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Inspiration Ranch Hires Program Coordinator for Equine-Assisted Therapeutic Riding

By: Ashley Hamlin
| Published 01/09/2020

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MAGNOLIA, TX – Inspiration Ranch is excited to announce the addition of Equine-Assisted Therapeutic Riding Program Coordinator Audrey Cunningham to its staff to drive the expansion of the program.

Therapeutic Riding Program Expected to Expand Significantly in 2020


“We have been looking for someone with the ability to hone in on the specifics of our Equine-Assisted Therapeutic Riding Program and plot its course of growth,” says Operations Director Kim Vest, “When we saw Audrey’s equine, instructor, and nonprofit background we knew we had found our candidate.”

Cunningham comes to Inspiration Ranch from ManeGait Therapeutic Horsemanship in McKinney, Texas. She has an MBA from Union University in Tennessee, is a Level 4 Certified Horsemanship Association Master Riding Instructor in both English and Western riding and a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH, Intl.) Certified Instructor. While at ManeGait she developed the riding program’s lesson schedule, documented the progress of the center’s 150+ riders, horse usage, and occurrences, and helped with volunteer management.

Cunningham has an extensive history with horses through activities such as 4-H, foxhunting, hunter/jumper, dressage, cutting, reining, and gaited trail riding. She was a member of the Sam Houston State University Rodeo Team in college and currently competes through both the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association and American Quarter Horse Association. She holds her judges’ card with multiple associations and was led to a career in therapeutic riding through a non-profit background and the love for teaching others about horses.

“We are ready to begin addressing the list of potential riders who have been waiting more than two years to enter our program,” says Vest, “We now have the space and instructors needed; with Audrey’s addition we can tackle our goal of program expansion to reduce, and possibly eliminate, that waitlist.”

Inspiration Ranch relocated to a 40-acre property in Magnolia, Texas, last May to allow for the space needed to grow its herd of horses, house additional staff, and expand its programs. After undergoing extensive construction and relaunching lessons with the riders already participating in the Equine-Assisted Therapeutic Riding Program, the Ranch began putting into place the infrastructure needed to expand the program.

Currently, Inspiration Ranch has a waitlist of more than 40 children hoping to receive the benefits therapeutic riding offers for physical, cognitive, and emotional diagnoses. Program expansion began this week with six new riders will joining the program. The addition of Saturday lessons kicks-off January 18th. Additional riders are currently meeting with Ranch staff about joining the program, and the Ranch plans to reduce the waitlist by half within the year. 2020 is starting off quickly for Inspiration Ranch’s staff, and there is more growth to come.

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