As President and Chairman of RETREAT, “Ms. Kimber” has been working with children with special needs for over 25 years and working with horses for almost 35! A Native El Pasoan, she has a Master’s in Special Education with a Graduate Certificate in Autism, and is a Certified Special Education Teacher in Texas and New Mexico. She is working toward her certification as  Board Certified Behavior Analyst and works with children both on horseback and in our private therapy room, which is specifically equipped for children with Autism. As an expert in Autism and Pervasive 

Development Disorders, as well as children with diagnosed behavioral disorders, Ms. Kimber designs and conducts all of the lessons for children with special needs. Ms. Kimber has advanced training in evidence-based intervention practices such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), TEACCH, PECS, RDI and other methodologies, which she incorporates into her riding therapy. She is also proficient in American Sign Language (ASL).

Formerly an in-home ABA Therapist, Kimber received her ABA training at The University of Washington and has over 20 yrs using ABA techniques with children with special needs, most of whom were on the Autism Spectrum.
Ms. Kimber grew up with horses and has been actively riding since 1983.Over the years, she has taken numerous classes and clinics in specific riding techniques in both Western and English disciplines, as well as advanced level “train the trainer” courses. She has been teaching riding since 1993.
In 1994, while working as an in-home ABA therapist and volunteering as the leader of the only all-disabled Girl Scout Troop in Western Washington, she introduced a non-verbal child with autism to horseback riding and, miraculously, within two weeks he said his first word: “horse.” From that point on, her dedication to special needs children and her love of horses merged, and she has been working with and developing equine programs for children with disabilities ever since.

“I incorporate both therapeutic riding techniques and hippotherapy approaches in order to achieve developmental goals with special needs?students. When working with a child with special needs I am willing to evaluate an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and incorporate some of the same goals into a class. I am also willing to coordinate our exercises and activities with other caregivers, such as O/Ts, P/Ts, SLPs or M.D.s. In special circumstances, I am willing to attend an Annual Review and Dismissal (ARD) meeting, so that your child receives unified goals across the board that are consistent with our therapeutic riding goals. Most of all, though, my goal is that all of my students gain the self-confidence and skills to safely ride and have fun around horses. They are truly majestic animals and can provide a lifetime of love with the proper knowledge.” ?