At Nevada Equine Assisted Therapy (NEAT), we witness the profound connection between humans and horses transform lives every day. Serving the Reno community, our mission is to provide therapeutic experiences that foster growth, healing, and empowerment for individuals facing a variety of challenges.
Stories of Change & Success
Meet Josiah
See how equine therapy helps Josiah, 18, overcome anxiety and developmental delays with our horse, Ruby.
Scholarship applications are available and are considered by our non-profit partner, the For Kids Foundation. Click here for more information about the scholarship application.
The Science Behind the Smiles: Research & Resources
- Summary, “Measuring the Effects of Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” Robin L. Gabriels (University of Colorado at Denver/The Children’s Hospital), et al [download PDF]
- N.E.A.T. staff compilation, “Equine Therapy in Work with ASD/PDD and Related Disorders” [download Word doc]
- N.E.A.T. staff compilation, “The Efficacy of Equine Assisted Therapy” [download Word doc]
Professional Organizations & Further Learning
- PATH
- Greg Kersten’s OK Corral
- Reins of Change (including research article, “Efficacy of equine therapy: Mounting evidence” [download Word doc])
- Equus Spirit (including research article, “Case studies of a group of adult users of a mental health team receiving riding therapy”)
- Changing lives through Riding Rehabilitation And Learning (CORRAL) (including more research articles)
- Human-Equine Alliances for Learning (HEAL)
- Pat Parelli Natural Horsemanship
- Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA)
Other great site
- just the positive. com
- For Carson City Resources, check out Partnership Carson City
- DreamHorse.com (exactly what the name implies!)
- Autism Speaks
- Nevada Autism Community Foundation
- My Caballo (fun!)
- NEACCY (these folks will help if you are having trouble w/Nevada schools. They are not ‘free’ but do work on a very generous sliding scale)
Friends and supporters
“We would like to say thank you to all of our friends and supporters who have helped us in so many ways. You have made so much possible for so many…thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
–Bambi Spahr and Laurie Roberts, N.E.A.T. co-founders
- Brian Davis
- Linda and Max Ciampoli
- For Kids Foundation
- Center for Hope of the Sierras
- Sierra Association of Foster Families
- Cornelius Sheehan, Jr. LCSW- Individual and Couples Counseling
- Gwen Clancy, videographer
- Tess and Alexis Opferman
- Schall AdamsHigh Desert Equine Center – American Baskir Curly Horses
- Nevada Equine Assisted Therapy partners with Washoe County School District (video) — August 1, 2010
- No horsing around, Reno Gazette-Journal (article) — June 17, 2010
- Petfolio magazine, Feb/March 2011 issue
- Horses Changing Local Children’s Lives, KOLO TV –April 11, 2011
- KUNR “Healing Across the Sierras” — March 2014
- KOLO TV “Scholarships Available” — April 2019