The Very Best & Most Beautiful Kind of “Horsin’ Around!”

Solid Ground Equine Assisted Activities and Therapy Center

The Very Best & Most Beautiful Kind of “Horsin’ Around!”

“Transformative” and “life changing” are two words used by Shelley Trumbly, owner, and founder of Solid Ground to describe the impact her equine assisted services center has had on the many people it serves.

Trumbly, grew up on her family’s 110-acre family cattle and hay ranch south of Klamath Falls, showing and riding paint horses, before going on to become a registered nurse.

Even though Shelley remains working as an RN in healthcare she had never heard of equine assisted therapy services until 2016. It was, and is, a growing industry. Equine assisted services are composed of programs where professionals guide clients through activities with horses. Equine assisted services can help individuals build confidence, communication, trust, social skills, and impulse control. It can also help lessen or alleviate anxiety, help define boundaries, balance stress and depression. Sometimes, according to Shelley, it is for a student whose purpose is simply, “I need more confidence” or “I want to be able to have better social interactions.”

There is no requirement to have any specific medical diagnosis to participate in equine assisted services. Solid Ground provides services ranging from therapeutic riding to Equine assisted therapy involving a licensed therapist. It has the privilege of serving children, at risk youth, veterans, seniors, and those who face mental health challenges. Individuals with autism, MS and cerebral palsy have also made significant strides using equine assisted services.

Solid Ground’s officially registered 501(c)(3) name is Solid Ground Equine Assisted Activities and Therapy Center, was named after the premise in the Bible’s Psalms 40:2, which speaks to being brought out of a dark place and finding a firm place to stand. According to Shelley, their activities are not at all religious in nature but the foundation to do good, to do the right thing, to be open and accepting of people where they are guideposts to their operations…to offer and provide a firm place to stand, to feel secure.

Shelley learned about equine assisted services friend who asked to retire her therapy horse on the Trumbly family ranch. The horse had been serving individuals at “Healing Reins” in Bend, an equine therapy ranch.

Intrigued and inspired, Shelley said that she prayed about it, and embarked on spending five hours each week for an entire year in Medford at a similar venue, “Hope Equestrian,” to learn what it would entail to explore making a section of her family ranch suitable for equine assisted services.

Shelley, being raised as a rancher, combined her professional skills in medicine and health care along with her heart for those hurting and seeking support to create an ideal combination of gifts and abilities that melded into this beautiful business creation.

“The idea and opportunity were God given gifts,” said Trumbly. “I felt called to do this. I had a clear vision of what it was supposed to be, and all the doors began to open. My life skills growing up were destined for this day” she added.

It was not long before Shelley became a polished and passionate advocate for this cause dear to her heart. And in 2016 Solid Ground was officially founded, 2017 the organization’s infrastructure began to take shape and in 2018 40 students were regular participants at the ranch. That number has now swelled to 200 in 2022 with hundreds on the wait list for summer camp opportunities. Program participants range in age from 3-98 years old!

One young student, Katie Wooten, age 11 in third grade has some special needs of developmental delays with sensory issues and anxiety. She has been attending Solid Ground for three years. Her mom, Karen Steiner-Wooten, gives high praise to the growth and gifts Katie has experienced through her participation in the program.

“Katie loves and connects with animals and has since she has been a little girl,” said Karen. “Out here at Solid Ground, she is completely independent and in control. It is outdoor physical therapy. She has built her core, stretched her legs, and improved her balance immensely, plus she really loves the people who walk alongside her when she rides.”

Many inquire, “how does it work?” “Doesn’t it take a huge amount of manpower, money, and structure. The answers are all “yes!” But the building of loyal community partnerships, strong community support, generous grants and donations combined with a popular and poignant annual fundraiser, each September, help defray some of the costs. Just recently, the generosity and goodness of the King Family donated twenty-five tons of highest quality hay for the fourteen therapy horses at Solid Ground. A contribution valued at $10,000! It was truly a welcome, much-needed gift that honored the work of the organization and the lives it has touched.

In addition to Shelley, Claire Callanan is a full-time instructor and equine manager at Solid Ground. Both women are Certified Therapist Instructors, trained and certified by The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship. Shelley compliments the many gifts Claire brings to the Solid Ground operation.

“Claire has a degree from OSU in equine management. She is so dedicated to learning this type of therapy,” said Shelley. “Claire loves people and horses. She is kind, sweet and intuitive with processing time, which is truly a gift in this type of work. Knowing when the people or the horse needs time. She also loves to sing and play the guitar for the kids!”

Seventy-five faithful volunteers join this dedicated duo of women compose the roster of stall cleaners, horse groomers, side walkers, horse leaders, and community outreach coordinators to keep the daily operations organized, and efficient. Summer teen leaders, some paid or on Oregon Community Foundation scholarships and others as volunteers help support the camp activities while gaining experience and valuable people and ranch management skills.

For those volunteers not comfortable or adept with horsemanship, there are ways to help on the grounds, watering the flowers, providing cookies and lemonade, organizing the barn and tack and much more.

Shelley’s dreams and plans continue to flourish. No idea is too big or way to serve too insurmountable for this terrific lady. Whether it be collaborating with senior citizens from Pelican Pointe Memory Care, children of incarcerated parents, families from hospice who have lost a loved one or adaptive riders, (those who need special equipment to meet their needs), all are welcome in this amazing safe space.

The goals only grow bigger and more important to Solid Ground’s participants. Currently there is an ongoing campaign to buy a special lift to assist wheelchair bound individuals get on the horses. If this is a cause that speaks to your heart, there is a “Donate” button on their website, www.solidgroundkf.org. If you would like to learn more about this worthwhile organization, feel free to call Shelley Trumbly, at 541.891.9462. Her stories of hope and the life changing transformations she has witnessed through equine assisted services will inspire you and might ignite your interest in visiting Solid Ground, located at 630 Griffith Lane in Klamath Falls.

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