Offering Alternative Therapy with Smiles

11/03/2026

Winner, winner! Turkey dinner!
This year’s Turkey raffle winners are….!

11/03/2026

Join us this coming weekend for Community Impact. Sign up here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/ae3wtzh to help O.A.T.S. rebuild some pastures for even more safe spaces for our herd!

11/01/2026

🍎🐴 HOMESCHOOL FRIDAYS: HORSE EDUCATION WEEK AT O.A.T.S.! 📚🌾

We had an absolute blast during Horse Education Week for our Homeschool Fridays program!

Our homeschool students rolled up their sleeves and dove headfirst into all things equine. From learning horse anatomy and body language to practicing grooming techniques and understanding daily farm management, these young learners got a true behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to care for our therapeutic herd.

🎒 WHAT OUR HOMESCHOOLERS EXPLORED:
🧠 Equine Science: Anatomy, nutrition, and understanding how horses communicate!

🧼 Hands-On Grooming: Brushing, hoof care, and building trust with our gentle herd.

🐎Horse leading: Walking with the horses (with an experienced leader!) to learn how horses listen to their human companions!

There is nothing quite like watching kids connect classroom concepts with real-world, hands-on learning right here in the barn!

💡 WANT TO JOIN THE FUN?
Our Homeschool Fridays may be over for this year, but stay tuned next fall! We offer a unique blend of active learning, fresh air, and animal connection! Whether you're a homeschool family, part of a co-op, or looking for educational field trip opportunities in Ortonville, we’d love to welcome you to the farm.

👉 Learn more or schedule your homeschool group field trip: Send us a direct message on Facebook or email us at [email protected]!

Homeschool parents—drop a photo of your student’s favorite barn moment in the comments below! 👇✨

10/30/2026

🎃🐴 GHOSTS, GOBLINS & GOOD TIMES: HALLOWEEN AT O.A.T.S.! 🐴🎃

What a spooktacular week it’s been at the barn! 👻✨

We had so much fun celebrating our Stall-or-Treat and Halloween festivities last week with all of our amazing riders, families, and volunteers! A huge highlight of the event was a visit from our incredible partners at the Oakland County Sheriff's Office Mounted Unit—a massive thank you to their Mounted Unit for bringing out their horses, search and rescue boat, and K-9 unit to celebrate with us! 🚓🐴🐕

From amazing costumes to sweet treats and special guest appearances, the barn was overflowing with community spirit and smiles!

📸 FAVORITE MOMENTS & COSTUMES:
Our herd loved getting dressed up, meeting the Sheriff's Mounted Unit horses, and greeting all the superheroes, ghosts, and trick-or-treaters who stopped by. Thank you to everyone who came out to make the event so magical, and a huge shoutout to our volunteers and local law enforcement for making it unforgettable!

🎃 HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVE!
We want to wish our entire O.A.T.S. family a safe, fun, and happy Halloween tomorrow! Whether you're trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, or sneaking a few extra chocolates, we hope your holiday is filled with treats! 🍫✨

Drop your favorite photos from last week's party in the comments below! We’d love to see your costumes and photos with the Sheriff's units! 👇✨

10/28/2026

Coming this Sunday!

📣🐴 YOU ASKED, WE DELIVERED: NEW VOLUNTEER TRAINING SESSIONS! 🐴📣

So many of you have reached out wanting to get involved, brush up on your skills, or step into the arena for the first time—and we hear you loud and clear! 💙✨

We are excited to host two upcoming Volunteer Training Sessions designed to get you confident, comfortable, and ready to make a huge difference in our riders' lives! Whether you're brand new to O.A.T.S. or a seasoned volunteer looking to hone your leader or sidewalker skills, these hands-on workshops are for you.

🗓️ TRAINING DATES & TIMES:
📅 Session 1: Sunday, November 1, 2026 | 🕒 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📅 Session 2: Sunday, November 15, 2026 | 🕒 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📍 Location: O.A.T.S. Barn — 4920 Groveland Rd., Ortonville, MI 48462

💡 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
🐎 Equine Care & Handling: Safe leading techniques and horse body language.

🤝 Sidewalking Essentials: How to support riders during lessons with confidence.

🌾 Barn & Safety Protocols: Everything you need to know to ensure a fun, safe session for everyone!

(No prior horse experience required—we’ll teach you everything you need to know!)

💬 READY TO JOIN THE TEAM?
Spots are limited so we can ensure everyone gets hands-on practice, so don't wait to grab your place! Sign up here: https://forms.gle/rniWkYe1n2qj4fuS7

👉 How to sign up: Drop a comment below, send us a direct message, or email Kendra directly at [email protected] to claim your date!

Tag a friend in the comments who’s been wanting to volunteer with horses! 👇✨

10/23/2026

10/20/2026

📣🐴 YOU ASKED, WE DELIVERED: NEW VOLUNTEER TRAINING SESSIONS! 🐴📣

So many of you have reached out wanting to get involved, brush up on your skills, or step into the arena for the first time—and we hear you loud and clear! 💙✨

We are excited to host two upcoming Volunteer Training Sessions designed to get you confident, comfortable, and ready to make a huge difference in our riders' lives! Whether you're brand new to O.A.T.S. or a seasoned volunteer looking to hone your leader or sidewalker skills, these hands-on workshops are for you.

🗓️ TRAINING DATES & TIMES:
📅 Session 1: Sunday, November 1, 2026 | 🕒 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📅 Session 2: Sunday, November 15, 2026 | 🕒 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

📍 Location: O.A.T.S. Barn — 4920 Groveland Rd., Ortonville, MI 48462

💡 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
🐎 Equine Care & Handling: Safe leading techniques and horse body language.

🤝 Sidewalking Essentials: How to support riders during lessons with confidence.

🌾 Barn & Safety Protocols: Everything you need to know to ensure a fun, safe session for everyone!

(No prior horse experience required—we’ll teach you everything you need to know!)

💬 READY TO JOIN THE TEAM?
Spots are limited so we can ensure everyone gets hands-on practice, so don't wait to grab your place! Sign up here: https://forms.gle/rniWkYe1n2qj4fuS7

👉 How to sign up: Drop a comment below, send us a direct message, or email Kendra directly at [email protected] to claim your date!

Tag a friend in the comments who’s been wanting to volunteer with horses! 👇✨

10/18/2026

📅 MARK YOUR CALENDARS: NOVEMBER 8 AT 11 AM! 🗓️✨

Join us at the barn for our Community Impact Weekend at O.A.T.S.! 🌾💙

Whether you're a long-time supporter or curious about getting involved for the first time, this is a wonderful opportunity to see the real-world impact of our therapeutic riding programs, tour the facility, meet our incredible herd, and learn how you can make a difference in our community!

📍 EVENT DETAILS:
🗓️ Date: Sunday, November 8, 2026

⏰ Time: 11:00 AM

📍 Location: O.A.T.S. Barn — 4920 Groveland Rd., Ortonville, MI 48462

🎟️ Sign Up Encouraged: Reserve your spot today!

👉 REGISTER NOW TO JOIN US: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/ae3wtzh
Scroll down to O.A.T.S.

💬 HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!
Community support keeps our doors open and our horses happy! Share this post with friends, family, and neighbors who love horses, volunteering, or giving back.

Drop a 🗓️ in the comments if you’ll be attending, and tag someone you'd love to bring along! 👇✨

10/16/2026

🌟🐴 DID YOU KNOW? O.A.T.S. IS MORE THAN JUST RIDING! 🐴🌟

While horseback riding is at the heart of what we do, our arena and barn are also bustling hubs for hands-on, interactive educational programs! 📚🌾✨

We love opening our gates to groups across the community to teach equine science, barn safety, animal care, and the unique human-animal bond.

🎒 EXPLORE OUR EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS:
🍎 Homeschool Fridays: Enrich your curriculum with active, hands-on learning! Students get up-close experience learning about horse anatomy, grooming, equine behavior, and farm management.

🏕️ Scout Field Trips: Looking to earn a badge or complete a service project? We host Boy and Girl Scout troops for fun, educational barn tours, badge activities, and hands-on volunteer experiences!

🚌 School & Community Group Outings: From field trips to specialized educational visits, we tailor group experiences to inspire curiosity and teamwork.

💡 BOOK YOUR GROUP'S VISIT!
Whether you’re a homeschooling parent, a troop leader, or a educator looking for a unique field trip destination in Ortonville, we’d love to host your group at the farm!

👉 Want to schedule a trip or learn more? Send us a message right here on Facebook or drop an email to [email protected]!

Tag a homeschool family or troop leader in the comments who would love a day at the barn! 👇💙

10/14/2026

🍂🐴 FALL INTO PROGRESS: CELEBRATING OUR AUTUMN RIDERS! 🐴🍂

There is nothing quite like fall at the barn—crisp morning air, colorful trees surrounding the arena, and our incredible riders working hard every single week! 🌾✨

From mastering new riding skills and strengthening core balance to building deep, trusting bonds with their favorite therapy horses, our Fall Session riders are showing us what dedication is all about. Every lesson brings new smiles, big breakthroughs, and inspiring progress!

🌟 WHY WE LOVE OUR FALL SESSION:
🍁 Cooler Riding Weather: Perfect sweater-weather conditions for our horses and riders!

💪 Incredible Growth: Watching riders build confidence in the saddle week after week.

💙 Unstoppable Teamwork: Shoutout to our amazing instructors, horse leaders, and sidewalkers who make every ride safe and empowering!

💬 RIDER & FAMILY SHOUTOUT!
To all of our riding families, thank you for filling our arena with so much joy, determination, and community spirit this season!

Parents, volunteers, and riders—drop a photo or share your favorite Fall Session moment in the comments below! We’d love to celebrate your progress! 👇✨