TRAIL

Therapeutic Riding Association Incorporated of Louisville

TRAIL is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the physical health and mental wellbeing for individuals with disabilities through riding and fostering relationships with horses.

Located in Simpsonville, Kentucky, our beautiful, private farm offers the perfect venue where trained coaches offer knowledge and expertise in a caring and compassionate atmosphere.

Testimonials

Please take a moment and read through some of our heartfelt testimonials.

I am writing to you in regards to TRAIL therapeutic riding. My daughter, Grace, participates in TRAIL therapeutic riding. She is diagnosed with Intellectual Development Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder (level 3, requiring substantial support), ADHD, Sensory processing disorder, and a severe mixed receptive/expressive language disorder. She also has suffered from hypotonia since birth mainly in core strength & joint stability. Grace has difficulty with identifying and following social boundaries and struggles with understanding safety concerns in social situations. She becomes overwhelmed by large crowds or loud settings due to her inability to process those situations. This has become more pronounced with age.

Grace is currently 18 years old. Last year, we began looking for an activity that would hold Grace’s interest while giving her the opportunity to practice social awareness and be physically active. Animals have always been one of her special interests. We took a trip to the horse park in Lexington a few years back, and from that point on, she was hooked on horses. We found it difficult to find a facility that would accommodate her disabilities and then, God be praised, we found Nathalie on Facebook & got her started.

Grace began riding for Nathalie Green at TRAIL in May of 2023. From day one she seemed to form a connection with the horses & with Nathalie. Nathalie has been soft spoken and calm with Grace. She saw Grace’s potential and has given her the tools to succeed in riding, despite her disabilities. As a parent, watching her lessons gives me so much joy. To see my girl sitting straight & tall in the saddle as Ms. Nathalie guided her the first time brought tears to my eyes. I love to see her big smile and excitement every week. She is so proud of herself & always wants to tell all her friends & family, therapists, everyone about “ her horses”. Imagine our surprise when only a few months after starting, Grace was competing with TRAIL in the KY Special Olympics Equestrian competition! She received a bronze medal for the trail ride competition, of which she was so proud.

Grace has learned to ride independently in only a little over a year, which amazes me. She loves to stay after lessons and help water the horses, lead the horses to the barn, and feed them treats. Riding has helped her with core strength & understanding what good posture means. She comes home so excited and says, “ I can’t wait for next horses!” Nathalie has been able to teach Grace in a way that she understands, which has not always been the case in the past with other activities. Nathalie has taught Grace how to work with the horse in the arena as well as on trails. Grace has also benefited from learning rules for riding. She is always saying “Ms. Nathalie says …no riding in shorts… wear my boots, etc.” Two years ago, I would never have believed she would remember these rules from week to week, much less follow them.

TRAIL has been a Godsend for us because it provides Grace with an activity she loves in an environment that is calm, quiet, and safe. Nathalie has rules, but she also gives great praise to her students. It has helped Grace’s confidence so much to know that she can do this when other people out there, with or without disabilities, can not. Grace also seems to benefit from just spending time with the animals. She says “he/she loves me. They ‘unnerstan’ (understand) me.” They lift her mood! Grace says her favorite things are “riding by myself,” and “being Champion!” She says, “Ms. Nathalie is perfect!”

I recommend TRAIL & Nathalie to all the other disability families I know, as well as to her therapist. I tell them it’s the greatest place to provide empathetic horse interaction, as well as a safe, calm environment for learning & mastering of horsemanship skills in both the arena and on trails. I hope you will consider TRAIL for grant funding to help it continue to provide wonderful services for individuals like my daughter for years to come.

-Angie

Our daughter Kimberly, first began therapeutic horseback riding when she was 12 years old at a stable near Shelbyville, Kentucky. She loved riding. When Kimberly was about 20, that stable closed. For a year or more I looked for another place, reasonably close to Louisville, where she could ride. Since Kimberly was adult aged, it was hard to find a place that would allow her to ride. It seemed like most only wanted to work with children.

When I found TRAIL, Nathalie accepted Kimberly instantly. Kimberly has been riding with TRAIL for over 10 years. She is 33 years old now, child sized and child-like. She has a genetic deletion on the 7th chromosome causing her disabilities. She is non-verbal, very petite from a growth hormone deficiency, and behaviorally kind of like a 3 year old. She uses sign language to communicate. She can be fussy, but when her bottom hits the saddle a calm settles over her. She is very content when she is riding. It is wonderful to see her peaceful and not agitated. She can be clingy, especially with us (Mom and Dad), but Nathalie encourages her to be independent. For Nathalie, she does so much more for herself.

At the first stable, Kimberly was led in a circle around an arena. Around and around and around. At TRAIL, she goes on a trail ride through the woods and around the farm. It’s very refreshing. It is one of the few outdoor activities that Kimberly tolerates. She often wants to keep riding when it is time to dismount. She loves the horses, often hugging them and waving bye.

The previous stable didn’t participate in the Equestrian Special Olympics. Kimberly absolutely loves going to the Special Olympics event and being in the horse show. She talks about it and looks forward to it every year. I know it is a lot of work for the TRAIL crew. We really appreciate all the work they do for this event. They prepare the horses and transport them to the event. They treat it like a real horse competition, often braiding the horses’ mane. They make it really special for the participants.

Kimberly is limited in what she enjoys and will do. We are thankful that TRAIL is here so she can continue to ride. We are grateful for TRAIL and the opportunity they provide for special needs adults and children. I recommend TRAIL and often tell people where Kimberly rides to encourage others to contact Nathalie about riding.

-Janet

My daughter Angeline has cognitive disabilities along with severe anxiety. There have been few activities that she has been able to consistently participate in. While she has few physical problems, motor planning has been a considerable issue. The benefits she has received from horseback riding have been numerous. Her ability to process academic tasks significantly improves while on the horse. Her constant fears diminish when arriving at the farm where she leads around huge animals without any trepidation. She looks forward to her weekly riding lesson more than any other activity that she has ever participated in. This is the one part of her life that moves her from disabled into the realm of a typical child for an hour a week. I have Nathalie to thank for that.

Angeline has been riding with Nathalie for around 7 years. Nathalie knows her strengths and weaknesses, and designs activities to build on those. Angeline needs a large amount of proprioceptive input-it works to calm her down. So Nathalie works on trotting with Angeline, and she loves the bouncing. Her academic skills are enhanced by working on the alphabet. Angeline can always get more correct answers identifying letters when she’s riding than when she’s in the classroom. But the riding pulls the classroom along.

With her anxiety, it is important for Angeline to have continuity with the people she works with. It takes a long time for her to feel comfortable enough to work with professionals. Nathalie has been there consistently. She schedules lessons when it is convenient for us, and reschedules when there is a conflict. Her flexibility is truly appreciated. Nathalie has done more than just give therapeutic horseback riding lessons, she is part of the village it takes to raise a special needs child. She has attended graduation parties, gives gifts at holidays, shares the bounty and lessons of her garden, consults me when she has questions about Angeline-or about areas of expertise I might have that may benefit the program. She has buiit a family with her riders-and it is very loving. She provides a great service and is committed to those who are fortunate enough to enroll in TRAIL.

-Caroline