About Us

Mission
The Helping Horseshoe Therapeutic Riding Club, Inc. is dedicated to enriching lives through all forms of Equine-Assisted Services. We are committed to supporting therapeutic horses throughout their working years and into retirement, ensuring their lifelong well-being. In addition, we proudly collaborate with and support organizations that provide valuable services within the adaptive and equine-assisted community, promoting inclusion, and growth through the power of the horse-human connection.
Vision
The Helping Horseshoe Therapeutic Riding Club, Inc. envisions a world where individuals of all abilities experience empowerment, healing, and inclusion through the transformative power of the horse-human connection. We strive to set the standard for compassionate equine-assisted services, ensuring the well-being of therapeutic horses and fostering collaboration among organizations that share our commitment to advancing adaptive and inclusive horsemanship.
Core Values
  • Compassion
    We honor the dignity and individuality of every person and horse, fostering an environment of kindness, patience, and respect.
  • Inclusion
    We honor the dignity and individuality of every person and horse, fostering an environment of kindness, patience, and respect.
  • Integrity
    We uphold the highest ethical standards in our care, programs, and partnerships, ensuring transparency and accountability in all that we do.
  • Collaboration
    We actively engage with organizations, professionals, and communities to strengthen the impact of adaptive and equine-assisted services nationwide.
  • Horsemanship
    We are committed to the lifelong welfare of therapeutic horses, providing responsible care during their service and into retirement.
  • Excellence
    We continually pursue innovation, education, and best practices to enhance the quality and outcomes of equine-assisted programs.

Programs

We have a variety of mounted and unmounted programs for individuals with and without special needs.

  • Private and group therapeutic horseback riding lessons for individuals with special needs
  • Standard able-bodied horseback riding lessons, group & private, for adults and children, dressage, hunt seat and western, pleasure & working
  • Summer day programs
  • Horsemanship programs, unmounted
  • Opportunities to compete
  • Opportunities for Girl Scouts & Boy Scouts
  • Senior programs
  • School trips
  • Introductory horse experiential lesson for non equestrians
  • Enrichment programs for at risk youth and individuals recovering from addiction
  • Job training
  • Community service opportunities

Equine Assisted Learning

What makes experiential learning with horses different from any other kind of experiential learning opportunity is that you're interacting with a living being.

At The Helping Horseshoe Therapeutic Riding Club, our experiential learning programs offer something truly unique — the opportunity to learn and grow through meaningful interaction with horses. Unlike traditional experiential learning, this approach involves connecting with a living, responsive partner who mirrors our emotions, intentions, and energy.

Horses naturally respond to individuals who demonstrate confidence, clarity, and authenticity. It's not just what you do, but how you do it that creates impact. Through hands-on experiences with our horses, participants work together to accomplish goals in real time — building trust, developing communication skills, and fostering self-awareness along the way.

As participants observe and respond to a horse's feedback, they gain powerful insights into their own communication styles, emotional regulation, and leadership presence. The result is growth that extends far beyond the arena — into relationships, the workplace, and everyday life.

Program Benefit
Our equine-assisted experiential learning programs help individuals and groups strengthen essential life and leadership skills, including:
  • Communication: Learn to express yourself clearly and effectively, both verbally and nonverbally.
  • Teamwork: Build trust and collaboration through shared goals with horses and peers.
  • Leadership: Discover how authentic leadership inspires confidence and respect.
  • Self-Awareness: Recognize your emotions and behavior patterns through the horse's immediate feedback.
  • Mindfulness: Develop focus and presence in the moment, guided by the calm awareness of the horse.
  • Emotional & Social Intelligence: Cultivate empathy, emotional control, and the ability to connect meaningfully with others.
Program Types
  • Corporate Leadership
  • Addiction Enrichment
  • Resilience Building
  • Veterans
  • Youth Leadership
  • Horsemanship 101

Programs will be personally designed to meet your needs.

Meet Our Team

"Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much." – Helen Keller

Kara Stark McGrew

Path, Intl Certified:
CTRI, Advanced Instructor, ESMHL & Mentor
B.S in Equestrian Science
Special Olympics Coach

Kara is the founder, director and primary instructor of Helping Horseshoe. She is an active member of the HRH of NJ, the state organization for therapeutic riding programs. For 13 years Kara managed the state horse show which was also the host for the area 3 Special Olympic show for HRH. Kara is the co- founder of The National Adaptive Virtual Horse Shows. A virtual inclusive show series dedicated to the Equine Assisted Services and Adaptive Riding programs nationwide.

Our Horses

Herd Members

Our horses make Helping Horseshoe what it is. They often enjoy a "second life" here with us and love their new jobs.

Our Volunteers

Human Members

We are forever grateful for all of our volunteers: past, present, and future. They help with barn care, side-walking and everything in between! Please contact Kara today if you are interested in becoming a volunteer with us!