Page 92 - 2021 TAA Magazine

SANCTUARY
REHABILITATION
Square Peg Foundation RETRAINING/ADOPTION

EQUINE-ASSISTED PROGRAM

TESTIMONIAL:
“When I am on my
horse, only God is
taller than I.”
– Spanish proverb
“That’s the
empowerment Square
Peg horses give
autism families. When
a mother hears her
silent child laughing,
you have changed
the world for that
family. TAA’s
commitment to
aftercare brought
these horses a
second chance.
ROBYN PETERS What they give in

Kemma Peters with Extra Fifty, by Afleet Alex, left, and Irresponsible King, by Kingmambo.
return is priceless.”
Square Peg Foundation was established in 2004 of character, a unique example of gentleness and
as an adaptive riding program for children with power who responds to all people according to
learning and/or developmental disabilities such their intentions – not to their age, size, race, or FOUNDED: 2004
as autism, ADHD, and Tourette’s Syndrome. social status. We focus on building self-image, ADDRESS:
The innovative organization, headquartered one student at a time.”
in Half Moon Bay, Calif., offers a creative, heal- The 22 Square Peg horses, ranging in age from PMB 402, 80 Cabrillo Hwy North
ing approach to teaching students and training 3 into their 30s, found their way to the program Suite Q
horses based on mutual need – the horses, some in need of second – or third – chances. Many are Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
of whom were rescued from undesirable circum- Thoroughbreds who have been integrated into
stances, benefit as much as the people involved. this adaptive horsemanship program for chil- PHONE: (650) 440-5064

Square Peg’s simple but powerful mission state- dren, among them stakes-placed Momotombo; MAIN CONTACT:
ment is: “We turn ‘I wish’ into ‘I can.’ ” Children the aptly named Autism Awareness; Irrespon- Joell Dunlap
learn to ride and care for animals much larger sible King (aka “Stanley”), a royally bred son
than themselves and in the process become advo- of Kingmambo and grandson of champion Eliza WEB ADDRESS:
cates for those who have no voice, thus gaining a who knows tricks in addition to jumping, trail squarepegfoundation.org

sense of confidence and empowerment. riding, and performing dressage; and Mythical
Executive director and co-founder Joell Storm, a son of Fusaichi Pegasus who raced in SOCIAL:
Dunlap described Square Peg as providing a Southern California and won at Santa Anita in everyonefits
“yes” environment, “an intense experience that his debut. @SquarePegRanch
shows students they are capable of so much more Square Peg offers specialized private or group
than they imagined. The horse is a gentle judge classes for basic riding. @squarepegfoundation
AVERAGE NUMBER OF
THOROUGHBREDS PER YEAR:
15

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