Home (New) — Rocky Mountain Riding Therapy

Believing in Horses. Believing in You.

Welcome to Gifted Herd

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Are you looking for a therapeutic approach that connects you more deeply with nature and animals?

Have other forms of therapy felt ineffective?

Welcome to Gifted Herd. Our team is dedicated to creating a safe, supportive environment where you are met with compassion and encouragement. We understand that every person comes with their own story, goals, and pace—and we honor that. With the guidance of our trained staff and gentle horses, families and individuals often find not just progress, but a sense of peace and belonging. Whether it’s your first time in the saddle or you’re continuing a journey of growth, we’re here to walk beside you every step of the way. At the heart of our program is a simple but powerful belief: the bond between humans and horses can be deeply healing. Welcome to a place where healing happens one hoofbeat at a time.

We believe in your incredible strength and the gentle wisdom of horses. Our mission is to bring them together in a loving, supportive space where you can grow, heal and develop your strengths.

Veteran and First Responders

Learning Groups

Counseling

Equine Assisted Therapies

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Why Equine Assisted Therapies?

Horses, like all animals including humans, have a limbic system in the brain responsible for sensing danger and processing emotional information. As prey animals, horses rely heavily on this system for survival, enabling them to detect even the slightest incongruities in their environment. This heightened sensitivity allows horses to perceive inconsistencies in behavior and emotional states in both animals and humans. Within their herd, horses communicate with authenticity, trust their instincts, and respond accurately to body language and emotional cues. Their ability to mirror human emotions makes them especially effective partners in therapeutic settings.

In equine-assisted therapy, horses offer immediate, nonverbal feedback that helps individuals become more aware of their emotions, intentions, and behaviors. This reflective process can be deeply insightful, as the horse’s response often reveals how a person's actions are being perceived—not only by the animal but also by others in their life. For many, it is less intimidating to build emotional and physical connections with a nonjudgmental animal first, making it easier to explore and practice new ways of relating and being.

The history of Gifted Herd:

Originally run under the name Rocky Mountain Riding Therapy, we served the Boulder community for over 30 years on Cherryvale road. We moved to Lookout road in Longmont in 2024 and took the new name of Gifted Herd. Rooted in the firm belief that the horse always comes first, we use horses as partners to offer many programs from ___________ to _____________. To see a full list of programs we offer please visit our programs page.