Heartstrides Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship of Olympia
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Heartstrides provides equine-assisted, recovery-based programs that support mental health, emotional regulation, and personal growth through therapeutic partnerships with horses.
- Income
- $251,000
- Spending
- $264,644
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 7.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 57%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $60,625, founding director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (health care, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (health care, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $77,094 spent. Equine Assisted Peer Support Youth Program (EAYPS) - The EAYPS program is a therapeutic early intervention recovery-based 6-week course. It is offered through a partnership with the Thurston County Juvenile Court, Thurston County Treatment Sales Tax Program, and community partners to accept referrals of your (ages 9-17) who are receiving services through any civil or offender program and have demonstrated symptoms of mental illness and/or substance use. During sessions, the adolescents work through a curriculum that is designed around twelve core values which are learned metaphorically through interactions with the horses. We serve between 32-56 youth in this program annually.
- $52,800 spent. The Next Mission - The Next Mission is a 6-week recovery-based course offered to veterans and active-duty military personnel modeled off our youth program (EAYPS). Our referral sources include Joint Base Lewis McCord and their Soldier Recovery Unit, Thurston County Veterans Services, mental health providers, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Washington State National Guard. The participants work through a curriculum that focuses on twelve core values which are learned metaphorically through interactions with the horses. We serve 6-8 participants in each cohort and aim to provide at least four cohorts per year depending on funding availability. This program primarily serves participants from Thurston, Pierce, and Kitsap counties, though we are working on expanding to other neighboring counties with their Veterans Courts.
- $42,708 spent. Operation THRIVE - Operation THRIVE is a three-day weekend intensive course that is offered to veterans, active-duty military personnel and first responders suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS). During the first day, participants are encouraged to invite their families to the ranch to share dinner and learn about the basics of horsemanship. The next two days provide our participants time to work directly with the horses to develop a partnership based on mutual respect and shared goals. Because individuals with PTSD often have difficulty trusting and feeling a connection with others, partnering with the horses helps them effectively break down barriers encountered with traditional approaches of counseling and PTSD programs. We typically serve 12-15 participants in each weekend clinic. This program serves participants from across Washington State.
- $37,864 spent. Equine Assisted Peer Support (FRC EAPS) - This program is a 6-week recovery-based course modeled off our youth program (EAYPS) and is offered to participants in Thurston County's therapeutic courts (Family Recovery Court, Drug/DUI Court, and Mental Health and Veterans Court). The participants work through a curriculum that focuses on core values, parenting skills, and general life functioning which are learned metaphorically through interactions with the horses. We serve roughly 20-25 participants in this program annually. Heartstrides also offers regularly scheduled programs to adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. This program is modeled off of our youth program (EAYPS) and incorporates core values and horsemanship lessons.In addition to the more regularly scheduled programs, Heartstrides offers team-building activities, corporate and leadership retreats, women's retreats, field trips, and private peer support sessions.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2011.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.