Sarah Rury is an Advanced-level Therapeutic Riding Instructor, certified through the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).  Her studies began at Horse Power a therapeutic riding center specifically focused on the psychosocial realm of therapeutic riding.  While at Horse Power, Sarah presented Integrated Riding workshops at the National Horses and Healing Conference  of 2004, featuring GaWaNi Pony Boy.

Sarah is a graduate of the Center for Yoga  Teacher Training in Amherst, MA and is pursuing certification in Forrest Yoga; a vigorous branch of yoga emphasizing core strength and spirit.  Sarah strives to bring a sense of safety and creativity to her yoga and integrated riding classes.  She approaches somatic movement with curiosity, encouraging students to discover and name their own individual experiences, as awareness in the body deepens.

Additionally, Sarah is a certified Rape Crisis Counselor who has worked with the Counselor/Advocate Program at the Everywoman’s Center in Amherst, MA.  She has created psycho-educational curriculum for and co-facilitated support groups and wilderness retreats for survivors of sexual abuse. Sarah completed the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Youth Opportunities Program (YOP), a program that trains people who work with youth how to successfully lead groups into the wilderness.  This adventure-based, challenge by choice framework is a component of Integrated Riding classes and workshops.

Erika Heilig is a license Massachusetts Riding Instructor.  She is passionate about adventure education. Her caving, rock climbing, and backpacking skills provide ample opportunities for clients to take healthy risks following the challenge by choice format. She is certified through the Appalachian Mountain Club as a Youth Opportunities Program Leader, as well as an advanced backpacking leader. Erika is an avid horsewoman and find that horses can become an integral element of adventure education.

As a Reiki II practitioner, certified through the Usui Healing system, Erika brings hands on healing to her clients, alleviating issues of depression, anxiety, pain and stress management.

Erika is a certified yoga instructor through the Amherst Yoga Center. Currently, she is teaching at The Body Shop on High Street in Greenfield. Through yoga, Erika works to develop a more subtle sense of self as she explores movement as a therapeutic model. As a Somatic Educator, Erika believes the body is the key component to exploring ones' sense of self.  

Hayley Gilmore

Hayley Gilmore joined us in the spring of 2008 as a riding instructor.  Hayley started as a volunteer during the summer of 2007 and made her skills apparent.  She has a strong background in working with children with special needs and is currently a graduate student at Smith College in the field of Special Education.  We are excited to have Hayley with us.

Emma Towle

Emma joins our staff this summer as an intern through the UMASS Stockbridge program.  Emma came to us as a volunteer in the spring of 2007 and has put in well over 100 hours of volunteer time.  Emma's passion for horses is complimented by her ease in learning.  Emma is patient, inquisitive, and kind.  We are pleased that Emma has joined our staff.

Board of Directors

We welcome members of the community who feel passionate about our work here. If you are interested in learning more about how you can get involved, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Just a seed of an idea was planted on the winter solstice in 2002 through the gift of an Arabian mare from the owners of Misty Meadows farm and founders of the Robert Neimeth Foundation, Robert and Loek Neimeth. Through this gifted mare, a relationship developed between Opening Gaits co-founder, Sarah Rury, and Loek Neimeth.  This relationship became the impetus for the concept of a therapeutic riding center.   Sarah and Co-Founder, Erika Heilig used our graduate studies at Goddard College as a frame work to build the business. 

By the end of 2005, we had made it through the concept phase and established a need for such a facility in our area through extensive market research. In 2004, there were over 21,000 individuals with mental illness in Franklin County, not to mention individuals with physical and cognitive disorders. People with limited mobility (who use a wheelchair) don’t have the opportunity to strengthen core muscles through bipedal movement. Research shows that the gait of a horse walking most closely resembles that of a person walking, so by riding a horse, they are able to strengthen and tone core muscles that don’t otherwise get used. Additionally, children on the autism spectrum have been found to benefit from therapeutic riding as the sensation of movement of a horse walking is calming to the central nervous system.  Therapeutic riding works well to address issues related to anxiety and depression, attention deficit disorder and cerebral palsy.  Clearly, we needed to establish a center in our area.

 We were hot on the trail of finding a facility when we were stopped dead in our tracks.  On a beautiful day in February 2005, Erika was involved in a terrible riding accident in which her right lower leg was crushed.  She had very limited mobility for 4 months, followed by crutches for 4 months and a cane for another three months.  As a marathon runner, she was devastated, but never abandoned the therapeutic value of horses.  The accident slowed us down a bit. Our hunt for a suitable lawyer and accountant was challenging.  Erika hobbled on crutches from lawyer to lawyer, hunting for someone to take us seriously.   We’re just a couple of young women with B.A.’s in Anthropology, a lot of experience working with at risk youth, and a passion for horses.   We had very limited financial resources but a will that wouldn’t quit.  Finally, we found an old run down farm (the first indoor arena built in the area in the late 60’s) in Gill, Massachusetts and held our own Barn Extreme Makeover in which 26 friends and family members came together over two weekends to make the facility safe for our three horses.  There were no stalls, no hayloft, no feed room and no fenced off pastures.  The Neimeth Foundation provided funding for operating expenses so that we could get up and running.  That was May 2006.

We have an active 5 member board of directors, 4 horses, a volunteer base of 14, and are doing 15 therapeutic riding lessons a week.  The need is much greater in our community, and we are working diligently to secure funding for scholarships as the cost of therapeutic riding is a challenge for some families.   

The Neimeth Foundation continues to provide support for our work at the center, and they are willing to make a matching gift for capital improvements.  We are working hard to secure local support and interest in the services we provide.  We also hope to secure funding to offer partial and full scholarships for families with financial hardship.