning challenges and that “REINS of Fallbrook has proven to be the best example of positively impacting lives. The Staff and Volunteers are unwavering in their dedication to each student. They are knowledgeable, professional caring and loving.” A student quote notes, “I like the people – we are family. I like the tractor work and riding on the tractor. I like riding by myself.” Students and volunteers Sarah Nystrom and Carol Curtis state, “I love learning new things riding a horse. I grow as a person and it builds my self confidence.”

Last updated March 15, 2026.