Youth Equestrian Collective (YEC) is a nonprofit dedicated to pairing horses in need with young people ready to make a difference. Through mentorship, education, and hands-on fundraising, we empower youth to confident, responsible individuals who contribute to their community.
Whether you’re a horse owner looking to donate or a young changemaker eager to get involved, YEC provides the path—and the purpose—to help you do good through the power of horses.
We offer a second chance to horses who deserve safe, meaningful lives.
Youth Empowerment
Our programs build confidence, responsibility, and real-world leadership in young people.
Community Impact
Every horse we utilize and every youth we guide ripples out into the community.
Our programs produce measurable outcomes. Participants demonstrate increased responsibility by managing daily horse care; improved work ethic through consistent training and barn tasks; enhanced social-emotional skills such as confidence, empathy, and communication; and notable academic and personal improvements linked to discipline and goal-setting. For youth pursuing competition, our coaching pathway fosters high achievement, sportsmanship, and long-term commitment to excellence.
The impact is tangible: students learn to advocate for themselves, collaborate with peers, and develop a deep sense of accountability through their connection with horses. Parents report improved behavior, focus, and resilience at home and school. Many youth who previously struggled with confidence or motivation discover a renewed sense of purpose and identity.
Funding will directly expand access to this high-impact environment—enabling more youth, including those from underserved or resource-limited backgrounds, to participate in equestrian programs that are traditionally inaccessible. Support will increase program capacity, provide scholarship opportunities, improve training resources, and enhance safety and care for the horses who make this transformative work possible.
If you are an experienced horse person and would like to donate your time and knowledge toward sharing the love of horses, we welcome you!
Mentoring a youth or a parent/youth combination can be very rewarding! Teaching skills to care for the horse and interaction on the ground brings so many positives to the front for those in need of relationships and creative learning.
"Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied,"
