CANTER Club

Combining Adolescent Navigated Training and Equine Rescue

Amy Nelson ND: Head Trainer

In my horse career, my focus is trust; helping animals trust humans and themselves and helping riders trust horses and themselves. One of the first horses I ever trained was a mare named Taxi, who is still ridden and cherished in our barn today. She is often the first horse many children learn to trust. I have been with Taxi for over 20 years now and my wish is for others to experience this kind of partnership with their horses.

My main passion for founding CANTER club was to improve the safety skills humans need with horses in the way I knew best—through proper training, understanding, & informed judgment necessary for safe decision making. Connection is what solidifies safety with a horse and this is what we strive for in CANTER Club.

With their project horse, the participants can compete in riding sports like Dressage, Hunter-Jumper, Western Pleasure, Cutting Horse, and Endurance Riding. If they do not wish to compete, they can even go on trail riding adventures, develop riding skills by studying with wonderful trainers, and work to an advanced level without showing. CANTER Club is an avenue providing a healthy, productive outlet for youth while they develop leadership and confidence as well as building fitness and good body mechanics.

Trust is Earned

CANTER club is an organization that allows youth to learn the values, skills, and horse psychology for re-schooling horses that come from emergent conditions. Horses come to the program from a variety of different circumstances (neglect, financial burden, slaughter rescue, other rescue organizations) with the need for rehabilitation and re-schooling into riding horses. Horses are selected based upon temperament, energy levels, and health. Experienced trainers assist the youth as they bond and build trust.

Non-For-Profit

CANTER Club is currently applying for Non-For-Profit status. Our ultimate goal is to provide support for the program so that any youth can experience horses regardless of economic circumstances. Our wish is to create a youth program which fosters the horse-human connection. Kids are guided through the training process with a rescue horse and ultimately they develop a deep equine relationship.

Various fund raisers are held throughout the year. Our first gathering is a birthday party for Taxi, a cherished school horse who turns 20 year-old this year. Her celebration launches the birth of the Pony Express project – raising the funds necessary to deliver CANTER club during the time the Non-For-Profit status is underway. It can take as long as six months to establish an NPO, but the horses in the program still need support in that time. Our goal is to raise $1000 to help with the care needs of the horses. Come to our open house May 14 from 1-4 where we will have a silent auction (items include massages, riding lessons, and an afternoon trail riding package for 2), raffle, door prizes, and fun games. Email ridingwithamy@gmail.com for more information!

Donate

If you are interested in donating to CANTER Club, just click on the button below. Payments are accepted via PayPal or any major credit card.

Fees

• Horse and youth are enrolled in an eight-week program, having three possible training sessions each week.
• The fee is $35 a week ($280 for the entire eight weeks), which includes an individual, mentored training session and two other possible observation sessions.
• Students are required to attend all eight of the weekly individual mentored sessions and at least one observation session.
• Youth also have the option to sign up for open riding times during the week and work with their horse. No more than three students will be matched with one horse.
• At the end of eight weeks, the horse is available for adoption, lease, or can remain a lesson horse at Healing Rein Stables. Either way, their future is secure.
• A working student program is available for students who would like to work for $10 an hour at the barn in exchange for the cost of the course.
• Fundraising opportunities exist to contribute to the CANTER Care fund to raise money for horse dental, farrier, and health needs.

Safety

What makes being around horses unsafe? When situations exist where the horse is not being understood, is being ignored, or pressured out of their comfort zone. In CANTER club, we learn how to build a relationship with a horse based on trust, confidence, and kindness. Our hope is that students will apply the skills they learned to their riding disciplines, life and friendships.