MACH 1 Equine Assisted Therapy

Founded by longtime Pasadena Resident Joy Rittenhouse, MACH 1 (“Move A Child Higher”) began operations in 1996. Joy had polio as a child and found healing through riding, showing and caring for horses.

MACH 1 is accredited at the “premier” level by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.)This accreditation meets rigorous industry and national standards and guarantees that MACH 1 provides excellence in Equine Assisted Services.

MACH 1 certified (CTRI) instructors and participants work together to attain desired physical, cognitive and/or emotional goals via a variety of Equine-Assisted services (EAS):

1. Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship
2. Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL)
3. Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT)

With an acre of land lease from the City of Pasadena, MACH 1 built a therapeutic horsemanship center and became part of the Pasadena Equestrian Center located in the Hahamongna Watershed Park. This park contains numerous trails, running north into the San Gabriel Mountains, and south towards the Rose Bowl, for walking, biking and horseback riding. MACH 1’s facilities are located within view of JPL/NASA’s buildings in the Arroyo Seco, and are an important part of the greater San Gabriel community.