For 30 years NWTRC has provided life-changing experiences with horses to children and adults of all abilities.

It all started a little bit like the movie Field of Dreams on April 1, 1991, when Mike and Julia Bozzo purchased a 5-acre property on Kelly Road just outside Bellingham, WA.
From the back deck of their house, Julia looked to the north at an open area next to the barn and said to Mike, “If you build an arena, I can teach riding lessons”.

If you know Mike, you know that he can build pretty much anything, and so he got to work converting the old cow barn to one that could house horses, building paddocks, loafing sheds, cross ties, a tack room, mounting ramp, and a small arena. Meanwhile, Julia worked to create a non-profit that would provide horseback riding lessons to children and adults with disabilities. They did all this while raising their two young daughters, and Mike working full-time.

In 1993, with all the paperwork and facilities in order, Julia and Babe (NWTRC’s first program horse) began giving lessons to two students per week with the help of a handful of volunteers.

Now, 30 years later, NWTRC has seven horses who work with over 35 students per week, with the help of over 100 volunteers annually.

”If you build it they will come”… In 30 years Mike and Julia, with the help of countless board members, donors, volunteers, participants and families have built more than just an arena for riding. They have built an incredibly special community. A community where everyone is welcome, empowered, and respected for their individuality. A community that loves, cares for, connects with, and learns from horses. A community that together, has made a huge difference in the lives of children and adults with disabilities. As one of our donors recently wrote to us: Thank you, NWTRC, for making the world a better place.