Program Meetings

NNMHA holds frequent meetings featuring program speakers and Association news. The public is welcome to attend regular program meetings free of any charge.

Program Meetings and Coffee Chats

Program meetings are typically the last Wednesday of the month year-round and are usually hosted at a restaurant where we may share a meal and enjoy a presentation by local speakers. Location or date may change for holidays or occasions when we may benefit from arena demonstrations in lieu of a dinner program.

Our Coffee Chats are held during the winter as a no-agenda, informal way to get together once a month to catch up on news with other members when weather may interfere with more outdoor pursuits. Coffee Chats are the second Tuesday at Big R in Santa Fe.

Upcoming Program Meeting

Therapeutic Driving

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 7pm

Pecos Trail Cafe, 2239 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87505

As equestrians ourselves, we know the physical and emotional benefits of spending time with our animals regardless of whether that means riding, grooming, hand-walking or simply interacting casually with our horses. Extending those benefits to people with disabilities is the basis of the equestrian program at Mandy’s Farm, a residential and day facility in Albuquerque’s South Valley.


Our October speaker, Kim Fay, has been doing outreach with her standard and mini donkeys for some years in the form of meet-and-greets at El Rancho de las Golondrinas (and many other venues). However, her own journey has led her to a passion for Combined Driving with her miniature donkey Cyder’s Sir Bentley with whom she has won placings at the Division (multi-state) level.


She didn’t start out to teach others to drive but discovered driving and therapeutic riding skills go together!  Join us at our next program meeting to learn more about what Kim and her mini-donkey have learned when it comes to driving and therapeutic riding.

 

In January, Bentley and Kim started teaching a student from Mandy’s Farm who has autism to drive.  “There have been so many benefits for all of us, and the positive impact driving has had on my student is amazing.  As we expand, we’re excited that this will be the first such program in NM.  We just need larger equines, additional tack and carts or carriages and some accessible equipment to serve more individuals.”  What a success story! 

 

Come for the program at 7pm or dinner with others at 6 pm. We will be dining out in the front dining room and retiring to the back room for our program at 7pm.

 

Kim was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. On her way to California to work at Universal Studios, her car broke down in Albuquerque.  She never left!  Kim raised dairy goats and was looking for a guardian animal, because she traveled a lot for business.  But, it had to be something that would not attack her sitter.  “Enter my first donkey, Bud,” she explained. “I rescued him at five months old.  Even though I knew he was not the guardian I needed, he was small and cute, all legs and ears.  I fed him goat milk and trained him like a dog.  I didn't know any better.  Donkeys are much like potato chips, you can’t have just one, and the rest is history.”