With funding provided from our donors and fundraising efforts Home Team Equine is able to offer equestrian based programming that leaves our participants with the skills required to step out into the world as leaders in whatever path they choose. We believe the horse is the ultimate teacher of life and leadership skills: integrity, communication, trust, courage, empathy and respect are all but a few lessons of the horse. Horses don't care what you look like or where you come from. Rich,poor,fat,skinny,girl,boy, pink hair or blue hair the horse meets individuals where they are at with no judgment or bias giving the perfect environment for our members to learn and grow individually and as a team.

Applicants can apply by submitting an application or being nominated. Home Team Equine accepts a limited number each year based on funding, with the board voting if demand exceeds capacity. Our members start as team players, advancing to team leads and then captains. Each role empowers members to achieve their personal goals through provincially and federally recognized programs while giving back to the community. To foster leadership and service, each member completes volunteer hours, including barn work or participating in our monthly "Good Deeds Days."

Team Player: (Ages 9-18)-Rider Levels 1-3+Complete EAL curriculum

Team Players participate in Cartier Farms’ Equestrian Assisted Learning program, led by certified facilitators, where horses guide participants through lessons focused on leadership and life skills. This science-backed program teaches trust, perseverance, communication, and more, while working alongside both human and equine teammates. After completing the course, members progress to the Alberta Equestrian Federation’s Learn to Ride and Drive program, achieving Rider Levels 1-3 to ensure a strong foundation in stable management, theory, and riding.

Team Lead: (Ages 12-18)-Rider Levels 4-5

After graduating as team players, members gain practical horsemanship and leadership skills to progress to Rider Levels 4 & 5. Team leads, guided by a certified coach, learn to set both short- and long-term goals, helping each member explore their interests—whether it's competing, coaching, training young horses, becoming an EAL facilitator, or pursuing careers as a farrier, vet, or body worker. Our goal is to expose team leads to various aspects of the horse industry through clinics and workshops, showcasing the versatility of horses.

Team Captain: (Ages 14-18)-Rider Levels 6-8

Team Captains mentor Team Leads and Players while working with a certified coach. In addition to completing the rider level program, they gain mentorship hours in their chosen field. Captains have access to Home Team Equine’s extensive network of coaches, trainers, farriers, bodyworkers, and business owners, and can apply for internships both within and outside the organization.

Team Graduate: Has completed EAL curriculum and L2R&D Levels 1-8

Graduates of the program possess a well-rounded skill set that equips them to work in any area of the equestrian industry, whether it be with established businesses or starting their own ventures. Our ultimate aim is to empower our members to become effective leaders in their chosen paths in life. With the knowledge and experience gained from our program, our graduates are well-equipped to succeed in any professional equestrian setting and beyond.

“I grew up in a low income household that could at times barely afford groceries let alone riding lessons. At age nine my parents scraped up enough money for me to take a few riding lessons at Willow Grove Stables. Needless to say I was instantly hooked. Unfortunately life happened and my world went dark. Parents separated, my Dad gave into addictions and eventually was fired from his job leaving the family even more broke than ever. It was around this time that Trish Mrakawa, the owner and trainer at Willow Grove reached out to my mom and offered the opportunity to do some volunteer work to pay for my lessons. That's when my life and career started with these wonderful animals. The gift of just being around them was enough to help me through some of the darkest times of my life as a young person, I truly believe God put horses in my life to save it. It was through the love of horses that my relationship with my Dad ultimately was healed; He loved the horses and it quite simply just gave us something to talk about. Eventually my dad got better and stopped drinking. It was at this point where he became one of my best friends. One of the sayings my dad would say both to me and my siblings was Home Team. What it meant was that no matter where you end up or how much you screw up we are a team and because of that you will always have a home. 

Fast forward years later here I am still involved in the community that I adore so much. Not only did I find community at the barn I was able to hone my skills and eventually became a coach and rider as well as manure shuffler. From there I eventually left the nest working in other aspects of the horse industry in many different disciplines from being a polo groom to working as an exercise rider for a working cow horse facility. Whatever I was doing my love for the horse grew and grew. Eventually returning back to my true passion of coaching, creating my own program. The timing was perfect and I was able to come back home to Willow Grove and share my old stomping grounds so to speak with my students. As time went on more and more youth were being brought into my life that had two things in common one being a huge desire and need to be around horses. The second obstacles preventing them from being able to do so. 

So I did what Trish and quite honestly many trainers in the industry do and I allowed a few to work off  their lessons. Then myself and my business hit a wall. There were just too many. Too many broken kids that needed a community, too many kids that needed the horse, too many kids that needed a home. And so began the journey of rebranding and rebuilding Home Team Equine from being a riding lesson and training business to a non-profit (hopefully soon to be charity) that supports and enables youth to have access to these life changing animals giving them the confidence to step out into the world as leaders and to have comfort that no matter where life takes them they will always have the lessons horses taught them and with that they will be home.” 

-Sarah Kernaghan  NCCP Equestrian Canada Certified and Licensed Coach Certified Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator  CEO of Home Team Equine

“Over the years hometeam equine has helped me in many ways. Sarah, and the rest of her team has  created a safe, fun, and enjoyable program for me and my horse, that also  allows me to learn and overcome any obstacles. Not only has home team equine helped me get over my physical challenges in my riding, the program has also helped me to get over many mental challenges both in riding and and in my overall life. I’ve had many fortunate experiences with home team equine that have made me the person, horsewoman, and rider I am today, and I will forever be grateful for that” -14 year old team captain

“Home Team Equine made me find my love of horses!! Riding is my favorite thing to do, in the whole wide world. I have learned so much, love so many horses and get to ride with my mama, sister and my best friends. I know how lucky I am and feel grateful every single day.” -9 year old team player

“Being a part of Home Team Equine did much more than impact my life. It saved it. When I met Sarah, I was shut down and riddled with anxiety so much so that I was practically unable to speak, in short I had lost myself. With the kindness of Sarah, Danielle, the horses and everyone else who helped me not only while riding, but also in the barn I slowly became myself again. The responsibility not only to those around me, but also to my equine partners gave me more confidence than I had ever imagined when I succeeded and, more resilience than I ever dreamed when I failed. Such became a part of every aspect of my life, those who knew me before I met Sarah say I’m unrecognizable and those who didn’t ask how I got to be this way. Everyone I know who has been a part of Home Team Equine has received not only riding lessons from, in my opinion one of the best coaches in the area or the opportunity to learn how to care for our wonderful equine teammates, but also an unrivaled work ethic, a kindness so gentle it can touch a wounded soul, alongside confidence so firm you’ll never lose your ground, but above all an unwavering love for the horse seeing them primarily as a friend, and the knowledge that it is your responsibility to care for them in every way possible. Home Team Equine is so much more than a way for anybody to ride, it is a second chance for anyone to rewrite who they are. In final is the very quote that first began the process of bringing me back to life, “Those who are brave are free.” “ -15 year old Team Captain