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Ivey Ranch Park Association logo — therapeutic riding and inclusive care in Oceanside, CA

Therapeutic Riding, Inclusive Childcare, and Equine-Assisted Programs for All Abilities

We serve children and adults with and without disabilities, side by side, through PATH-certified therapeutic riding, licensed childcare and care programs, and Horses for Heroes for veterans and military families in Oceanside and across North County San Diego.

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Our Impact For the 2024-25 Financial Year

934

Clients Served: Providing life-changing therapeutic and care services annually.

1,079

Dedicated Volunteers: Empowering community members through hands-on service and youth development.

23,801

Service Hours: A community contribution that fuels our mission of inclusion every single day.

92%

Program Efficiency: You can give with confidence — 92% of every dollar is spent directly on our programs.

A Place Built for Everyone

Ivey Ranch has been around since 1981, and from the very beginning the idea was the same: build something where people with and without disabilities are part of the same community — not separated by it. That’s not a tagline. It’s just how the ranch works.

We’re located in Oceanside and serve families throughout North County San Diego — including Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Bonsall, Fallbrook, and the Camp Pendleton area.

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Children and Youth

More than half of our clients are under 18. Kids come for therapeutic riding, summer camp, after-school and all-day care, and the chance to bond with horses through our Barn Buddies volunteer program. Parents often tell us their child has never had a place where they truly felt like they belonged. That’s what we’re here for.

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Adults

Our Adult Day Program is what a lot of families describe as a second home — a place their loved one genuinely looks forward to going. We also offer Tailored Day Services for individuals who need more personalized support, and In-Home Respite for families who need a reliable, caring break.

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Veterans and Active-Duty Military

Horses have a way of cutting through the noise. They don’t care about rank or combat history — they respond to how you show up in the moment. Our Horses for Heroes program serves veterans and active-duty service members from Oceanside and Camp Pendleton, focusing on emotional wellness, PTSD support, and community reconnection. No horse experience needed.

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Volunteers

This ranch runs on people who show up — high school students, retirees, corporate teams, people who simply love horses and want to be part of something good, and everyone in between. Over 1,079 volunteers contributed 23,801 hours last year. No experience required. You can get involved as an equine volunteer, a care program volunteer, through a group service project, or as an intern.

What Families Say

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Our Programs

Therapeutic and Community Riding

Ivey Ranch is a PATH International-accredited center, which means our instructors meet rigorous professional standards for working with riders who have disabilities. We serve riders with Autism, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Anxiety, Sensory Disorders, and many other diagnoses — as well as able-bodied riders who simply want to ride.

  • Therapeutic Riding — goal-directed sessions tied to physical, cognitive, or emotional outcomes
  • Able-Bodied Riding — lessons and recreational riding for the general community
  • Vaulting — gymnastics on horseback, open to a range of ability levels
  • Summer Camp — a summer ranch experience for youth with and without disabilities

Childcare and Care Programs

As a licensed care provider, Ivey Ranch offers programs built around the whole person — not just a diagnosis. Our care and childcare programs include:

  • School-Age Program — after-school and all-day care for children with and without disabilities
  • Adult Day Program — structured daytime programming for adults with moderate to severe disabilities
  • Tailored Day Services — personalized support for adults who need an individualized approach
  • In-Home Respite — trained staff who come to your home so family caregivers can take a real break

We work with families receiving Regional Center of San Diego services and other funding sources. If you’re not sure how to make it work financially, call us — we’ll help figure it out.

Horses for Heroes

Horses for Heroes is our equine-assisted program for veterans, active-duty military, and their families. The program is open to service members from the Oceanside and Camp Pendleton area and throughout San Diego County. Sessions are led by our PATH-certified staff and shaped around what each participant needs — whether that’s working on anxiety and emotional regulation, rebuilding physical coordination, or simply having somewhere peaceful to be.

You don’t need to have ridden a horse before. You don’t need to explain your service history. You just need to show up.

Learn more about Horses for Heroes

Frequently Asked Questions

We work with a wide range of disabilities and support needs. Our top diagnoses include Autism/Asperger’s, ADHD/ADD, Cerebral Palsy, Intellectual Disorders, Anxiety, Developmental Delay, Down Syndrome, Epilepsy/Seizure Disorders, Depression, and Sensory Disorders. Both our equine and care programs are shaped around each person’s individual goals — we focus on what someone can do, not what they can’t.

Both. About half of our 934 clients are adults. Our therapeutic riding program is open to riders of all ages, and our Adult Day Program provides structured care and activities for adults with moderate to severe disabilities.

The easiest first step is to contact us or call (760) 722-4839. We’ll talk through which program makes the most sense, walk you through what enrollment looks like, and schedule a visit so your family member can see the ranch before committing to anything.

It’s one of the main things the program was designed for. Equine-assisted activities engage the nervous system in ways that are genuinely different from talk therapy, and a lot of veterans find the ranch environment — low-pressure, outdoor, animal-centered — more accessible than a clinical setting. Learn more about Horses for Heroes.

We welcome equine volunteers and care program volunteers aged 13 and up — no horse experience required, we train everyone. Roles range from hands-on barn work and side-walking during therapeutic riding sessions to supporting childcare programs, helping in the garden, and group service projects.

Yes — Ivey Ranch Park Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We’re funded through program fees, community donations, grants, and corporate support. 92% of every dollar goes directly to programs — only 7% to operations and 1% to fundraising. You can donate online, sponsor a horse, or contribute through our wish list.

Our ranch is located at 110 Rancho del Oro Dr. in Oceanside, California. We serve families throughout North County San Diego, including Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Bonsall, Fallbrook, and the Camp Pendleton area.

Yes. We work with families receiving services through the Regional Center of San Diego. Give us a call at (760) 722-4839 or contact us online and we’ll walk through how it applies to your situation.

Let’s Talk

The best way to get more information is to reach out. We’d love to talk through which program is the right fit for your family and show you around the ranch.

Contact Us
(760) 722-4839

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