Therapeutic Riding School Looking For New Home In Auburn

AUBURN (CBS13) — A therapeutic riding non-profit for those with disabilities is losing its lease and turning to the public for help.

Horses for Healing has been leasing space on a ranch in Placer County for over a decade and now they have to find somewhere else to go by the end of October.

"We are not going to have the ranch available to us anymore," said Marcy Schaffer-Egot.

Schaffer-Egot is a retired special education teacher. She combined her passion for teaching and training horses 20 years ago and turned it into a second career with Horses for Healing.

"I see people transform all the time," she said.

She's been running the non-profit out of an Auburn ranch for 11 years. It serves 25 clients, including children and adults with special needs.

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"Some people it helps them learn how to walk. Some a child who has never spoke. Will learn how to talk...when they loosen up. People have fun and they don't realize how much fun their body mind and soul is getting," she said.

The owner of the ranch recently passed away and their lease is not being renewed. She knows her riding program fills a need and she's not ready to ride off into the sunset just yet.

"It's a big job and we have that going in and we don't want to lose it," said Schaffer-Egot.

Neither does volunteer Jeanette Sullivan. She also benefits from the program. She says riding reminds her of her childhood, calms her down and helps her focus.

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Jeanette said, "I love being with the horses, being with the clients and better understanding what my disabilities are and aren't,"

Schaffer-Egot is riding it out with a hopeful attitude. She says the non-profit has moved several times since it started. She's hoping they can find a new space that will also allow them to board their two horses.

So, if you really want to help what they are looking for is an indoor covered arena, just like the arena in the Auburn area so clients can stay closer to home.