HORSE SENSE: Lisa Gatti, Founder and CEO of Pal-O-Mine Equestrian. "Horses can heal in so many ways."

PAL-O-MINE EQUESTRIAN Where Horses are Central to Growth, Learning and Healing

In 1995, Lisa Gatti, an avid horse lover, competitive rider and special education teacher, began a therapeutic horseback riding program for individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. She had one horse, a small group of students and rented space at a local equestrian center.

A lot has changesd since then. Her organization, Pal-O-Mine Equestrian, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, located on Old Nichols Road in Islandia, New York, has evolved considerably from its beginnings. Its mission however has not: To facilitate growth, learning and healing with a myriad of populations using horses as the foundation. The difference is that now Lisa, as Pal-O-Mine's CEO, oversees a sizeable team of dedicated and highly credentialed professionals, ranging from certified equine specialists to licensed social workers and registered nurses and licensed teachers and riding instructors. In addition, there are facility, program and barn staff who make up part of this team, not to mention the volunteer coordinator who oversees the 80 volunteers weekly who give of their time, selflessly and unconditionally. There is also a herd of 20 therapy horses, as well as farm animals and other livestock to complete the team.

The programs, too, have grown as have Pal-O-Mine's facilities and footprint. Its students, from children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities, to survivors of abuse, our military and their families and underprivileged and at-risk youth, are making tremendous strides. Pal-O-Mine continues with conviction toward the finish line in A Race We Will Win.

What They Are Saying

Looking around at Pal-O-Mine today—with its 13 acres and multiple buildings, including those for classrooms, educational and vocational programs, barn, indoor arena and organic and sensory gardens—it is difficult not to be captured by the energy of the instructors and their students as they grow in courage, confidence and life skills, bonding with their human and equine teachers. Regardless of their disability or circumstance—whether they have an autism spectrum disorder, neurological disorder, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Down syndrome, spina bifida, an emotional or genetic disorder, traumatic brain injury or other disorder—Pal-OMine's programs are designed to help each individual improve in the areas they need most. And, they do improve.

One parent spoke about her son, saying, "My son, Timothy, has multiple physical disabilities, but is completely mentally normal. He works very hard to change this in whatever small way he can, and thanks to his riding at Pal-O-Mine, his ability to do small things for himself is improving much to the delight of his therapists." Still another parent said, "My son has been riding since he was four years old. I cannot find enough positive words to describe the staff and volunteers that work here. Horses and PalO-Mine have had such an incredibly positive influence on my son's life that we are forever grateful." One student, perhaps, said it best, "My journey has been long and arduous. I searched and searched, and found you…You all helped me regain my life. There's always work to do to keep growing…"

Pal-O-Mine Equestrian began in 1995 as a therapeutic horseback riding program for individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. Our mission is to provide a comprehensive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing. Our populations include children and adults with disabilities, those who have been abused or neglected, the military and the impoverished.

HORSES MAKE LEARNING FUN: A student from a local school district attends Pal-O-Mine as part of an Equine Assisted Learning Program where academic, social and behavioral goals are met.

TRUE PALS: With the exception of Adaptive Riding, all of Pal-O-Mine's programs are unmounted and involve activities on the ground with the horses, which provides opportunities for individual and group discovery through experiential learning.

Programs that Empower

Pal-O-Mine provides a variety of programs which include: Adaptive Riding and Unmounted Horsemanship, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, Equine Assisted Learning, Hippotherapy, Military and First Responder Wellness Programs and Corporate Leadership Workshops. Each of these programs has specific objectives rooted in an educational, emotional, growth and learning foundation. Pal-O-Mine Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Programs, for instance, use unique approaches to create positive and constructive learning experiences for children and adolescents who are at risk of failing in the traditional academic setting. These EAL sessions incorporate guided and safe horse interactions, positive interactions between students, animals and adults, along with grade-level appropriate reading, writing, art and math skills. The program follows the practices and guidelines of the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA), and many of Pal-OMine's instructors are EAGALA-certified.

The Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) program also follows the model prescribed by EAGALA, the leading international EAP training and certifying organization. Pal-O-Mine currently has seven Licensed Mental Health Professionals and nine Equine Specialists who are certified in the EAGALA model.

Additional Programs

• • Hippotherapy, a treatment strategy provided by licensed and specially trained occupational therapists, physical therapists or speech-language pathologists who use the movement of the horse, whose gait provide multidimensional movement, to help address and improve function;
• • Animal Assisted Speech/Occupational Therapy enhanced with the assistance of Pal-O-Mine's horses, ponies, miniatures horses, miniature donkeys, goats, sheep, chickens, bunnies and cats;
• • Individual, family and group therapy focusing on issues such as grief, trauma, abuse, and eating and substance disorders;
• • Military and First Responder Wellness, also using the EAGALA EAP model to treat veterans and their families who suffer from the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), such as anger, depression, anxiety, nightmares, irritability, addiction and other debilitating conditions, as well as those with traumatic brain injury.
• • Corporate Leadership and Team Building Workshops;
• • Alternative to Incarceration Program for school aged youth specifically designed to reduce the recidivism rate and allow for completion of high school.

A Race We Will Win

With its student population continuing to grow and no holding back on the reins of its expansion, Pal-O-Mine has embarked on its most ambitious capital improvement campaign since its inception. Launching officially at Pal-O-Mine's 2019 "Day at the Races," at Belmont Park, the day before the Belmont Stakes, its "A Race We Will Win" campaign has a goal to raise $3 million over a three-year period to fund various essential capital improvements across its property and facilities. These include building renovations and system installation projects such as an office expansion, indoor arena improvements, energy-efficient lighting, accessible inclusive playground for humans and horses, new fencing, golf carts for multiple purposes, roof and window replacements, and other infrastructure and equipment needs.

According to Lisa, whose achievements include the 1996 and 2000 United States Team Leader for the Equestrian Paralympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia and Sydney, Australia, and Member of the Board of Directors of EAGALA, as well as a Member of the Board of Autism Communities of Long Island, "The last few years have been especially dynamic for our organization. We have seen tremendous growth in our programs and facilities. We have been fortunate to have many very loyal and generous contributors who have helped us reach this stage in our growth. Now, we want to reach out to the broader private and corporate communities for their support so we can provide our vital programs to more individuals with disabilities, as well as our military and their families, adjudicated youth and those who are survivors of trauma. We are confident this will be A Race We Will Win for all of those we serve today and into the future." Learn more about Pal-O-Mine Equestrian at: pal-o-mine.org •