A Dream is Realized

Hearts & Horses was incorporated January 27, 1997 by a small group of volunteers who used leased facilities at Ellis Ranch.

 

Spreading our Wings

Hearts & Horses moved into current facility in 1999. Thanks to the hard work of the staff, volunteers and community members the 23 acres that make up Hearts & Horses officially became mortgage free in May 2016.

 

Rider and Volunteer Numbers Grow

The organization began by serving 64 participants with a handful of volunteers in 1998 to present day operations serving over 800 participants annually with the help of over 1600 volunteers.

 

Community Backing

Hearts & Horses continues to improve our facilities with renovations and enhancements thanks to the generous donations received by the Northern Colorado community.

 

Our 23 Acre Ranch

State of the art facility including an automatic lift and heated arena, which allows for year round operations.

 

The Classroom

A large private area used for on-site workshops, retreats and summer camp.

 

Welcome Center and Volunteer Lounge

Heated offices, conference room and volunteer lounge create spaces to work, rest and connect.

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HISTORY AND FACILITY

History

Hearts & Horses was incorporated January 27, 1997 by a small group of volunteers. The organization was created to replace a therapeutic riding program in Loveland which had dissolved when its landowner and executive director moved out of town. Financial donations were obtained and classes began August 26, 1997 using leased facilities at Ellis Ranch.

A long-range plan was created to gain capital so that Hearts & Horses could acquire its own land and riding facility. In the fall of 1998, the present ranch property became available for purchase. After many hours of work and research on financing options, a lease-purchase contract was made with a local developer. Hearts & Horses moved in to its own facility on June 8, 1999. Thanks to the hard work of the staff, volunteers and community members the 23 acres that make up Hearts & Horses officially became mortgage-free in May 2016.

Growth Over Time

Over the years Hearts & Horses has grown considerably. The organization began by serving 64 participants with a handful of volunteers in 1998 to present day operations serving over 800 participants annually with the help of over 1600 volunteers. These committed volunteers make Hearts & Horses’ volunteer program one of the largest in Larimer County.

Hearts & Horses continues to improve our facilities with renovations and enhancements thanks to the generous donations received by the Northern Colorado community. In 2015 Hearts & Horses received $175,000 in grant funding and was able to stretch that donation into over $850,000 in grants and in-kind donations from area businesses, contractors and manufacturers. All funds went directly to remodel the outdated Kroh arena and to build a 3,000 square foot welcome center.

In December 2017, an extreme wind event irreparably damaged our large fabric-covered arena. Thanks to community support, we raised more than 1.5 million dollars to build a new, state-of-the-art facility. The Lucky Hearts Arena was officially completed in Summer of 2019, and features a 20,000 square foot riding arena that allows for multiple classes to happen simultaneously. An additional 7,500 square feet includes  a reception, corral, tack room, cross-ties, mounting area with a mechanical lift, two interactive viewing lounges, observation lounge, and classroom. This temperature-controlled building has doubled our available indoor arena space and allowed us to meet the growing demands of our community.

PHOTO GALLERY