Heather Compton understands it can be tough for women to make friends.
Women have busy lives, juggling work and family, and have few opportunities to meet new people with common interests, she said.
So, she and her coworkers at Gaitway Inc. dreamed up the Dream Catchers program for women looking to make connections and enjoy being around horses.
Compton is the executive director of Gaitway Inc., a nonprofit organization founded by Jackie Greer and based at Grit & Grace Ranch, 5327 Liberty School Road, near Hillsboro.
Gaitway began two years ago and was designed to empower teenage girls through “equine-facilitated learning.”
“When I started working here, we had the Dream Makers program, which is our teen program for ages 13-18,” Compton said. “Very shortly after I started, I said, ‘We need Dream Makers for adults.’ I just knew the value of what the girls were getting, and I knew women would love it.”
Earlier this year, Gaitway started welcoming women, ages 19 and older, who are looking to make a connection and make friends. There are 21 participants.
“It took me a couple of years, but we made it happen. Now we have Dream Catchers, and it’s everything I dreamed it would be,” Compton said.
She said it’s free to participate in Dream Catchers.
“This is a wholesome place that’s safe for women to connect with each other over a fun and unique activity, which is horses,” Compton said. “When we asked adult women the number one thing that they’re struggling with, it’s not having a community. They feel isolated through motherhood, or we have a lot of women who don’t have children and they don’t know where to make friends, because as mothers, we become friends with other mothers.
“It’s for adult women to connect with each other and build confidence, communication, emotional regulation skills and disconnect from their everyday life.”
To participate, women must be at least 19, live in Jefferson County and pass a background check.
Women learn to care for horses but do not ride.
“This free program offers participants the opportunity to come to the ranch once a week (on Friday evenings) for a two-hour ranch session where they help care for the horses – feeding, mucking, grooming and learning about overall horse care,” said Summer Love, Gaitway’s program director. “These barn chores often serve as a therapeutic and grounding experience, helping participants slow down, reconnect and find peace through purposeful work.”
Hourlong groundwork sessions are also offered on Monday and Wednesday evenings.
“Participants learn how to safely move, handle and communicate with a horse using their voice, clear cues and a tool called a ‘carrot stick,’” Love said. “Much of our curriculum is based on Parelli Natural Horsemanship, which teaches intention, leadership, emotional regulation and the importance of body language.”
Love said Dream Catchers offers additional adult wellness programs, such as Mindfulness with Mares and Sound Baths, which provide opportunities for women to relax, reflect and connect.
“Including these programs, we’ve served over 100 women to date – and we currently have the capacity to welcome several more participants,” she said.
Compton said about 10 women participate in ranch sessions on a typical Friday night. Participation varies on Mondays and Wednesdays.
“We do ask that Dream Catcher participants make at least 10 of the 12 (Friday) ranch sessions (over three months) in order to stay committed to the program,” Love said. “This consistency helps build momentum and real growth within the group.
“After participants complete their initial three months, they are welcome to re-enroll as many times as they would like.”
Compton said those who are interested in joining may attend a trial class or take a tour of the ranch. For information, email Summer Love at summer@gaitwayinc.org, call 636-209-7865 or visit gaitwayinc.org.
“You don’t have to have ever touched a horse,” Compton said. “Come and learn with us. (You will) learn basic safety rules. We do tons of training with our horses, so they are very safe for new people to work with.”
Jackie Greer, president and owner of Gaitway; Heather Compton, executive director; and Summer Love, program director.
Building confidence
On a recent Wednesday night in the indoor arena, Ciara Valentine, Kris Curtis, Christy Beaver and Rachel McConville learned new skills from 22-year-old horses, Saphira and Dakota.
The women watched a short video demonstrating Lunging for Respect and then took turns trying it.
Parelli defines lunging as the practice of moving a horse in a circle, at a walk, trot or canter, to burn off excess energy before riding or as structured exercise.
“They’re going to try this skill,” Compton said. “And I say, ‘They’re going to try to do it;’ they’re not going to get it right. It will take weeks of practice to even become mildly proficient at this skill.
“Obviously, that’s a 1,000-pound animal that you’re trying to get to partner with you and listen to you. And when you do that, when that horse listens and you build that bond and that partnership, it creates confidence in you that feels like you can do anything. If this animal who weighs 1,000 pounds is willing to listen to me, what else can I do?”
Finding their tribe
Curtis, 30, of Crystal City said she was interested in horse lessons when she toured the ranch. She learned about Dream Catchers and decided to give it a try in August. She’s been returning on Fridays ever since.
“I’ve learned something new every time I have come and not just in the skills that they teach you, but also by just interacting with the horses, it challenges you in different ways, depending on the horse’s mood,” she said.
Curtis said she likes the community aspect.
“I think that a lot of people, women in general, struggle with finding their tribe,” she said. “This offered me the ability to be with horses, and I found a tribe and a family here, which has been really nice.”
Valentine, 30, of Imperial was interested in the program because she wants to own a horse.
“It can be daunting to immerse yourself in the horse world and feel like you’re behind or like you don’t know enough. But coming here has made it feel like home,” she said.
With Dream Catchers, she said, the women are learning together and no one feels “behind.”
Beaver, 44, of De Soto, formerly of Arnold, said her first encounter with the ranch was at Gaitway’s fundraiser gala in June. She joined Dream Catchers, and now the ranch is her happy place.
“When you have a stressful day and you come, the outside world doesn’t matter. You get to have that mental break from everything, and it’s kind of a reset,” she said. “Not to mention, I love horses, and it is awesome to learn more than I could ever imagine learning without owning a horse.”
Beaver said the women always put a smile on her face.
“It’s kind of like a family here,” she said. “We all help each other out.”
McConville, 40, of Festus already was familiar with the ranch because her niece had been part of the Dream Makers program.
“When I saw that they offered the Dream Catchers program (for adults), I was like, ‘I need to do this,’” she said.
McConville grew up with horses and adopted a horse a year and a half ago.
“This has strengthened things I already knew as a child growing up, and it’s taught me so much more than what I even learned as a child,” said McConville, who also serves as a barn mentor for the teen girls. “You can never stop learning with horses; there’s always something to learn, a new way to do something, a new connection.”
Through their time at the ranch, Love said, many participants discover a deep sense of support, friendship and personal growth from the horses and one another.
“I feel like everybody comes because you’re attracted to horses, but then you stay because you love the people,” Compton added.