About Our Club

Back Bay Therapeutic Riding Club was founded on a simple but powerful belief: horses have the ability to heal, empower, and transform lives.

The vision began with our founder, Bernadette Olsen, who first discovered the power of therapeutic riding at just fourteen years old while growing up in Germany. As a young rider working with an instructor who taught individuals with disabilities, she witnessed something extraordinary. Riders gained confidence, strength, and joy through their connection with horses. These experiences left a lasting impression and sparked a lifelong dream to one day create a similar place of healing and opportunity.

Years later, that dream became reality in Newport Beach.

More than two decades ago, Bernadette, an experienced rider, instructor, and lifelong horse lover, founded Back Bay Therapeutic Riding Club (BBTRC) with the support of her husband Jeff and their sons, Ebo and Jeffrey. Her longtime friend, Larry Lake, helped make this vision possible by generously donating half of his estate for the stables.

Since officially becoming a nonprofit in 2007, BBTRC has grown into a special sanctuary where lives are changed every day.

What began as a modest backyard property has evolved through the dedication of volunteers, donors, and community members into one of the last remaining horse sanctuaries in Newport Beach. Today, BBTRC provides a permanent and loving home for rescued animals, including ten horses, as well as a pig, goat, and chickens. Many of these animals arrived with difficult histories of abandonment or neglect. Today, they serve as gentle teachers and partners in healing.

These remarkable animals help empower individuals of all ages and abilities, including children and adults with special needs, through therapeutic riding and equine-assisted programs that build confidence, independence, strength, and connection.

Beyond the riders themselves, BBTRC has become a place of belonging for families, volunteers, and the broader community. Volunteers of all ages help care for the animals, support riders, and sustain the daily life of the ranch. For many, the experience brings a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment.

As a small 501(c)(3) nonprofit, BBTRC continues to rely on the generosity of local supporters who believe in our mission to care for neglected animals while improving the quality of life for individuals with special needs.

After more than twenty years of service to the community, we remain committed to maintaining high standards of equine care, providing meaningful therapeutic experiences for our riders, and creating a safe and welcoming environment where both people and animals can thrive.

We invite you to visit our center, meet our incredible horses, and experience the compassion, empowerment, and connection that define the Back Bay TRC community.

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO BACK BAY TRC - MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND COME AND VISIT OUR CENTER TO EXPERIENCE THE LOVE AND EMPOWERMENT FIRST HAND OF OUR WORLD, WHICH YOU HELP TO KEEP ALIVE!

backbayridingclub@yahoo.com

backbaytrc.org

949-474-7329

The BBTRC is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation

Fed TaxID #20-5773475