LEAD Therapeutic Riding

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Ruidoso Downs, NM
LEAD Therapeutic Riding

LEAD Therapeutic Riding is among New Mexico's premier equine-assisted therapy programs.

The healing power of the horse/human connection positively impacts the cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being of children and families in our community.

08/31/2026

That’s a wrap on LEAD’s Summer Session 2026! ☀️🐴💙 A summer filled with courage, connection, new skills, big smiles, and unforgettable moments with our incredible riders, horses, volunteers, and families. We’re so proud of every milestone—big and small! Until next time… keep shining and keep riding! Fall session starts September 18 ✨🏇

08/20/2026

A very special thank-you to TJ Romero with LED by Faith for taking such wonderful care of our sweet Cueball! 🤍🐴

Cueball has been experiencing some back soreness, and TJ generously shared her time, skill and gentle touch to help him feel more comfortable. It was beautiful to watch him relax and respond as she worked—he clearly knew he was in caring hands.

TJ is a talented massage therapist for both horses and humans, and we are so grateful to have her support our beloved therapy horses. Caring for the horses who care for so many others is incredibly important to us at LEAD.

Thank you, TJ, for loving on our sweet boy and helping us keep him feeling his best! ❤️

CaringForOurHerd HealingPeopleThroughHorses

08/10/2026

A weekend full of horses, laughter, friendship, and so much love. 💕

Maryann, thank you for giving LEAD the incredible gift of McGee. He is everything we could hope for in a therapy horse—gentle, patient, trustworthy, and so special. He is already changing lives, and we will forever be grateful that you entrusted him to us. 🐴💙

And to my mom and my Tia Tommy—thank you for always showing up, cheering me on, and supporting the work we do at LEAD. Having you all here made this weekend even more meaningful.

What a fabulous girls’ weekend with some truly amazing women! 💕

08/02/2026

The last couple of weeks have reminded me of something I’ll never forget…

JR wasn’t just loved by me. He was loved by an entire community.

To every family, rider, volunteer, board member, friend, and supporter who has shown up with hugs, tears, kind words, meals, donations, prayers, texts, laughter, and simply your presence—thank you.

You’ve honored JR’s life in ways I can’t fully put into words. Every story you’ve shared, every memory you’ve told, every act of kindness has reminded me just how many lives he touched.

But you’ve also reminded me of something I desperately needed to hear… that I am not carrying this alone. You have shown me not only how deeply JR was loved, but how deeply I am loved too.

In the middle of one of the hardest seasons of my life, you’ve wrapped your arms around both me and LEAD. You’ve shown up for the horses, our riders, our families, and our mission. Your love has given me strength on days when I wasn’t sure I had any left.

My heart is still grieving, but it is also overflowing with gratitude.

From the bottom of my heart… thank you for loving JR. Thank you for loving LEAD. And thank you for loving me.

I will never forget it. ❤️🐴🌻

07/29/2026

This past weekend was JR Legacy Weekend, as we celebrated the love and gentleness of sweet JR by riding the legacy rodeo and painting rocks for the legacy garden. We are all so sad about the loss of JR, yet being together and sharing our favorite JR memories was healing. Riders graduated to their new horses.

One thing we know as a LEAD community: we can do hard things. And we will always have one other to help us through.

07/28/2026

It's hard to believe it's been over a week now since we said goodbye to JR and sent him off to ride with the angels. Thank you to the LEAD community for your love and support during such a difficult time. 💔

JR was our "heart" horse—loving, sweet, patient, gentle. He was the one who helped many of our young riders learn to trust for the first time and gain confidence. He certainly did that for me, helping me through many difficult times.

Losing a trusted animal of any kind is painful. But it feels even more painful when it's a horse. Horses see inside our souls. They mirror back to us who we are. Losing a horse is like a losing a piece of yourself.

JR was our very first equine therapy horse and the impact he made on our riders will be remembered forever.

Rest in peace, dear and faithful friend. Until we meet again...

xoxo
Dara

07/23/2026

to the opening weekend of LEAD back in 2023 as we opened our doors and welcomed our riders for the very first time! ❤️🐴

🎥 Watch this short highlight reel!

Thanks to our incredible donors and supporters, volunteers, riders and families who've been with us from the beginning and for making LEAD what it is today---one of New Mexico's premier equine therapy nonprofit organizations and a trusted partner serving the children and families of our community.

Here's to the next three years and MANY more to come!

07/22/2026

Happiest of birthdays to the one and only Randy Livingston! 🎈🎂 Join us in celebrating someone who has been the heart of soul of LEAD since the very beginning.

One of our very first volunteers and a faithful Board member, Randy has poured countless hours into our program, working behind the scenes, helping care for our horses, working with the kids we serve, and just always answering the call whenever we need help.

When our wonderful "heart" horse JR fell ill last week and sadly passed, he was by our side for 12 hours.

That's just who he is -- always giving, always there, always faithful. ❤️

07/19/2026

The Heart of LEAD

Every child who walks into LEAD should know there was once a horse who made all of this possible.

Before there was a nonprofit…
Before there was an arena filled with laughter…
Before there were volunteers, instructors, and families finding hope…

There was JR

He was more than a horse.

He was the quiet soul who welcomed the frightened, steadied the uncertain, and carried countless children toward confidence. He never judged. He never hurried. He simply met each person exactly where they were and offered the greatest gift a horse can give—his trust.

He taught us that healing doesn’t always happen through words. Sometimes it happens through a gentle nicker, a warm breath on your shoulder, and the steady rhythm of four faithful hooves.

Long before LEAD had a name, JR was already living its mission.

Every lesson taught here…
Every smile that replaces fear…
Every volunteer who discovers the power of serving…
Every child who leaves believing in themselves…

Carries a little piece of him.

His hoofprints are not only in this arena—they are woven into the very foundation of LEAD.

For thirty-five years he gave his heart without asking for anything in return.

And when his work here was finished, he left behind something far greater than memories.

He left behind a legacy of kindness, courage, healing, and unconditional love that will continue through every horse, every rider, and every life touched by this place.

Run free, sweet boy.

Thank you for taking such good care of me and for helping build a place where so many others could heal.

You will always be the heart of LEAD. I love you 🤍🐴

❤️ In loving memory of Lead—the horse who started it all.

Address

P. O. Box 1904
Ruidoso Downs, NM
88346

Telephone

+17203844653

Website

http://Leadtherapyriding.com/, https://www.youtube.com/@LEADTherapeuticRiding, https://ridewithlead.logosoftwear.com/

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