About Us 

At Connections, our goal is to assist riders, in the most honoring fashion, to attain new levels of communication, coping strategies, life skills and strategies that, along with core strength, balance and control provide individuals with an opportunity to discern and internalize a new orientation. Self regulation and motivation surface as individuals realize both their control over and ability to participate in activities.

In every session, R/L, top/bottom and front/back regions of the brain are addressed through structured excercises and movement of the horse--which is the closest gait to a humans--providing deep, global changes and integration.

Director Cathy Stecklein is a licenced EDU-K Consultant and Trainer. She has a Horse Mastership degree and is a certified NARHA instructor. Cathy has been working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder at Connections for more than four years.

We currently have 5 staff members who assist Cathy with therapy sessions, but are always in need of volunteers to help in a variety of ways.

Our facility is located in Elizabeth, Colorado, on County Road 132. Connections leases stables and has year round capabilities with an indoor arena, and outdoor areas. We find a lot of value in conducting most of riding session out of the arena - up and down hills, crossing streams, bridges and over or around obstacles. This is all so useful in what we like to call "economy". Our curriculum teaches and integrates the procedures the riders need and can apply globally in their life and learning, not to mention their self esteem! Additionally, while indoors, the use of music is so integrating and enjoyable, whether it is quiet, high rhythym or SI specific, both horse and rider quickly find and flow with the tones and beats.