The nonprofit pursued the expansion following an increase in demand for therapy services as exhibited by the lengthy waitlist, Executive Director Tricia Nelson said.
The overview
Currently, the facility includes one active riding arena, a second arena is currently being used as a barn, and various small buildings that house the organization's programming and a horse riding simulator.
The $12.1 million project, which is slated to be completed in November, includes another covered arena, a 32-stall horse barn, a new administrative building, a brain-building therapy center, a multi-use event area, and a 75-seat conference space.
“The thing I'm most excited about is whittling away that wait list and getting those riders on horses,” Nelson said. “We have a little over 400 people waiting for services right now.”
ManeGait has raised $9.5 million as of January 2025. In October 2023, ManeGait was awarded a $1.64 million grant from the Mabee Foundation, based in Midland, in support of The Beacon Project. Fundraising efforts are still underway.
The backstory
ManeGait was founded by Priscilla and Bill Darling in 2007. Priscilla Darling had previous volunteer experience at an equestrian therapy center but it was an hour away from their McKinney home. She felt there was a need for a similar service in McKinney, said Nelson.
“Their daughter went off to college, so Priscilla started praying for what their next adventure was going to be. She felt like this was what God placed on her heart,” Nelson said. “They live on the property adjacent to ours. Bill is a developer and he kind of had an eye to developing this property. God said, ‘No, we're going to do this instead.’”
What they offer
There are currently 150 riders who participate in ManeGait’s therapeutic riding program each week.
GaitWay to the Brain, a program focused on brain-building while riding horses, was developed at ManeGait by licensed speech pathologist and brain-building expert Robin Harwel, and is based on the science of neuroplasticity. She said activities done at GaitWay are geared towards rebuilding one of the main sensory channels or the brain’s ability to input information from multi-sensory information intake.
“Our target here is about building attention in the brain," she said. "It doesn't matter if you're 70 and have a diagnosis, or if you're seven and have a diagnosis. If you're struggling with attention, which is what usually happens with some sort of neurological challenge ... you're going to struggle with attention because the sensory information tends to come in too fast, too loud or too bright.”
What else?
A carriage driving program is offered for those who are unable to mount a horse or are over the weight limit to ride a horse.
Nelson’s daughter, who has special needs, was three years old when she became the first rider at ManeGait in 2008.
“My daughter did [carriage driving] because she wants to learn how to drive a car,” Nelson said.
Nelson said ManeGait’s primary focus is on children and adults with special needs, however there is a small percentage of veterans who utilize their services.
“Our very first veteran ... couldn't have his back to the room and was constantly in bar fights and things like that. He just couldn't handle the stimulus,” Nelson said. “After about six months with us in the program, he called me up on Sunday morning to tell me that he had just gone to a Motley Crue concert and was able to tolerate being in a mosh pit. He was struggling with keeping a job and has since not only gotten promoted, but has started his own business.”
The impact
Beginning in 2015, Texas Woman’s University students studied 25 special needs children for 32 weeks at ManeGait, said Danna Hamann, ManeGait's marketing and development director.
“Each struggled with sensory dysfunction associated with disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD [and], Intellectual Disability, among others,” Hamann said. "All participants were new to therapeutic riding."
Test results showed an upward trend of improvement as participants took part in therapeutic riding and GaitWay. Researchers reported a 20% increase in overall motor skill proficiency including improved motor precision and integration, dexterity, coordination, balance, running speed, agility, and strength. Other documented improvements reported by parents include better communication, vision, focus, following directions, academic performance, reading skills, confidence, affection and empathy.
Also of note
Nelson said at one point, it was proposed the US 380 bypass would impact ManeGait’s property and if that had come to fruition, their program would have been disabled and they would have had to relocate.
“We're not thrilled that other people are...going to suffer,” Nelson said. “We really have taken the stance that this has been a gift given to us, and we do not take that for granted. We will continue to operate and serve as many as we can, knowing that this is an opportunity that was awarded to us.”
Get involved
Nelson said there are a variety of ways to get involved at ManeGait including “time, talent and treasure.”
Volunteers are needed to participate in riding lessons as horse leaders or side-walkers for riders. Some volunteers care for the therapy horses and tend to the stables while others help with facility upkeep, administrative tasks or special events. For more information or to volunteer, go to www.manegait.org/volunteer-opportunities. The organization also accepts donations. For more information or to donate, visit www.maingait.org/support.
- 3160 N. Custer Road. McKinney
- www.manegait.org/beacon
