CSTRC is looking to hire a certified PATH Instructor. If interested in becoming part of our team, please call 719-634-4173.
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Therapeutic Riding Instructors Jamie H. - PATH Certified Instructor - Level I She has been around horses her whole live. Her parents, Bob and Nancy, own and operate Mark Reyner Stables, so horses have always been a part of her life. She began teaching horseback riding lessons at the age of 13. While volunteering with the therapeutic riding lessons at CSTRC, she knew that was where she was meant to be. Being able to help a person reach goals and share her passion with her students is what she lives for. When she turned 18 she was able to become certified through PATH International and has been instructing ever since. Her life outside of teaching doesn't venture away from horses -- she loves competing in barrel races and cow horse events. Rachel S. - PATH Certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning, In Progress of Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor Rachel has been in love with horses her whole life. When Rachel was five years old, her grandfather took her up to the Air Force Academy stables for her very first ride, and twenty years later the obsession has never gone away. Being an Air Force brat, Rachel was able to experience a wide variety of different stables and horses across the USA and Europe, but in 2012 her family retired and she was able to set roots back in Colorado. From there, Rachel found Latigo Trails Equestrian Center, and began to trade volunteer hours for riding lessons with the barn manager at the time. (Fun fact, Rachel's equine partner at the time was our very own Betty the mule!) At Latigo, Rachel had the wonderful experience of being a riding instructor under the wing of the barn manager, and also had the opportunity to compete at the local Winter Buckle Series for many years - competing in western pleasure, showmanship, horsemanship, reining, and even partaking in ranch riding! Over the years, Rachel has expanded her career into mental health territory as a PATH certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. After a year of working alongside therapists and clients, Rachel saw firsthand the power of horses engaging in mental health work. It is her goal to engage with riders and clients - under saddle and on the ground - physically, mentally, and emotionally, to build stabilizing relationships with equine partners to empower the mind and body. Through Latigo, Rachel became acquainted with the wonderful Harrison family, and in the summer of 2024 was fortunate enough to become a member of the CSTRC family as a riding instructor. Rachel finds utter fulfillment in the work she does as a riding instructor, seeing the growth in her riders and the community the CSTRC builds for everyone. Rachel is currently working on her bachelors in psychology, which she will utilize to help expand CSTRC into the field of mental health. In her free time, Rachel loves spending time with her two retired show horses, antique shopping, and finding new ways to engage with the world. (And telling wild stories about the one and only Betty!) Kim - PATH Certified Instructor - Level I Kim is a lifelong horse lover having ridden at every opportunity as a child and as an adult. In 2003, she began volunteering for the therapeutic riding program at Chastain Horse Park in Atlanta GA. In 2006, she successfully completed her PATH International certification. She continued to teach part-time at Chastain until March 2010 when, with her own children grown, she took a leap of faith to leave her full-time job as a Human Resource Manager and landed in Winter Park CO at the National Sports Center of the Disabled (NSCD) as the Therapeutic Riding Program Supervisor for their summer program. Spending four summers at NSCD, she managed a herd of 14 horses, coordinated the volunteer pool and along with one other staff member, provided lessons and recreational rides for moderate to profoundly disabled children and adults. In 2014, Kim moved to Colorado Springs CO where she worked at Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center as the Volunteer Coordinator, Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. She came to CSTRC in March of 2018 and couldn't be happier to be in such a warm and supportive environment. Kim shares her home with her 18 year old orange tabby cat, Pumpkin and spends her off time enjoying all the beautiful sights and activities of Colorado. Melanie K. - PATH Certified Instructor - Level I
Melanie is a Colorado native. She grew up in Denver and moved to Colorado Springs in 2012 after two years teaching in Mexico. Melanie was a middle and high school teacher. She taught at Doherty High School and worked in alternative education on the Wasson campus. Melanie started volunteering with CSTRC in 2018 during her summer break. After volunteering for four years she pursued her PATH certification and became a therapeutic riding instructor. She finds it so rewarding that some of her riders have made huge improvements in physical strength and abilities. Others have improved their verbal and communication skills and some have overcome fear and anxiety. Melanie loves working with the horses and helping people. Hippotherapy Instructor Heather- Physical Therapist - Specialized in Hippotherapy Heather started with CSTRC in May, 2021. She provides Hippotherapy at CSTRC each Thursday guiding, challenging, encouraging, and strengthening riders. Heather employs physical therapy techniques with clients of all ages and disability types. At CSTRC she utilizes our trusty four-legged friends as tools to help her clients with a variety of challenges to meet their rehabilitative and functional goals. Heather graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas with a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy in 1997. After many years of practicing physical therapy, without utilizing horses, Heather began incorporating them as tools into her practice approximately three years ago. Her motivation is her daughter, an Equine Science Major at Colorado Springs University who loves horses, and her son, who has high-functioning autism. When Heather discovered she could work with both horses and a pediatric clientele that she understood through her family’s own experience, she found the perfect fit. She could approach this physical therapy opportunity with a unique compassion and offer grace and encouragement to families while the clients experienced both joy and functional improvement. She loves to watch a client progress without even realizing that they’re participating in therapy – they sparkle, shine, improve and have a great time during their session. Heather ascribes to the tenets of the American Hippotherapy Association and works to educate others about how working within the discipline of physical therapy while utilizing the movement of a horse can benefit clients. She has also found that equine-assisted therapy is beneficial for trauma-based mental health. Horses are a beautiful mirror of ourselves, reflecting our energy back to us and teaching us calming and mindset techniques so that both client and horse thrive. Therapeutic practices and techniques continue to evolve thanks to the expertise of professionals like Heather. When you combine that knowledge with the steady companionship of a horse, you have a win/win situation. |
Riding Instructor Brianna (Bri) K. - Riding Instructor I am a lifelong equestrian with an unwavering passion for horses. They’ve been my first and truest love since before I could walk or talk. Horses have shaped every chapter of my life and, in many ways, saved me. Growing up, I spent every second I could in the saddle. Before I started taking riding lessons my parents introduced me to trail rides right here at Mark Reyner Stables. I rode and loved one of Nancy’s favorite horses, Donut. It’s pretty cool that I get to be back here after all these years, but this time as a riding instructor. I’m the proud mom/owner of two incredible horses: Moon Pie, a mini horse with a big heart and personality who has done therapy work, and Dayo, my “heart horse” of 17 years with whom I share an unbreakable bond. Together, we’ve competed in 3-day eventing and local hunter/jumper shows. These days we enjoy a more laid-back lifestyle, but still take lessons every chance we get, still learning and growing every ride. Drawing on decades of experience and the guidance of many trainers, I now bring my expertise to riders at CSTRC, where my goal is to help you become a safe and confident rider, fully connected with your horse. Outside the arena, I’m a Colorado native, a dedicated wife, a proud dog mom of three, and a longtime restaurant professional whose work ethic was forged in the stables. I truly believe in the power of these wonderful animals and I am honored to be a part of this amazing program and family. Volunteer Coordinator Jessica C. - Volunteer Coordinator Jessica has been the Volunteer Coordinator at CSTRC since early 2014. She recruits and trains new volunteers and assists in daily lessons as a horse leader, side walker and horse groomer. Starting out as a volunteer herself in the Summer of 2010, she has gained experience working with horses, special needs riders and the volunteers who enjoy working with both. She has lived in Colorado Springs since she was 6 years old and while she did not grow up with horses, she has found a great fulfillment in working alongside them and learning from the growing family of instructors and volunteers at CSTRC -- she would be thrilled to assist you in joining us!
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ABOUT Menu
Location
We are located in the heart of Colorado Springs, nestled in beautiful Palmer Park at Mark Reyner Stables.
We offer a large outdoor arena, a heated indoor arena, multiple riding trails, full boarding, riding lessons, and field trips.
3254 Paseo Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
719-634-4173 Fax 719-477-0461
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