Grand Valley Equine Assisted Learning Center

We use the healing power of horses to strengthen the mind, body, and spirit of those we serve in Western Colorado.

We provide equine assisted mental health therapy and hippotherapy (using horses for physical, occupational, and speech therapy), tutoring and education.

Testimonials

Codi began hippotherapy with GCEALC in spring of 2016. Codi immediately bonded with the horse, her side walkers, her physical therapist and other volunteers who created a fun and safe environment for Codi to learn about the horses. Codi has quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy and receives her nutrition via gastronomy tube. Hippotherapy at GVEALC gives Codi the opportunity to improve her core strength, flexibility and coordination. Codi benefits from interacting with each horse. She learns their names, their characteristics and how the various gaits and shapes of each horse effects her body and mond during a session. Codi radiates excitement throughout her sessions.

My daughter was able to fake her way through Elementary School, but Middle School and beyond was different. At age 12, Katherine was diagnosed with high functioning Autism. As true with almost all autistic kids, socializing with girls her own age has been difficult. And standing up for herself and finding her voice was even harder. We have tried several different therapies since them, but I think a particular horse named Jewel, got through to Katherine. Nikki Goodenough, owner and therapist, was able to relate things to Kath through the eyes and habits of Jewel. Katherine began to find her voice and started to open up to Nikki and other support people in her world. The friendship that she has developed with Jewel is amazing. Katherine can do things to Jewel that Jewel doesn't like Nikki even to do. And Jewel gives Katherine hugs. Animals like these amazing horses at GVEALC can read people and seem to understand what they need more than people realize. And combine that with a therapist trained to use the horse as a tool, you have a winning combination. Katherine has now found her voice and even stood up at a GVEALC fundraiser this past fall and gave a testimonial to the above, something she would never have done before! It's been wonderful to see my daughter blossom with the help of Jewel and Nikki. Katherine has decided that she wants to have a career working with animals. So, be open to give horse therapy a try. It worked wonders for us.

It is my privilege to write an impact statement for the Grand Valley Equine Assisted Learning Center, otherwise known as the GVEALC. My daughter, Chloe Wayt, has been receiving hippotherapy services through this organization for the past three years. Because of the excellent services that GVEALC provides, Chloe has been able to increase her level of confidence, build her core body strength, and improve her overall flexibility.
Chloe was born with spastic quadrapeligia cerebral palsy. Although she is one of the smartest students in her class, mentally- her challenge, physically, will always be communicating and showing others what she knows (because her spastic and weak muscle movements interfere with her speech and fine motor movements). Because Chloe recognizes that people may not always understand, or be patient enough to understand her, she sometimes struggles with her self-confidence.
When we first began hippotherapy at GVEALC, she was not always excited about going. The horses sometimes made her nervous, and she didn't always want to attend every therapy session. Since then, Chloe has come to realize that riding horses (with the assistance of the GVEALC volunteers) is something that she does well. She now looks forward to every one of her therapy sessions, and gets upset if we have to reschedule one for some reason. This summer, at her request, we were able to increase her amount of therapy sessions. Chloe loves to brag to her friends that she rides horses. It has given her something to be proud of.