Jasper Ridge Farm celebrates 10 years
For a decade, Jasper Ridge Farm has brightened the lives of children with special needs and illnesses by creating a safe environment for them to ride horses and interact with other farm animals to which they may not otherwise have access.
During a session of HorseBuddies, one of the programs offered by Jasper Ridge Farm, a special needs student completes a series of basic maneuvers on horseback.
- Zachary Clark/Daily Journal
For a decade, Jasper Ridge Farm has brightened the lives of children with special needs and illnesses by creating a safe environment for them to ride horses and interact with other farm animals to which they may not otherwise have access.
The Woodside-based nonprofit also offers programs for veterans with PTSD and traumatic head injuries, homeless people, seniors and inmates.
“We really believe in that power and comfort that an animal can provide,” said General Manager Alyssa Houk. “Someone who’s homeless or that child receiving cancer treatment and their hair is falling out — these animals don’t care, they don’t know, they don’t judge you. It’s an opportunity for adults and children to just have these quiet moments or to laugh. It takes them out of whatever is going on in their life and gives them a break.”
One program called Horsebuddies teaches special needs classes from schools around the county how to ride and groom miniature horses specifically. Another called HorseHeroes prepares veterans for an annual weeklong ride in Idaho.
The nonprofit also deploys a mobile unit to assisted living facilities, shelters and a women’s correctional facility so that those people can enjoy the company of goats, sheep, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits and even a peacock or turkey on occasion. Just about all of the nonprofit’s animals are rescues.
Clients benefit from the nonprofit’s programs in various ways.
“Horses are the closest thing that mimics human walking so it can really help someone with physical issues loosen up. It lets them experience in a group together doing something that’s a challenge because most of them have never ridden a horse so they’re out of their comfort zone and they can have this shared experience,” Houk said.
Houk mentioned one disabled child, a regular, who comes to Jasper Ridge Farm every two weeks. The child is confined to a wheelchair and is largely non-communicative except for an automated speaking system.
“We turn on her favorite music, which is Lady Gaga, and the goats come out and walk around. We put crackers near her hand so she can feel their mouths nibbling and the goats don’t bite. For whatever reason, it brings her joy and it also regulates her and helps with her behavior.”
Her caregiver and parents sometimes use the goats for incentive. It might be time to go to the doctor, for example, and if the girl protests, then a mention of the goats makes her comply.
She has especially bonded with one goat named Leo.
“When her van pulls up, Leo sees and starts making noise. There’s just something between those two. She’s been coming for years,” Houk said.
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The nonprofit’s mobile unit makes regular visits to Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas.
“This is the only way these women can show affection because they’re not allowed to do that in jail, they’re not allowed to touch or hug so they can pick up a rabbit or a chicken and, as silly as it sounds, chickens will really cuddle with you,” Houk said. “Some of the women just love it. It gives them that opportunity to show affection and the deputies tell us the shared experience gives them something to talk about and creates a more peaceful environment for multiple days after the visit. They always say ‘we’d love for you to come more.’”
Each session lasts no more than one hour so the animals are not overextended.
Houk took over management duties after the founder of Jasper Ridge Farm, Wendy Mattes, moved to Arizona last year; she’s still active with the nonprofit and serves as its executive director.
Mattes founded Jasper Ridge Farm after an experience with a young girl she was teaching to horseback ride.
“That little girl developed a brain tumor and she kept coming out every week and the mom would say ‘this is the one time she takes her hat off’ [she lost her hair to chemotherapy] and she just loved it, it was an amazing thing for this girl to continue to do,” Houk said.
Then the time came when that girl wasn’t physically able to ride horses. One day, Mattes brought a miniature horse to the girl’s house. She was in a hospital bed in the living room.
“There was a group of people there. The horse went straight to the little girl and put its head down on hers and just stood there and it was amazing for the little girl because it was the end of her life and horses were something so important to her,” Houk said. “Wendy thought how do I do this for more people? It moved her so much that she thought I have to do this for more kids.”
Jasper Ridge Farm runs on donations and grants and relies on volunteers. All of its programs are free and are offered through partnerships with the Palo Alto VA and Ronald McDonald House.
Last year, Jasper Ridge Farm served over 3,200 people.
“We have so many requests for programs and it’s hard to keep up,” Houk said. “We’re trying to grow, but slowly.”
(650) 344-5200 ext. 102
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