Sanctuary for Horses and Humans
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Get to Know Us
Who We Are
The Middle Way is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to providing equine assisted therapy and sanctuary for horses that are unadoptable. After noticing a variety of students with a wide array of abilities and special needs, we realized that both horses and people could benefit from this connection and officially opened our doors in 2018. Lori Araki, our Board’s Executive Director, has over 20 years’ experience as a riding instructor, is PATH, Int. certified and has over 12 years specialized training as an equine specialist. Our team is comprised of Stephanie Tucker, M.Ed., LPC, LAC, who provides mental health services at The Middle Way Sanctuary, Board Members, Advocates, volunteer horse lovers and enthusiasts of all levels. Join us!
Mission
Provide sanctuary, healing, and education for people and horses. We believe all life is sacred and strive to create a place where each individual can feel safe and supported on their healing journey. We achieve this through mustang rescue and advocacy, therapeutic horsemanship, riding lessons, events, and retreats.
Vision
To create a world filled with kindness and compassion.
Values
Kindness Compassion Understanding
Mustangs
Our nations’ mustangs are an iconic symbol of the independent spirit of America. Did you know that the federal government is in the process of gathering tens of thousands of wild horses and selling them through an adoption program (an auction process)? There are significantly more mustangs removed from their federally protected herd management areas than there are qualified adopters. Although it is technically illegal to sell a mustang knowingly to slaughter in Canada and Mexico, many horses end up in kill pens every day. In 2020, prior to the large-scale helicopter roundups of 2021, there was a small bait and trap gather of Colorado’s Sand Wash Basin mustangs. On a cold January day, The Painted Ladies, three generations of wild mares were trapped. These three mares have chosen to always stay together rather than leaving their natal bands and creating their own families. Moved to tears, The Middle Way chose to step full into the wild horse world and successfully adopted them that summer. In September 2021, Scenic, the granddam of the herd, was captured in the helicopter round up. With the help of our followers, we were able to adopt Scenic and keep four generations of The Painted Ladies together. They will live out their days at The Middle Way Sanctuary, together as they have been throughout their lives. We hope to continue to add to our wild herd and incorporate them into our therapeutic programs.
Veterans
We offer therapeutic horsemanship, riding lessons, and clinics to veterans, active-duty military and first responders at no cost to participants. For many veterans, equine therapy has been a way to cope with symptoms of post traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries. Those veterans form a special bond and relief from working with horses that possibly no other animal can provide. (Read more here). Our veterans come from as far away as Colorado Springs to participate in our riding and horsemanship classes. We have military competency, years’ worth of experience and a proven record of accomplishment.
Therapeutic Riding
Did you know that a horse’s pelvis moves the same way a person’s does when walking? This is one of the many ways horses can help people learn or relearn how to walk. Horses offer so many opportunities for people with special needs, whether physical, mental or emotional. Horseback riding helps people improve strength, balance, stamina, fine and gross motor skills in a supportive environment. Our program is set up to provide social interaction with staff, other students and volunteers. We can help with a wide array of challenges and support you or your child as you grow and learn about horses. Horses can even help improve verbal and communication skills.
Sanctuary
We offer safe haven on our 35 acre property where our horses can live out their days in peace and comfort. Our therapeutic riding horses will always be with us so they can be rewarded for their steadfast service to our students and clients. They can live out their days in peace and comfort with people who love them and are grateful for their contributions to helping humans heal. Included in our sanctuary are our wild horses, The Painted Ladies. If you would like to support our horses in their work and support The Middle Way in providing sanctuary for more deserving animals, you can volunteer, come to our regular “Grooming Days”, and donate.
Riding Lessons
Our riding instructor, Lori Araki, has decades of experience riding, training horses and teaching students. We provide top quality riding lessons, beginner through advanced, our horses or yours. Lori has trained with Olympic medalists in dressage and jumping as well as the top riders in hunter/jumpers, racehorses, polo and western riders. The Middle Way practices Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive and positive reinforcement training with our riding horses as well as our wild mustangs. We foster respect, kindness and compassion for each other and our horses.
Equine Assisted Therapy
More and more research is proving the adage that there is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man (or woman, girl, boy, LGBTQ and anyone in between). Equine assisted therapy is a mindful approach for our horses to support us as we learn new skills and gain insight to our own minds and emotional lives. It’s not talk therapy, equine therapy is an active dynamic way to address a wide variety of issues, including PTSD, boundary setting, trauma, grief, self esteem, confidence and so much more. If you could use some extra support, please don’t wait, call today to set up a session with our beautiful horses.
Testimonials
What People Are Saying
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Our nations’ mustangs are an iconic symbol of the independent spirit of America. Did you know that the federal government is in the process of gathering tens of thousands of wild horses and selling them through an adoption program (an auction process)? There are significantly more mustangs removed from their federally protected herd management areas than there are qualified adopters. Although it is technically illegal to sell a mustang knowingly to slaughter in Canada and Mexico, many horses end up in kill pens every day. In 2020, prior to the large scale helicopter roundups of 2021, there was a small bait and trap gather of Colorado’s Sand Wash Basin mustangs. On a cold January day, The Painted Ladies, three generations of wild mares were trapped. These three mares have chosen to always stay together rather than leaving their natal bands and creating their own families. Moved to tears, The Middle Way chose to step full into the wild horse world and successfully adopted them that summer. The Painted Ladies will live out their days in sanctuary with us and we hope to continue to add to our wild herd and incorporate them into our therapeutic programs.
We offer therapeutic horsemanship, riding lessons, and clinics to veterans, active-duty military and first responders at no cost to participants. For many veterans, equine therapy has been a way to cope with symptoms of post traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries. Those veterans form a special bond and relief from working with horses that possibly no other animal can provide. (Read more here). Our veterans come from as far away as Colorado Springs to participate in our riding and horsemanship classes. We have military competency, years’ worth of experience and a proven record of accomplishment.
Did you know that a horse’s pelvis moves the same way a person’s does when walking? This is one of the many ways horses can help people learn or relearn how to walk. Horses offer so many opportunities for people with special needs, whether physical, mental or emotional. Horseback riding helps people improve strength, balance, stamina, fine and gross motor skills in a supportive environment. Our program is set up to provide social interaction with staff, other students and volunteers. We can help with a wide array of challenges and support you or your child as you grow and learn about horses. Horses can even help improve verbal and communication skills.
We offer safe haven on our 35 acre property where our horses can live out their days in peace and comfort. Our therapeutic riding horses will always be with us so they can be rewarded for their steadfast service to our students and clients. They can live out their days in peace and comfort with people who love them and are grateful for their contributions to helping humans heal. Included in our sanctuary are our wild horses, The Painted Ladies. If you would like to support our horses in their work and support The Middle Way in providing sanctuary for more deserving animals, you can (link to) volunteer, come to our regular “Grooming Days”, and donate.
Our riding instructor, Lori Araki, has decades of experience riding, training horses and teaching students. We provide top quality riding lessons, beginner through advanced, our horses or yours. Lori has trained with Olympic medalists in dressage and jumping as well as the top riders in hunter/jumpers, racehorses, polo and western riders. Lori has been an equine specialist in equine facilitated mental health and learning since 2009 and teaches social and emotional skills alongside riding skills. The Middle Way practices Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive and positive reinforcement training with our riding horses as well as our wild mustangs. We foster respect, kindness and compassion for each other and our horses.
More and more research is proving the adage that there is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man (or woman, girl, boy, LGBTQ and anyone in between). Equine assisted therapy is a mindful approach for our horses to support us as we learn new skills and gain insight to our own minds and emotional lives. It’s not talk therapy, equine therapy is an active dynamic way to address a wide variety of issues, including PTSD, boundary setting, trauma, grief, self esteem, confidence and so much more. If you could use some extra support, please don’t wait, call today to set up a session with our beautiful horses.
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Annual Fund and In-Kind Donations
The Middle Way Sanctuary relies on annual and in-kind gifts to support our programs and needs for the organization.
What can volunteers do to help?
Find out more about how you can be part of our organization and help our community.
Interested in Attending Our Events?
Come and check out our upcoming events on our calendar.