By Ella Harmon for The American Quarter Horse Journal 

Every Thursday morning, Nikki Martin and her mom make the hour-long drive from Shawnee, Oklahoma, to a quiet gravel road on the edge of Stillwater. At the end of it sits Turning Point Ranch, one of the many equine therapy centers that have helped Nikki achieve what doctors once said she would never do: walk.

As a child, Nikki was diagnosed with congenital myasthenia, a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Denise Martin, the 30-year-old's mother, says that over time, therapeutic riding sessions have helped her daughter develop the strength and balance to sit independently and, eventually, to walk and ride on her own.

"We truly believe it is because of riding," Denise says. "She wouldn't be walking without it."

Turning Point Ranch is a nonprofit therapeutic riding facility serving children and adults with physical, mental and emotional disabilities, says Executive Director Rachel Royston, a certified therapeutic riding instructor and former herd manager. Since 2000, the facility has helped hundreds of riders like Nikki build strength, confidence and connection through equine-assisted activities.

"We've been riding at centers across the country for decades, but this place is special," Denise says. "The care, the environment, the progress we've seen, it is unmatched."

Three of the team members are the American Quarter Horses Berry Bueno, Blue River Jessie and Go All In, pictured at right, from top. “We have had absolutely amazing Quarter Horses,” Rachel says. “They have the best brains ever.”

Mr Solanos Kid, aka "Larry," competed in the National Collegiate Equestrian Association as a reiner before retiring into a career as a therapy horse at Turning Point. "One of my favorite things about Larry is that he would put on his 'reiner face' as he did a slow jog or walked carefully over bridges and other obstacles in the western trail," Rachel says. "He helped our riders win many gold medals in Special Olympics Equestrian.  We lost him to colic on August 3. Oh, how we miss him."

Turning Point began with just two horses and a special education teacher named Tamera Danel, who started giving lessons in a parking lot using her own tack. From those humble beginnings, it grew slowly, Rachel says. For 17 years, the program operated out of borrowed and rented arenas, limiting the number of  riders that could be served. That changed in 2017, when the Ken Garrett family donated a 22-acre property to the organization.

"It was a total God thing," Rachel says. "When the area came up for sale, they did not accept our offer; they donated the land. And since then, we’ve been building it into something really special."

Now a PATH International Premier and Accredited Center, Turning Point Ranch serves more than 50 riders per week, using carefully selected horses vetted through a rigorous 120-day trial process.

"Our horses have to be sound, emotionally intelligent and able to handle a lot of unpredictable energy," Rachel says. "They go through trial lessons and get paired with different riders. We evaluate their temperament, soundness and attitude every 30 days."

The consistency of care at Turning Point is what allows its unique programming to thrive, Rachel says. Volunteers follow the "Turning Point Way," a system designed to make every experience safe and consistent for the horses and riders alike. Even something as simple as putting on a halter needs to be done the same way each time, she says.

"Everything we do here is about consistency," Rachel says. "It is how we earn the horses’ trust, especially those that have come from tough backgrounds. When they know what to expect, they relax and that’s when the real magic happens for our riders."

Therapeutic riding lessons are tailored to meet a wide range of goals, from physical strength and coordination to social skills and emotional regulation. 

"Just riding a horse mimics the natural motion of walking," Rachel says. "It works muscles most of our riders cannot activate on their own.

And beyond the physical, it builds confidence, communication and independence."

Nikki’s story is one of many that demonstrate the depth of Turning Point’s impact. From building strength and independence to helping families find a place of support and healing, the center’s influence reaches far beyond the arena.

"We’ve seen so much progress here physically, emotionally, even spiritually," Denise says. "It’s more than just riding. It’s life changing."

The ranch's reach also extends far beyond the arena. Programs include Mobile Minis, a traveling miniature horse therapy team, as well as literacy events with local Title I schools and community leadership training through equine-assisted learning. These initiatives aim to bring therapeutic interactions to those who may not be able to visit the ranch in person, Rachel says.

"When we take the miniature horse to schools or community events, we see a different kind of magic happen," she says. "Children who are shy or anxious often light up when they interact with the horses. It opens doors for communication and learning."

Most of the volunteers at Turning Point are college students, many from Oklahoma State University's developmental disabilities course.
Others come from child development, social work or animal science programs and find their place in the barn, she says. These students often arrive with little or no horse experience but leave with a deep understanding of equine-assisted therapy and the power of human-animal connection.

"I was scared of horses at first," says intern Caydence Monahan, a human development and family sciences major at Oklahoma State University. "But after learning how to interact with the horses and asking a million questions, I started to feel comfortable."

Caydence now helps lead lessons and works closely with riders.

"Being a part of these lessons and impacting these people’s lives is such a beautiful thing," she says. "You learn how to read the riders and understand how they’re feeling. It teaches you patience, awareness and empathy."

She also credits the TPR community for helping her through personal struggles.

"The community here is really good,” Caydence says. “It feels like a family. Everyone is here for the right reasons."

Intern Alayna Myers, also a human development and family sciences major at OSU, says being involved in lessons is the most rewarding part of her week.

"Some of our riders struggle with communication, and you can see how the horses help them open up," she says. "You do not always realize how big a moment is until you are in it. That is why I keep coming back."

The culture at Turning Point makes an impact on volunteers.

"You can have a tough day, but when you walk into the barn, you know you are part of something bigger than yourself," Alayna says.

Rachel now spends most of her time writing grants and speaking to community groups, trying to expand the program and secure sustainable funding, she says. But at her core, she is still about kids and horses.

"We’re future-focused," Rachel says. "We want to give our riders the tools they need to thrive beyond the barn. Whether it is walking independently, learning to advocate for themselves, or just finding peace on the back of a horse, we want to be the turning point in their lives."

AQHA supports equine-assisted services industry in many ways:

• Recognizing AQHA-PATH Intl. Equine-Assisted Service horses of the year with nominations open through December 31 and $10,000 and $5,000 awarded, respectively, to the centers of the first-and second-place horses. 
• The American Quarter Horse Foundation offers America’s Horse Cares grants to help ensure the wellbeing of both clients and the horses that serve in the industry. 
• Educating AQHA members on how to donate a horse to a therapy center.