The state-of-the-art facility, named for Department of Animal Sciences faculty member and autism advocate Temple Grandin, was created to be a place of healing, treatment, education and research for clients from diverse backgrounds. The center is the new home of one of the leading equine-assisted services education and research programs in the world.
Even before construction on its CSU Spur campus is completed in 2022, the CSU System has been following an anchor institution model of engaging and working with the communities surrounding the future site.
A recent CSU pilot study aimed to develop and evaluate occupational therapy in an equine environment for youth with autism.
The Temple Grandin Equine Center will elevate CSU into a position of world leadership in equine-assisted activities and therapy.
Michael McGrady, 24, lives with a rare and often painful neurological disorder and never thought his dream of working with horses would come true. But earlier this month, that all changed, when Colorado State University’s Temple Grandin Equine Center in north Denver hired McGrady to assist with the facility’s upkeep each Monday.
CSU's Temple Grandin Equine Center in north Denver hosted an Open House on March 16 to provide a window for the community into the programs and activities that will continue growing as plans for the future National Western Center progress. More than 50 community members joined in celebrating the positive impact of equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) on individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities.
For the past three years, Colorado State University has hosted a clubhouse at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science's annual Girls & Science event, a fun-filled day focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) career exploration and mentorship for kids, mostly between eight and 13 years old.
The 16-day National Western Stock Show is filled with action-packed rodeos, stimulating exhibits and myriad vendors, all celebrating America's Western heritage. The Exceptional Rodeo, now in its 35th year, adds a particularly special element to the Stock Show's lineup each year, delivering a firsthand rodeo experience to children with physical and developmental disabilities.