Upward Transitions Therapeutic Horsemanship

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Helotes, TX
Upward Transitions Therapeutic Horsemanship

Upward Transitions provides a positive, safe environment allowing those in need to escape their normal daily challenges while discovering new abilities.

Upward Transitions is a non profit 501(c)3 organization. We exist because of the generous monetary and in-kind donations from our community. Your donation is tax-exempt as allowable by law.

11/19/2024

Isn’t he just the most handsome boy?! Archie has a way of teaching us all the important things — patience, humility, and the art of living in the moment. If you stay present with him, he’ll always rise to the occasion. Of course, a little treat or hay is never a bad idea to say thank you! 😊🐴

11/17/2024

We are beyond grateful for the time spent with an incredible group of veterans! 🇺🇸 We had a blast teaming up with Archie and Paulie for a fun activity focused on teamwork, as we learned how to put on a halter and ba****ck pad. We also enjoyed some friendly competition with a game of corn hole and shared a delicious meal, graciously provided by The Good Faith Veterans Foundation . 🍽️

Thank you to all our veterans for your service and dedication. ♥️🤍💙

11/09/2024

Some days, we like to read books and play in the sand before riding. It’s the perfect way to ground ourselves before the ride ahead. 📚🐴

10/17/2024

Learning social skills is an important part of everyday life, and horses make it easier with their nonjudgmental presence. We love seeing our participants include their equine partners in games, reading together, making eye contact when saying hello, and even those special moments when they ask for a hug. Horses help build confidence, connection, and communication in a safe space. 💙

10/16/2024

Fall weather arrived this morning with a refreshing breeze, just in time for some fun science! 🍂 Autumn’s rider practiced steering with his body, whoas, and navigating past cones, all while making careful plans to grab objects for our ‘sink or float’ experiment. Learning, riding, and a little science—what a perfect combo!”

10/15/2024

Last night, we had a blast learning about different professions! One of our participants has an interest in cryptozoology, and with help from mom, we incorporated some of that curiosity into our activities. Autumn, his favorite horse, joined the fun by selecting a scrambled letter puzzle to work on. She also made the perfect model as we learned about body parts and found rhyming words. It was a night full of creativity and learning for both horses and humans!

10/11/2024

Just like greeting a friend, it’s important to say hi to your horse when you see them. Horses thrive on connection and recognize the effort we put into building trust. 🐴💛 Whether it’s a soft word or a gentle pat, that first ‘hello’ strengthens your bond and sets the tone for a great time together.

10/05/2024

Working with a big horse like Archie builds confidence and self-esteem! This rider has worked on setting boundaries and communicating clearly, even getting Archie to stand quietly to clean his feet.

Horses, with their calming presence and sensitivity, have the power to transform lives. The bond formed through trust, respect, and communication is truly special—one that teaches invaluable life skills along the way.

09/19/2024

Today’s the BIG day for the Big Give! As a small program, every donation makes a huge impact.

**Horses Healing Heroes and Hearts**
At Best View Stable, home of Upward Transitions, horses and humans connect to heal and empower. Our program helps veterans and individuals with special needs find strength and recovery through the power of horses.

Your support helps us care for these incredible animals and keep our services accessible. Please consider donating today—every dollar counts! Together, we can make a difference.

https://www.thebiggivesa.org/organizations/upward-transitions-therapeutic-horsemanship

09/18/2024

We’re having an amazing week! Our riders are back for the Fall Session, and we kicked things off with a fun game about friendship. Together, we talked about what it means to be a good friend and how those qualities help build a strong bond with their horses. It’s important for our riders to understand that their horse isn’t just an animal to ride—they’re a partner, and friendship is key to creating a meaningful connection.

Our riders never cease to amaze us! They even pointed out that friendship is a compound word. We love learning and growing alongside them!

09/17/2024

Meet Autumn 💛 our only girl in our herd, and she keeps everyone in line! While she might be a picky eater, she never says no to a good tummy scratch. Autumn is a patient teacher, helping her riders learn to be gentle, patient, and aware. She’s our go-to when her herd mates can’t do their lessons, always stepping up.

As we gear up for the Big Give, your support ensures that incredible horses like Autumn can continue to help riders grow, smile, and thrive. Every donation helps us keep Autumn’s spirit shining and supports the life-changing work we do at Upward Transitions. 🐴♥️🥕

Donate today and be part of this amazing journey!

https://www.thebiggivesa.org/organizations/upward-transitions-therapeutic-horsemanship

09/14/2024

We are incredibly blessed to have O’Connor High School in our community. Their amazing staff and practicum students bring so much heart and energy to our work with horses and those in need. These students are learning not just about horses, but about compassion, service, and the impact of nonprofits. We are so grateful to OHS for shaping tomorrow’s leaders. To continue building these incredible partnerships and expanding our impact, early donations for The Big Give are still open! Your support helps us keep making a difference—together.

https://www.thebiggivesa.org/organizations/upward-transitions-therapeutic-horsemanship

09/13/2024

Meet Archie, our big boy. With his soft eyes and calming presence, he’s a favorite in our program, teaching patience and kindness to everyone he meets.

Horses like Archie have an amazing ability to connect with us, offering support and understanding. For veterans with PTSD and individuals with special needs, they become true partners in healing and self-discovery.

Early donations are now open for the Big Give! While the impact of our program is priceless, the costs are high. We need your support to care for our horses, maintain our facilities, and continue offering this life-changing service.

Please donate today and help us make a difference. Every contribution counts!

Donate now: https://www.thebiggivesa.org/organizations/upward-transitions-therapeutic-horsemanship

09/13/2024

When we want our horses to be ready for silly fun, we grab a few things from the barn for play time. Jaxon was a good sport but enjoyed the green grass afterwards the most. 🙂

09/12/2024

Treats in the trailer after a fun ride. Archie is the best boy ♥️

09/11/2024

Early giving for The Big Give starts TODAY and runs through Sept. 17! Join us and our horses in serving our veterans and individuals with special needs!

At Upward Transitions, we see the magic that happens when a horse like Paulie connects with someone like Nathan, a US Army veteran or Jen, a US Navy veteran. The bond between them is more than heartwarming—it’s healing. With your support, we can continue offering these life-changing experiences.

Your generosity ensures our horses remain the healers, heroes, and trusted companions that participants count on. Let’s come together to make a difference!

https://www.thebiggivesa.org/organizations/upward-transitions-therapeutic-horsemanship

09/10/2024

Ground driving is a win-win for horse and rider. One of our veterans practicing with Paulie. By driving a horse from the behind, the horse handler is able to get a more extended and fluid walk. Pushing the horse engages the horse’s hind legs, which lifts and strengthens the back and activates muscles in the haunches. This is beneficial for the horse and rider: The natural gait and movement of the horse work as a therapy tool to improve the rider’s strength, balance, and sensory integration; encouraging the horse to engage its core and haunches results in a stronger, more fit equine partner. (From Shea Center blog)

09/08/2024

We have the best view ♥️ feeling grateful for the recent rain!

Address

19804 High Bluff Road
Helotes, TX
78023

Telephone

+12108671188

Website

http://www.upward-transitions.org/

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Videos

Paulie’s whipping up a dust storm! 🤣🐴 Uh-oh, looks like a little too much got up his nose. Achoo! 🤧 #PaulieProblems #WeLovePaulie #therapyhorse

Autumn was tired of waiting to be rinsed off, so she decided to do a little problem solving of her own! 💦🐴 Our clever girl doesn’t mind taking matters into her own hooves.😂 #SmartHorse #AutumnTheProblemSolver #HorseLife

Today’s the BIG day for the Big Give! As a small program, every donation makes a huge impact. **Horses Healing Heroes and Hearts** At Best View Stable, home of Upward Transitions, horses and humans connect to heal and empower. Our program helps veterans and individuals with special needs find strength and recovery through the power of horses. Your support helps us care for these incredible animals and keep our services accessible. Please consider donating today—every dollar counts! Together, we can make a difference. #BigGive #HealingWithHorses #SupportUTTH https://www.thebiggivesa.org/organizations/upward-transitions-therapeutic-horsemanship

Enjoying this morning weather! Making sure everyone is ready for our riders to start our Fall session next week. ♥️

GROUND DRIVING: A WIN-WIN FOR RIDER AND HORSE

Best View

We have the best view ♥️ feeling grateful for the recent rain!

Mud makes everything fun!!

Independent!!

This little super star has been riding with Upward Transitions for a good while and she graduated to independent riding!! We are so happy and proud of her!! Kudos to Autumn for being a good teacher!

Groundwork

Practicing leading ♥️ Groundwork helps build communication, confidence and connection (that camera peak 😍)

Shortcuts

Our Story

The goal of Upward Transitions Therapeutic Horsemanship (UTTH) is to provide a safe, positive environment, allowing participants to become more self-sufficient and enrich their daily lives. Upward Transitions provides independence to participants by enabling them to feel the freedom of sitting on top of a horse and leaving the confines of their disability behind. For individuals with mental or emotional challenges, the unique relationship formed between a rider and horse can lead to increased confidence, patience and self-esteem. The therapeutic environment that horses provide cannot be duplicated in a clinical setting and as a result riders benefit from their accepting and trusting interaction.

Upward Transitions offers Spring, Summer and Fall Riding Sessions. Each session includes a weekly, hour-long therapeutic riding lesson. Therapeutic riding is a powerful, highly specialized service with an overwhelming need in our community. UTTH is one of just three such organizations in the county and the only one located in NW San Antonio. With such a high need, the ultimate goal of UTTH is to increase their reach to more students and veterans per session. Therapeutic riding services are very expensive to deliver resulting in the continued need for funding to bring this extremely beneficial option to more riders.

Upward Transitions is a non profit 501(c)3 organization. We exist because of the generous monetary and in-kind donations from our community.