WILDHORSE! offers...
Instruction in horseback
riding for children and adults
We are a year round program with an indoor arena and an indoor round pen!
Program Director and Head Instructor: Dr. Kari Ann Owen, Ph.D.
wildhorse@freewildhorse.com
Location of riding lessons: Las Trampas Stables, 18015 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon, CA. 94583
Our EIN number: 06-1794198 State of
We are a non-profit 501C3 corporation recognized by the IRS as a public
charity,
affiliated with NARHA, the North American
Riding for the Handicapped Association,
and are a NARHA center.
WILDHORSE! is...
a movement education program in cooperative and non-dominant horsemanship.
Client services began in November 2006.
Kari Ann has taught abled and disabled adults and children
in
Wildhorse! has been granted vendorization by the Regional Center of the
East Bay,
which directly funds approved client services for developmentally
disabled clients
(and we hope they will resume doing so as quickly as possible -- note
March 2010).
WILDHORSE's teaching approach
is inspired by Centered Riding™
and yoga techniques and arena games for both abled and disabled riders.
Wildhorse!’s objective in
riding is to teach riding by using relaxed techniques which allow
human-equine communication at both the physical and emotional level.
Watch us teach by viewing this video!
Beginning and intermediate horsemanship using both English and Western saddles
is offered to all riders. Our only limit is that we cannot serve riders above two hundred pounds,
nor can
we at this time serve non-mobile students. We serve the abled and
"intellectually" disabled.
We welcome any walking person with any sort of physical or emotional
difficulty,
and have taught blind and deaf students, phobic and depressed youth and
adults
and hope very much to serve combat veterans and cancer patients.
We refer anyone we cannot serve to programs and instructors that can serve them.
Mentorship for youth and adult volunteers is also offered,
and Kari Ann is allowed by NARHA to mentor prospective instructors.
Wildhorse! provides community service hours for non-delinquent and non-violent persons,
and offers mentorships in publicity and media contact and fundraising.
WILDHORSE! is people serving people!
Wildhorse!'s Board of Directors includes Belgian dressage rider Evelyne Hougard
and science teacher and expert equestrian Heidi Schnabel.
Our Senior Volunteer is Constance Anderson, RN.
Our Volunteer Consultant in Natural Hoof Care, Saddle Fitting and Horse Behavior is Nina Hassinger.
About WILDHORSE! founder Kari Ann Owen:
Kari Ann Owen was once 98% mobility impaired from crippling sciatica,
and still requires a service dog's assistance on steps and inclines.
Her disabilities have motivated Kari Ann to serve others.
Kari Ann is a Registered Instructor certified
by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) in June 2004.
Kari Ann was a riding student in English and Western riding
and horse sponsor and trail rider for several years before her sciatic nerve injury in 1993
had her briefly in a wheelchair, and after her injury was a devoted student at Cornerstone Equestrian Center,
a NARHA therapeutic riding center in the Napa Valley.
As her injury became more manageable, Kari Ann's riding skills progressed,
as did her horse knowledge.
After a 118 pound weight loss in December 2000, Kari Ann's late husband,
physical and soul giant Silas S. Warner,
bought Kari Ann her first horse, an Icelandic named California Joss (Jocelyne).
Jocelyne and Kari Ann ribboned in several shows, largely gymkhana and schooling shows.
Kari Ann began teaching disabled and abled riders in the Summer of 2001,
and completed all NARHA requirements by June 2004,
gaining NARHA instructional certification in June 2004, Kari Ann spent two and a half years
as a NARHA instructor at Cornerstone Equestrian Center and founded Wildhorse! in November 2006.
Deepest gratitude is owed Kari Ann's many instructors for teaching her joyful and skilled horsemanship:
Natalie Rooney Pitts’, US Dressage Federation, assistant, Lisa (dressage)
Sarah Crary (English equitation)
Lynnette Belt (Western equitation)
Becky Hart (Centered Riding)
Michelle Motyl (dressage and equitation)
Chris Rossi,US Dressage Federation (dressage)
Lucille Bump (Centered Riding).
Kari Ann and Wildhorse! acknowledge with deepest gratitude
our many friends who have contributed
and continue to contribute funds, encouragement,
horses and equipment and hosting our fundraising equestrian educational seminars,
which have ranged from "What to Do Until the Vet Comes" with Dr. Renee Golenz, DVM
to "Yoga and Dressage" with Christine Rossi.
Wildhorse continues to provide client services even during
the catastrophic deterioration of our economy.
Our normal cost for lessons is
$45 for an hour of instruction and $35 for half an hour.
Regional Center of the East Bay is no longer supporting our developmentally disabled clients whom they supported,
partially or in full, in the recent past.
Therefore, we survive on lesson revenues, donations and contributions from supporters,
fundraising events like garage sales and auctions of donated equestrian equipment and services
and the Lucky's Supermarket Shares Card Program.
Anyone shopping at Lucky's can help Wildhorse! by presenting their Shares Card,
programmed with Wildhorse's information, to the check out person.
Wildhorse! then receives three per cent of your grocery spending.
Would you like to help Wildhorse! meet its monthly expenses of horse board and hoof care and chiropractic care,
equipment purchase and staff support?
Would you like to help with a one time or two time contribution
for bi-annual vaccines and annual dental cleaning and alignment?
Or insurance, which allows us teach our clients at the magnificent ranch where we are in residence?
Here is how your most vital contributions can help:
- Board for two horses: $600 per month.
- Insurance: $794 per year.
- Vaccinations: $150 twice a year.
- Dental cleaning and alignment: $155 once a year.
- To make a PayPal donation to Wildhorse!, please send your contribution to
eagle-heart@kariannowen.com
References for Kari Ann Owen and Wildhorse!:
"Our teen age daughter, Eleisha, who is developmentally delayed, has become a horsewoman at Wildhorse. Eleisha has attended Wildhorse Western Pleasure classes for over a year, becoming independent at the walk and trot and performing gymkhana patterns in preparation for her dream of showing. She has been an enthusiastic volunteer, leading horses with riders on them, grooming and tacking up, and she has received an outstanding equine education at Kari Ann's
and Wildhorse's special seminars with expert English and Western riding experts.
Eleisha has learned so much and she loves it! We all consider Kari Ann a wonderful teacher."
"We love what Wildhorse has done for our son, Dylan, who has an autism spectrum disorder. In the short time he has been riding with Wildhorse, his attention span, ability to follow verbal directions, and self-confidence has increased. We have also seen a marked decrease in hyperactivity and sensory related issues. Kari Ann and her volunteers are very compassionate individuals!" ~Amy and Stephanie, Dylan's moms
"Dakota loves going to Wildhorse! He loves the horses, Echo and Trapper, and he also loves Kari Ann. Dakota is becoming more confident, and his motor skills are improving greatly.
He is falling in love with horses and riding
as well as Kari Ann's beautiful service dog,
Cassie Rainbow.
He tells me how he wants to grow up and be an animal doctor
for both dogs and horses. He finally has something all for himself that makes him proud, and he wears his western boots everywhere and tells everyone about his lessons. We thank Wildhorse! from the bottom of our hearts. Kari Ann, who is adopted Native American, has taught Dakota the traditional Native American greeting, "All my relations,"
and as I am Native American, I feel very happy with Kari Ann's sensitivity and respect.
Kari Ann calls me her Native American sister, and I am proud to be her sister as well.
~Donna Marie, Dakota's Mom
Note by Kari Ann: Dakota has an excellent Western Pleasure seat, and is becoming more and more adept at both neck reining and direct reining. He is a very eager and willing student, and has that most wonderful quality:
the ability to take constructive criticism without rebellion, and to grow from those positive changes.
"I found Wildhorse! while searching the Internet for home schooling resources for my two sons, Ethan and Evan.
I inquired about lessons, not really thinking I would be able to do anything about the lessons because of my husband’s unemployment. Dr. Kari Ann Owen informed me about a scholarship fund founded by the grace and generosity
of her and her late husband’s friend, William Stremmel, and Ethan and Evan
have been on full scholarship at Wildhorse for the past two months.
It has been the BEST experience for our whole family! Even I feel less intimidated by the horses!
And I can see it is especially helping my younger son, Ethan, gain confidence as his self-estimation
grows as his riding skills progress. There really are no words to describe how much we appreciate
this opportunity we have been given...
This is something that my boys will remember
for the rest of their lives!!"
Deborah Goodrich, Pleasanton CA
About Kari Ann's riding:
From world-renowed Centered Riding* clinician Lucile Bump, Southmowing Stables, Guildord, VT,
one of only fourteen Senior Level IV instructors in the world:
Kari Ann rode well when she was here at Southmowing Stables. She rode Momo, one of our Percherons,
having never ridden her before. Kari Ann performed walk trot and canter, working through fear
with determination. She even went on to do turn on the forehand, leg yield at walk and even at a trot.
Well done, Kari Ann!
Lucille Bump, Momo the Percheron and Cassie Rainbow,
Kari Ann's present service dog at Southmowing Stables,October 2009.
*Centered Riding is an approach to horseback riding which allows the body to relax and breathe, inspired by images and dreams of the heart. Wildhorse! Program Director and Head Instructor Kari Ann Owen believes Centered Riding, as taught by Level III instructor Becky Hart, is partly responsible for keeping her out of a wheelchair and achieving many riding goals. Please see http://www.centeredriding.org/2column.asp?pageid=10001,10027 for more information about Centered Riding. Ms. Bump and Ms. Hart can be contacted through the Centered Riding web site.
WILDHORSE! appreciates
your encouragement
and support!
Please contact us at
wildhorse@freewildhorse.com
We teach at Carter's Corrals in Walnut Creek, CA, a sane and happy place due to owners Dave and Lisa Carter.
Program Director and Head Instructor Dr. Kari Ann Owen, Ph.D. founded Wildhorse! after two and a half years of teaching therapeutic riding at the program where she once was a disabled student. Kari Ann is a registered instructor with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association/PATH International since 2004.
Our EIN number: 06-1794198
State of CA Corporation #: 2933655
Wildhorse's email is wildhorse@freewildhorse.com.
Deepest gratitude of all is owed Kari Ann's late husband, Silas Sayers Warner, who believed in Kari Ann's instructional abilities when she did not know she had them; and to the late Ann Sayers Warner, Silas' mother and a master educator.
