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The National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy in Woodside is healing adults, children and families through building relationships with horses. The center provides occupational therapy, mental health support, adaptive riding, horsemanship and special education.
“It’s a place that allows people to grow and heal at their own pace,” said Nancy Contro, the executive director of NCEFT.
Horses and licensed staff at NCEF are helping people gain confidence in themselves while also developing physical strength. Patients come from all backgrounds. They include veterans, special education students, cancer patients, recovering addicts and immigrants.
NCEFT, a nonprofit, was founded in 1971 and is internationally recognized for pioneering equine-assisted programs.
Impact on children with cognitive and physical disabilities
Occupational therapist Wendy Lucas, right, helps a client turn around and balance during an equine facilitated therapy session at NCEFT in Woodside on Aug. 29, 2024. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
Volunteer Monique Jones, left, and horse handler Darrel LeBlanc, right, walk alongside a client and horse during an equine facilitated therapy session at NCEFT in Woodside on Aug. 29, 2024. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
Occupational therapist Wendy Lucas high fives a client after a successful therapy session at NCEFT in Woodside on Aug. 29, 2024. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
A team consisting of volunteers, a horse handler, and a physcial therapist help a client mount for an equine facilitated therapy session at NCEFT in Woodside on Aug. 29, 2024. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney.
“I never thought he would be able to ride a bike at 9 years old,” said Olga, a mother of a client with cognitive and physical disabilities. Her son struggles with low muscle tone, speech and anxiety. Before he started riding at NCEFT, Olga thought he wouldn’t be able to ride a bike until he was at least 20 years old.
When she brings her son to NCEFT, she said she can relax and let her guard down. She was amazed to see how much progress her son had made in gaining physical strength and confidence over a couple months. She said he looks forward to his Friday sessions every week.
During a session The Almanac sat in on, Olga’s son radiated with confidence as he rode on the horse with a strong posture.
“He was always drawn to animals because he didn’t have to communicate with them in a verbal way,” said Olga.
The facility aims to create a space that provides safety and compassion for all individuals. Contro said that children don’t even realize that they’re putting in physical and mental effort while in the training ring because they’re enjoying their time with the horse.
“I feel like it’s all the therapies combined together,” said Olga. “This gives kids so much more than sitting in a room.”
NCEFT has treated patients diagnosed with cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, brain injuries, PTSD, social isolation, strokes and more. Each client is joined by a licensed staff member who specializes in adaptive riding or occupational therapy while side-walkers and volunteers help maintain the safety of the client and provide support during sessions.
According to the NCEFT website, the rhythmic and repetitive movement of riding a horse helps clients experience “up to 3,000 typical movement patterns they can use to improve function in daily life.” Riding sessions are 30 minutes long and riders must be at least 4 years old.
Clients also build core stability from maintaining a balanced posture, endurance, flexibility and balance by riding horses.
Using horses to improve mental health
Horse handler Emily Hambel prepares a horse for an equine therapy session at NCEFT in Woodside on Aug. 29, 2024. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
Horse handler Meg Thomas prepares Elf, a trained therapy horse, for an equine facilitated therapy session at NCEFT in Woodside on Aug. 29, 2024. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney.
When Contro joined NCEFT in 2019, efforts toward offering mental health programs increased, said NCEFT board member Susan Lang. Prior to NCEFT, Contro worked as the director of patient and family support services and other positions at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital for nearly 30 years.
One of NCEFT’s mental health programs is called Healing with the Herd, a 10-week program to support individuals who are living with cancer and other chronic illnesses. Workshops for the group focus on coping with the trauma of being diagnosed with illnesses, practicing mindfulness and growing self-confidence through clinically designed exercises.
With the horses, clients practice mindfulness exercises, develop bonds, participate in barn life and care for the animals. Contro explained that the act of brushing a horse’s mane helps clients practice mindfulness by bringing their mind’s focus to the present moment.
In addition to working with horses, clients receive mental health support through group discussions and activities. The facility tracks and monitors the progress of individuals through daily check-ins and stress ratings.
NCEFT also offers separate mental health programs for elementary, middle school and high school students. Licensed mental health professionals work with groups of youth to improve social skills, communication and reduce the impacts of mental health struggles as they develop relationships with horses.
Partnership with Sequoia Union High School District
During the 2023-24 school year, NCEFT started working with the Sequoia Union High School District to provide programs in Spanish for juniors and seniors who experienced trauma while immigrating to the United States. During school hours, around eight students arrive at the facility to participate in workshops focused on developing stronger feelings of safety and trust.
The partnership started with Menlo-Atherton High School students in its first year of the program but has now expanded to Sequoia High School, TIDE Academy and Carlmont High School.
At the end of the program, students write a letter to a loved one and tie the note to the mane or tail of a horse. The horses then run off into the field to deliver their messages in this symbolic tradition.
As students work with horses during their sessions, they develop a relationship with them. Some horses have overcome their own challenges and offer stories of inspiration for patients. Honey, one of the horses at NCEFT, is a survivor of a close range gunshot. A scar can be seen on her left side around her neck. “The kids look at her and see resilience,” said Contro.
Upcoming fundraiser
NCEFT is hosting its 15th annual gala on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 4:30 p.m. The event will feature live music, a barn open house, a three-course dinner and a live auction. Gala tickets can be purchased for $350 at nceft.org/gala-sponsorships.
Support NCEFT by volunteering, providing financial support, or by donating horses and equipment.
For more information on NCEFT’s programs visit nceft.org.
