Facility and Municipal Lease Update
On June 25, 2009 the Anchorage Horse Council and Rainbow Connection signed a long term lease with the Municipality of Anchorage to operate our respective programs within the Chamberlin Equestrian Center (Section 16). The land is leased to the Anchorage Horse Council and Rainbow Connection for a term of 20 years with two optional extensions of 10 years each. The lease implements a ballot proposition passed by voters in 2007, authorizing the two groups to operate jointly at the Center in their respective roles of managing, upgrading and maintaining public equestrian facilities, and providing therapeutic horseback riding programs. The lease provides a designated three acres, with an option to extend to five acres, for Rainbow Connection's sole use.

Working toward a "Stable Future", Rainbow's immediate goal is to actively raise funds to complete the ground work and erect the 72' x 120' Cover-All indoor arena that was purchased earlier this year with funds from an anonymous donor. This covered arena will allow for expansion of the therapeutic programs that Rainbow Connection offers by providing protection from the elements and unwelcome wildlife and allowing us to have our own space safely away from but still connected to the daily activities of the Equestrian Center. We are hoping to complete the ground work and installation so that it will be in use possibly by the Fall of 2009 but definitely by the Spring of 2010. This is a wonderful opportunity to join a community effort to help Rainbow Connection grow and expand it's program to accommodate the many children and adults with special needs who are currently on our waiting list.

To find out how you can help, please call the Rainbow Connection TROTline at 566-8768

A “Stable Future”
Plans are well underway for The Rainbow Connections A “Stable Future” project featuring a covered arena at the Chamberlin Equestrian Center. In 2007, Anchorage voters gave an overwhelming vote of approval or a long term lease at the center to build a facility to keep our riders out of the weather in a safe and controlled environment. It’s taken two years to work out the lease and all of the other little details that are necessary: location, site plans, environmental issues, accessibility, and the ability to fit our design into the original Master Plan that was done in 1984 which included an enclosed facility for the purpose of therapeutic and educational horse activities.

An exciting aspect of this project is that we are doing all we can to make it a “Green” facility-environmentally friendly to the land, animals and people that will come to use it.

This is a wonderful opportunity to join a community effort to help Rainbow Connection achieve our goal of a “stable future”. If you would like to be part of this ground-breaking event, please call the Rainbow Connection TROTline at 566-8768.

Horses For Heroes
Making a difference in the lives of our veterans under the auspices of the NARHA's Horses 4 Heroes program, offers equine activities and therapies to active duty or reserve military members, veterans and members of the Alaska National Guard with disabilities.

As a NARHA certified center, Rainbow Connection has passed the criteria required by the Memorandum of Agreement between NARHA and the Armed Forces Department of Veteran Affairs to begin a Horses 4 Heroes program in Alaska.

This dedicated program has been a part of the United States Armed Forces since it’s inception, dating back to the 1st Calvary. Service men and women use horses to rehabilitate in a much more stimulating, relaxing and challenging environment, with their comrades and community volunteers and families standing by to lend a hand. After riding, soldiers showed improvement in physical balance, gait and morale. Benefits for the soldiers included leaving the hospital atmosphere, practicing the skills of transferring, balance, coordination and body awareness, learning new skills – riding, driving, roping, grooming – even learning to play football on horseback!