Howdy, friends! Every person who walks into our arena brings courage, curiosity and a spark, and our horses help it shine!
Picture a first lesson: a rider steps up, takes a deep breath and meets their new four-legged teacher. By the end, they're brushing, leading and riding, and they walk out calmer, braver and beaming. I get to see those moments happen, and they never get old!
Since 2020, we've welcomed kids, teens, families and adults across Adams, Arapahoe, Jefferson and Denver counties to learn horsemanship from a CHA Certified Riding Instructor at SonFlower Ranch in Brighton. Our sliding fee scale, available upon request, opens the barn door wide, so everyone who dreams of horses gets to ride!
A monthly gift keeps the herd fed all year long, not just on Colorado Gives Day. From November 1 through December 8, Colorado Gives Foundation adds even more:
Click Donate above and choose Monthly. Just $30 a month covers a full day of care for the herd!
Horses eat every day, all winter long. It costs $900 a month to board and care for our herd: $800 for board, plus $100 for carrots, supplements and medication. That's about $30 a day.
Your gift keeps Bourbon, our 22-year-old Paint and the face of our logo, and Champ, our 10-year-old Paint in training, happy, healthy and ready for their next rider. Reaching our $5,000 goal covers more than five months of care for the herd!
Every gift goes right to work. Our founder, Carla, has led Mane Joy without a salary since 2020, and when lesson fees couldn't cover everything, she's personally invested to keep the herd fed and the programs running. That's how much we believe in this work!
Mane Joy Connection is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 83-2202859) with Candid's Platinum Seal of Transparency. Your gift is tax-deductible.
Thank you for joining the herd! Come on, let's go ride!
At Mane Joy Connection, it is our Mission to further empower individuals within underserved communities through safe and positive equine-assisted activities to experience the healing effects of horses by enhancing education, community connection, personal growth and well-being.
Howdy! I'm Carla, and Mane Joy Connection began with a promise I made as a girl. I loved horses with my whole heart, but the horse owners in my mountain community wouldn't share theirs with me. Then I met Kay Keating, a retired Naval Commander who became my horsemanship mentor, and I made a promise: "When I grow up and have my very own horse, I am going to share her with anyone who wants to learn how to ride!"
In 2020, I kept that promise and founded Mane Joy Connection! I'm a CHA Certified Riding Instructor with a Master of Nonprofit Management, and safety, preparation and practice guide every lesson I teach.
I believe in this work so much that I've never taken a salary. When lesson fees and programs couldn't cover everything, I've invested my own resources to keep the herd fed and the barn doors open. Your gift joins mine, and together we keep that promise going!
My favorite part? Watching riders discover their own strength, confidence and joy alongside our horses. Every herd member is welcome here, and I can't wait to meet you. Come on, let's go ride!
Organization name
Mane Joy Connection
2020
Tax id (EIN)
83-2202859
Category
Education, Animal-Related, Youth Development, Recreation & Sports, Community Improvement & Capacity Building
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
275 LONGSPUR DRDenver, CO, US
Brighton, CO, US
Adams, CO, US
Arapahoe, CO, US
Jefferson, CO, US
