Changing Gaits
Empowering Lives One Hoof-Beat At A Time
Heal. Inspire. Transform.
Together We Can Make A Difference.
Please Help Support Our Mission.
Our Horses and Staff Thank You!
Our Mission
Changing Gaits, Inc. is a faith-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that partners with horses for equine therapy with a healing bond to educate, mentor, empower behavior changes, and enhance life skills for all age groups with mental, physical, and emotional disabilities.
Changing Gaits, Inc. is a Non-Discriminatory Ministry. All of our activities are available to all people regardless of race, religion, age, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.
Quality of Life Spotlight: Changing Gaits | News
We at Changing Gaits are overwhelming grateful for our newly updated service with state-of-the-art equipment that is changing lives for those with paralysis. For where He leads us we will follow. This article from The Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation is a magnificent acknowledgment of the lives powerfully impacted by our mission of work.
God Bless and thank you so much!
Programs & Events
How You Can Join Us
& Learn More
Thank you to our generous Sponsor Cynthia Nordby for her contribution to help create this new website and media.
"Horses were my healing presence during my childhood. Changing Gaits inspires me as a follower of Jesus Christ to live generously, walk humbly, and "above all love one another deeply from the heart" (1 Peter 4:8)" - Cynthia
Because of the generous support from our Sponsors, our horses will continue to have the dedicated daily care to keep them safe, healthy, and happy.
If you would like to become a sponsor, please visit our sponsorship donation page and select your donation level.
How To Help Our Horses | Join Our Sponsorship Program
Help Us Feed And Care For Our 35+ Horses. Your generous support helps continue our dedicated daily care of feeding, grooming, housing, and veterinary costs to keep our horses safe, healthy, and happy. We sincerely thank you for your support and contribution!
Corporate & Business Friendship
Please email or call us directly to discuss our Business and Sponsorship Opportunities and Perks, or to discuss tax-wise giving options including incentives for taxpayers available through the 2020 CARES Act. Thank you so much!
Our Featured Horses
We help people. Our horses help people heal and change their lives. At Changing Gaits we recognize and understand the value and impact horses have on us all- the help us with self-esteem, self-empowerment, self-awareness, self-control, and most importantly horses give us happiness.
View All Our Horses Here >
Why Horse Therapy?
We help people. Our horses help people heal and change their lives. At Changing Gaits we recognize and understand the value and impact horses have on us all- the help us with self-esteem, self-empowerment, self-awareness, self-control, and most importantly horses give us happiness.
The Changing Gaits Movement
About Us
Founder & Executive Director
Guy Kaufman
Nile “Guy” Kaufman is a Certified Equine Specialist through OK Coral, the Lead Trail Guide and a Public Speaker. He has been in recovery and free from addiction for 20 + years. He has extensive experience in relapse prevention with addiction. Guy enjoys working with adults with disabilities, kids with special needs, and mentoring troubled youth.
Officer / CGI Volunteer - Pat Arneson
Changing Gaits is proud to announce the release of Pat Arneson's debut novel, "Simply Dead." This thrilling and uplifting story is available now at local bookstores and online. Early reviews are already glowing:
"I fell in love with the protagonist...and the rest of the colorful cast...Intriguing with lots of potential suspects and several non-obvious twists. I hope Abby Maguire will be back in another book..." - Dean Hovey, award-winning author of the Doug Fletcher, Whistling Pines, and Pine County Mysteries.
Suspenseful, deeply moving—a gripping murder mystery laced with hope, healing and laughter.
She walked away from danger. Death followed her.
Therapist Abby Maguire is no stranger to violence. After years of counseling killers and victims, she needs a break. Her new job doing Equine-assisted Therapy should have been a stroll in the countryside—instead, she is surrounded by secrets, sabotage, and murder.
Abby struggles to escape her own past, while grappling with ghosts in the hearts of others.
Headstrong and relentless, Abby won’t stop until she finds the truth—unless the killer finds her first.
Nile "Guy" Kaufman
Board Chair / Founder / Executive Director
changinggaitsinc@gmail.com | 651-324-8299
Wendy S. Hazzard
President / CGI Grant Writer
wen.ven@gmail.com
Tim Mehner
Vice President / Independent Contractor
timmehner@gmail.com
Donna Larson
Board Secretary / Executive Assistant
donnalarson1958@gmail.com
Denise Schneider
Event Planner / CGI Volunteer
dschneider422@gmail.com
Changing Gaits Board of Directors
Marketing Coordinator / CGI Volunteer
Mary Pelz
Officer / Bridge Outreach
Pat Arneson
Officer / CGI Volunteer
Paul Enright
Officer / Guided Trail Rides
Mike Fleischhacker
Officer / CGI Volunteer
Cheri Engler
Volunteer Coordinator
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Program Director - George Will
After learning the hard way what doesn’t work in life, George learned how to succeed. He loves teaching and working alongside staff. George has a natural knack in helping residents stay focused on their successful sobriety. He is happily married to Betty for 20+ years and lives in Ogilvie, Minnesota.
Executive Assistant / Board Se- Donna Larson
Donna has been with us for 5 years. She enjoys keeping Guy and CGI organized while assisting the sober house residents with anything they need in administration. Donna grew up on a farm so her love for animals as well as her love for Jesus is a perfect fit.
Marketing Coordinator - Sherry Ostertag
Sherry has always had a deep passion for animals and the great outdoors. It was a life long dream to have her own horse to explore the trails with. That dream finally became a reality when she met her mare Maggie. Now she enjoys spending her free time at the ranch helping others experience the joy of horses.
