Equest

Visited Equest on my bus tour with JLD and the facility and staff were phenomenal! I can definitely see myself requesting Equest as a placement location in future. The staff are so patient and kind. The amount of care the animals receive is just indescribable. I'm not an animal woman at all and these horses were gentle, patient and so sweet. I faced my fears and pet a few and I want to go back just to see them lol. The facility is very well-kept and clean considering what it is used for. I recommend taking your children for horse therapy and rehabilitation. If applicable to me I would be one of the first to sign up.

This place gives me so much happiness. I've waited over a year to write a review and have gone back over 20 times. As a volunteer, the staff treats you with respect and like you're a family member-after all, the program only survives on volunteers for classes to assist the instructor in each class. Ellie is the volunteer coordinator and she is so easy to talk to and makes it easy to communicate with her via text/email! She and everyone there make a point to thank you every time you come in too!Why do they need volunteers for class? Well, As many as 3 volunteers could surround and support a beginner or riders with more emotional or physical needs by holding them in the saddle, maybe just putting a hand on their leg so they know they are safe, etc.... While maybe 1 volunteer would be used for an experienced rider to simply lead the horse.I can't say enough about this place! Looking to help your community and volunteer your time around KIND people and animals? LOOK NO FURTHER!

this is an amazing organization and I am so glad my daughter is involved. I like what they stand for.

Just finished volunteering for a class at Equest.. feel very blessed to work with these great instructors and precious people devoting their time for our students. Exceptional work in many peoples lives happens every single day... if you're looking for a special place above and beyond to donate money or time, this is it ..look no further!Thank you Equest for changing peoples lives every day.

We used to keep our horses here, but there kinda proud of boarding costs. Its a nice place though, plenty of riding on both sides of the road.

This is the perfect establishment for special needs children as well as adults. Everyone that I encountered is friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about Equest. I was placed on a waiting list for talk therapy and lessons, and that was 2 years ago. It is best suited for children as they are in no hurry to accommodate my Equestrian needs. It is criminal to get someone so excited about riding only to never accommodate.

Before I write this review, I want to make it clear that I volunteer for this organization and do not get paid by them! ^.^ With that being said...Equest is one of the best places I have ever volunteered for. It provides hippotherapy and physical therapy via horse riding and/or carriage driving, it truly is a unique program (there are others like it across the country, but not many). When I walked in to the center the riding instructor was playfully chasing around one of the kids and my nervousness subsided (it reminded me of the moment in Little Women when Jo saw Professor Fritz was playing with the kids, if you even know what I'm referring to, haha). I was nervous when I started here, but the volunteers were quick to alleviate my fear and the instructor was incredibly nice. I know this review reads more like a story, but... well, that's what I want! Anyway, as a volunteer I learned to groom and tack a horse and lead the kids around on the horse. The class I work with happen to be very independent riders, both pre-teens and teens and each of them have such a wonderful personality and take riding very seriously. I couldn't imagine doing anything else with my time. I have to admit when I first started, trotting with the horses around the arenas and leading them along trails during hour long classes gave me a bit of a workout - you get used to it quickly though. ^.^ There are over 100 volunteers that groom, tack, lead and clean stalls. I believe there are about 30 horses and the volunteers love them as much as the kids that ride them. Horses aren't for you? Well, they have a barn cat and a sheep dog you can play with as well! :) Initially I volunteered because I wanted more experience working with children with various challenges because I'm entering a nursing program, which now seems very selfish of me. I can say the greatest thing I've received is the realization that I was the one in need, not the children - they've given me more than I could ever hope to give them. A story WB33 did on Equest:http://www.equest.org/media/videos.htmlOh, and in case my "edit" submissions don't go through, they're located in Wylie, not Rowlett.