Board and Staff Member Spotlight

AIREAL DALLAM
Program Coordinator

Aireal started volunteering at Horses with Heart in the beginning of 2023. She has enjoyed all the amazing team members, the beautiful herd, and most importantly, the lives that are changed for the better by animal engagement, the riders.

She has grown up around horses and began to make their therapeutic abilities more a focus of study in the last few years. This includes being in the final stages of testing for the PATH Int. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor accreditation.

Being involved with the special needs community since she was young, this was a natural combination of two worlds. Reading, watching, and writing about the therapeutic capabilities, both quantitively and qualitatively, that animals, and more specifically horses provide, is one of the many joys of working with the special needs community. Aireal is excited to expand this knowledge base to additional communities who can benefit from Horses with Heart’s equine services, such as the senior community, veterans, and the caregivers of our wonderful community.

An Arizona native, Aireal currently lives in Prescott with her husband. With many family members close by and her family’s cattle ranch on the outside of town, Prescott has been the perfect place to call home.

Competition Team Update:

The team will be heading to CVEP on Saturday May 2nd for the first competition of the season. We will compete in Showmanship, Ranch Rail and Trail. Our classes begin at 8:30. We’d love to have you join us. Our next event will be at Brave Hearts on June 13th.

Onward, Session 2 Begins

Session 2 to begin the week of May 4th. Our programs include Therapeutic/Adaptive riding lessons, Equine Assisted Learning experiences, Veterans, Silver Saddles, and Non-Mounted Horsemanship classes. If you are interested in upcoming sessions, please contact Aireal Dallam at hwhprograms@gmail.com or 928-533-9178

What is Brave Hearts?

Brave Hearts is all about celebrating and honoring our Veterans, active military personnel, and first responders in our community. It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to connect with each other through this horseback experience.

It’s also a fantastic way to foster healthy and vibrant relationships, while giving everyone a chance to showcase their skills and see how much they’ve grown as riders, all while sharing a common love and respect for the horse. It’s about inclusion and recognizing the families and heroes who have so bravely served our communities and our country.

We’re hosting two events on June 13, 2026:

Equestrian Event at Chino Valley Equestrian Park. 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Hometown Heroes BBQ at Horses with Heart. 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The afternoon event will feature vendors, ranch tours, an honor parade, food, drinks, dancing to a DJ, and much more.

We’ll need lots of volunteers for both events. Please reach out to Debbie Hutchens, Sandy Owens, and Kris Vollrath to find out how you can get involved in this heartwarming event at (928) 533-9178.

Volunteer Of The Month - KRIS DOCKUM

How long have you been with Horses with Heart? 13 years this month.
Why do you volunteer at HWH? It's so rewarding to see the riders' smiles and to be a part of their personal accomplishments. What may seem easy or basic for us, may be a major milestone for them.
What is your favorite memory? I can still see the first time my rider went down the center line, off lead, without me anywhere near him. Totally on his own. I wanted to jump up and down and cheer him on, but was afraid I'd scare the horse. It was his smile that I'll never forget.
What would you share with new volunteers? Ask, ask,ask. Whatever your question, ask. If you want to explore a different task or job, ask. Whatever your talent, skill or interest we can find a spot for you.

Good Bye to Gladys

We share both a fond farewell and a hopeful future for our big spotted girl Gladys. After five wonderful years with us, Gladys, our gentle and beloved mare, is retiring from Horses with Heart. She is now in a loving home with a pair of other horses who will help guide her as she begins her journey with cataracts. We are so grateful for all the joy and healing she brought, and we know she will continue to inspire in this next chapter!

THE HANDS 🤲 THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BELONG TO THE HEART ❤️ OF THE VOLUNTEER!

Volunteers, we can’t express enough how much you are appreciated. Our horses, our staff, our board and the entire organization want to share our heartfelt gratitude, not just during Volunteer Appreciation Week, but always. Thank you for making Horses with Heart a place that makes a difference.

If you have not had a chance to come pick up your appreciation gift, they are still in the office.

Arizona Charitable Tax Credit Program

We are pleased to announce that Horses with Heart (HwH) successfully raised over $106,000 in tax credit funds this year. We extend our sincere gratitude to all individuals who contributed tax credit donations on behalf of HwH. Your support was instrumental in achieving this remarkable milestone.

We would like to acknowledge Bill Adams for joining our team and providing innovative strategies to enhance our outcomes. Bill’s contributions have been invaluable in driving our success.

As you plan your tax strategies for 2026, please remember Horses with Heart. The tax credit donation opportunity will remain active on our website.

DONATE

Marvelous Minis Update

April saw Marvelous Mini Frosty sharing gentle moments with Special Education classes at Abia Judd School, where she also made a new friend in law enforcement (see photos). Frosty, Rocky, and Dance brought smiles and fond memories to the residents at The Landings Assisted Living. Tessa, Pirate, and Brady are gearing up for the Polara Health Walk & Roll for Autism picnic, an annual event we have attended for several years, which will occur later in April, so stay tuned for photos next month.

Mary Smith

SAVE THE DATE! ~ Prescott Rodeo Parade

We will be participating in the Prescott Rodeo Parade again this year! Our Entry is entitled “Freedom in Every Stride - Independence through Therapeutic Riding”. The Parade is Saturday, July 4th, and we will need lots of help on the day of the parade and with the planning process.

Shop at Heart and Hoof Mercantile!

Come by the office and check out our store. Besides what we've got now, we're thinking of adding some new summer T-shirt colors -long and short sleeves, plus a new cap. These would be fantastic gifts for you, your family, and your friends. Do you have a favorite horse? We already have a picture of it framed! And if you need any tack, be sure to swing by Tacks 5th Avenue.

Barn Buddies

Being a Barn Buddy is a great way to ensure that your equine buddies are happy and healthy. All donations made through the Barn Buddy program go towards horse care: veterinary care; feed; supplements; bedding; blankets; and other horse care expenditures which benefit our entire herd. This donation can be made in any amount and once or recurring. Your donation will benefit our entire herd.

Visit our site by clicking the button below.

BE A BUDDY

Freshen Up

We want to thank M & S Painting for the fresh coat of paint on the office building. Love the new trim color!

In addition, new metal siding was provided by High Desert Buildings and Barns and was installed on the Hospitality Shed by the HwH maintenance team. A great upgrade!

Tack Sale

Thanks to everyone who helped, stopped by or passed the word about our recent tack sale. It was very successful and we even sold 9 saddles to a gal in Oregon. These tack sales are a great fundraiser for Horses with Heart and I appreciate everyone who donates and attends the sales. Remember, you can stop by our on-site tack store, Tacks 5th Avenue, any time during regular business hours.

Blue Ribbon Moments Winners:

Week of March 30th ~ David Sharrock
Week of April 6th ~ Krist Vollrath
Week of April 13th ~ Jeremy Owens
Week of April 20th ~ Mike Zenner

Wranglr

If you need assistance with Wranglr, please contact Annette DeMarco at cyngrrl@gmail.com or Debbie Hutchens at hwhvolcoord@gmail.com

Equine Emergency Evacuation of Yavapai County Demonstrates Readiness at Annual Drill

Equine Emergency Evacuation of Yavapai County (EEE) extends its sincere appreciation to Horses with Heart for generously hosting our annual evacuation drill on April 19. Their continued support plays a vital role in ensuring our teams have the opportunity to train in a realistic, well-managed environment.

This year’s drill proved to be highly successful and showcased the depth, coordination, and professionalism of the organizations involved. The exercise included eight fully equipped evacuation rigs and fourteen horses, simulating real-world conditions that require precision, calm handling, and coordinated movement.

More than 50 EEE volunteers participated, supported by dedicated teams across multiple operational areas, including staging, communications, logistics, horse management, and safety. Each component worked in sync to replicate the activation framework used during an actual emergency.

EEE conducted the exercise in close coordination with the Yavapai County Jeep Posse, the Arizona Rangers, and Large Animal Services and Emergency Readiness (LASER). The Jeep Posse supported operations by tracking all EEE evacuation rigs through the CalTopo system, enhancing situational awareness across the exercise. The Arizona Rangers provided security and traffic management, while LASER supported relocation operations, receiving horses at their facility as part of the drill. Coordination among all participating organizations was exemplary and reflected a high level of operational alignment.

Also in attendance was Jon Jones of Yavapai County Emergency Management, along with Ron Jokola of the Yavapai County Jeep Posse—an all-volunteer search and rescue organization supporting the Sheriff’s Office—both of whom noted the professionalism, coordinated execution, and operational readiness reflected across all aspects of EEE’s drill.

Together, these organizations demonstrated the extraordinary capability within Yavapai County in responding to emergencies involving large animals. The drill highlighted not only technical proficiency, but also the level of coordination and communication required to operate effectively under pressure.

Exercises like this are essential to ensuring EEE’s continued ability to support Yavapai County when it is needed most. It is not a matter of if, but when these capabilities will be called upon—and EEE remains committed to being fully prepared.

Once again, we extend our gratitude to Horses with Heart for their partnership and support in helping make this important training possible.

Ranch Visit:

HwH had the pleasure of Mingus Springs Charter School at the ranch this month. Ms. Kapele, or Ms. K, as her 8th grade students call her, chose HwH as their field trip location after reading the book War Horse, a book based around the emotional connection a young man can feel towards his horse.

The group of 14 students rotated through multiple instructors to review different elements of the horse. Anatomy and physiology, herd dynamics and body language, grooming, haltering and bridling, sensory exposure reactions, and understanding a “prey” animals mentality. Their day at the ranch ended with painting on horseshoes from our very own herd, though we were unable to confirm if their favorite horse from the day was in fact the shoe they were painting.

We have hosted or attended several schools over the years and no matter the event, size of the group, or the demographic, the dedication of our volunteers is something to recognize and appreciate. Thank you all for your time and energetic spirit to help grow future horse lovers.

Thank you Ms. K and Ms. Shannon for bringing your students to the ranch and allowing them to get hands-on horse experience, some for the first time.

If you are interested in scheduling a Ranch Visit for your organization or class please contact Aireal Dallam at hwhprograms@gmail.com or 928-533-9178