High Lonesome Therapeutic Equestrian Center

10/16/2026

🐱❤️ Cloud, our resident barn cat!

Sure, Cloud helps with pest control, but he’s so much more than that! He’s part of the herd and an important member of our barn family. 🐴🐾

Cloud loves being around people, soaking up all the snuggles he can get, and hanging out with his horse friends. You can often find him nearby, keeping an eye on what’s happening around the barn or looking for someone willing to give him a little extra love! ❤️

We think he’s pretty special, and we’re happy he’s made our barn his home. 🐱🐴

10/15/2026

🐴 A little behind-the-scenes barn life! 🚜

Ever wonder what goes into keeping our riding arena safe and ready for our riders? It takes a little work behind the scenes! Dragging the arena helps keep the footing level, smooth, and consistent, creating a safer and more comfortable surface for both our riders and our equine partners.

There’s a lot more to running a therapeutic riding center than lessons and horses. From preparing the arena to cleaning stalls and filling water buckets, it takes plenty of hard work to keep everything running smoothly!

It may not be the most glamorous part of barn life, but it’s an important one! ❤️🐎

10/15/2026

🐴❤️ Horsemanship is about more than riding!

Being a good horseman means taking care of our equine partners, both in and out of the saddle! Sometimes, horsemanship looks like cleaning stalls, scrubbing water buckets, or making sure our horses always have fresh, clean water. 🪣🧹

Our horses give us so much, and caring for them is one of the most important ways we can give back. These everyday chores teach responsibility, compassion, patience, and respect for the animals who do so much for our riders.

Because being a good partner means showing up for your horse, even when there’s no riding involved! 🐎❤️

10/14/2026

🐴 Lots of progress happening at the barn today! 🎉

Jesse is weaving through the poles independently, and we couldn’t be prouder of his hard work and determination! 💪 He has BIG goals for next year, and he’s putting in the work each and every week to make those goals a reality.

Progress doesn’t happen overnight. It takes patience, practice, dedication, and a willingness to keep trying. Jesse is showing us exactly what that looks like! ❤️

Keep going, Jesse! You are doing FANTASTIC! We can’t wait to see what you accomplish next! 🌟🐎

10/14/2026

🐴 Horsemanship is about so much more than riding! ❤️

Trotting in hand is a great way for our riders to develop their horsemanship skills while building confidence, coordination, and communication with their equine partners.

Groundwork is where a strong partnership begins! It teaches riders how to communicate with their horse, understand its body language, and work together as a team. By building trust and respect on the ground, riders create a stronger connection that carries over into the saddle, helping make the riding experience calmer, safer, and more enjoyable for both horse and rider. 🐎

Every moment spent learning on the ground helps build the foundation for a successful partnership. ❤️

10/12/2026

🐴 Today went great! ☀️

We couldn’t have asked for better weather for our PATH Intl. Premier Accreditation site visit! After eight long months of preparation, it was wonderful to finally have the day here.

A huge thank you to Lynn Petr and Nicole Pepper from PATH Intl. for taking the time to visit High Lonesome Therapeutic Equestrian Center and guide us through this important process. We also want to thank all of our amazing volunteers and supporters who helped us prepare and get everything ready. We couldn’t have done it without you! ❤️

Now comes the hard part… waiting! We should receive our official results in the next 30–45 days. While we wait, we’re feeling really good about how everything went and are hopeful for some exciting news!

This is such an important milestone for our little rural nonprofit, and we are so proud of how far we’ve come since opening our doors in January 2022.

Keep your fingers crossed for us! 🤞🐴❤️

10/10/2026

🐴 Eight long months of preparation, and we’re almost there! 🐴

After eight long months of preparing, organizing, reviewing, and making sure all our i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed, Monday is the big day! 🎉 High Lonesome Therapeutic Equestrian Center will undergo our inspection to become a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center!

Our barn has never been cleaner, and that’s thanks to the many hands that have come together to help us get ready! From cleaning and organizing to checking every last detail, our incredible volunteers have worked hard to help make this possible. We truly couldn’t do it without you! ❤️

But what does becoming a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center mean?

PATH Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) sets rigorous industry standards for equine-assisted services. Premier Accreditation is a significant achievement that demonstrates a center’s commitment to excellence in the care it provides to both its participants and its horses.

To earn this accreditation, centers undergo an intensive peer-review process evaluating more than 160 standards across several key areas, including:

🐴 Participant Safety & Well-Being: Ensuring safe, accessible, and supportive experiences for every participant.

🐴 Equine Welfare: Maintaining high standards for the health, care, housing, and workload of our equine partners.

🐴 Staff & Instructor Qualifications: Ensuring appropriate training, certifications, and safety education.

🐴 Facility & Equipment: Maintaining safe, accessible, and well-kept facilities and equipment.

🐴 Administration & Ethics: Following professional standards for risk management, responsible operations, and ethical practices.

Premier Accreditation is more than a title. It represents a commitment to maintaining high standards, continuing education, equine welfare, and the safety and well-being of everyone who walks through our gates. Accreditation also requires ongoing compliance and continued dedication to these standards.

For our small, rural nonprofit, this is a HUGE milestone! Since opening our doors in January 2022, we have worked hard to provide quality equine-assisted services to individuals in our community. This next step reflects the dedication, countless hours, and heart that go into making our program what it is today.

We are incredibly proud of how far we’ve come, and we are so grateful for every volunteer, board member, donor, supporter, and community member who has helped us along the way. This accomplishment belongs to all of you, too! ❤️

Now, let’s get through Monday! 🤞🐴

10/09/2026

🐴 Check out our NEW mounting platform! 🎉

We now have a safer and more spacious area for both our riders and instructors, making mounting easier and more comfortable for everyone!

A HUGE thank-you to our amazing volunteers who took the time and effort to build this for us. Your hard work and dedication make such a difference at High Lonesome Therapeutic Equestrian Center! 💙

We’re making progress every day, both in and out of the saddle! Every improvement helps us better serve our riders and continue building a place where abilities are empowered through equine partnership. 🐎❤️

10/08/2026

A HUGE thank you to Vincent, Anthony and Emily at Vincent’s Coppertop Restaurant & Pub for hosting an amazing Community Night in support of High Lonesome Therapeutic Equestrian Center! ❤️🐴

Your support means so much to us and to all of our riders, families, horses, and volunteers. And the food was absolutely delicious!!! 😋

Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy a great meal, support our barn, and support Vincent’s as well. We are so grateful for a community that continues to show up for us in so many ways.

We couldn’t do what we do without all of you! ❤️

🐴 Thank you for supporting High Lonesome Therapeutic Equestrian Center!

10/06/2026

🍽️🐴 DON’T FORGET — TOMORROW NIGHT YOU DON’T HAVE TO COOK! ❤️

Come out to Vincent’s Copper Top in Blairsville for a delicious meal while supporting High Lonesome Therapeutic Equestrian Center!

Bring your family and friends, enjoy a great dinner, and help support our riders, horses, and program. Every bit of community support means so much to us! 🐴❤️

We hope to see you tomorrow night! Come eat, support a great cause, and let someone else do the cooking! 😉

’sCopperTop

🍽️ COMMUNITY NIGHT! 🐴❤️

Come out to Vincent’s in Blairsville for a delicious meal while supporting High Lonesome Therapeutic Equestrian Center!

Enjoy some great food, bring your family and friends, and help support our riders, horses, and programs. Every meal and every bit of community support helps us continue our mission of empowering abilities through equine partnership. 🐴❤️

We’d love to see you there! Come eat, have some fun, and support a great cause!