ALATHEIA RIDING CENTER

Our History
Founded in 2011 by Glenn & Nancy Grette, ATRC in Wenatchee, Washington, offers a holistic approach to equine-assisted services to four North Central Washington counties. Quality services and strong community support by individuals, regional businesses and grant-makers has provided steady growth (332%) and a successful track record for eleven years. ATRC's current facility has reached maximum capacity due to space constraints, resulting in a growing waiting list of more than 40 people that can last up to 18 months. Initially services were provided to children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities, but in 2019 ATRC piloted a PTSD treatment program for Veterans using the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association's (EAGALA) model, widely respected as the global standard for Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). At that time ATRC contracted with an EAGALA certified mental health professional and equine specialist. Services continued on a limited basis through the COVID pandemic and then our contract service providers became less available reducing our ability to continue serving Veterans with the EAGALA model. In additional to our ongoing EAS program for people with disabilities, we currently provide Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) and Horsemanship to Veterans while we wait for staff and additional mental health professionals to become EAGALA certified and the EAP program can continue. Our strategic initiatives to accomplish that include increasing physical and staff capacity through a facility expansion and relocation capital project and hosting EAGALA training and certification in August 2022. EAP services will resume in September.

ATRC currently serves over 100 riders per week with the help of 150 volunteers. Due to facility limitations, ATRC has been operating with a 40+ person waitlist. A capital campaign is in progress to relocate and construct a new facility which will more than double our capacity and eliminate the waitlist.