Kulia i ka Nu’u
”to rise above”
At The Spirit Horse Ranch, we believe that healing begins with pilina — the trust and connection between horse and human, facilitator and participant, and family and community.
Our mission is to provide transformative equine-assisted therapy that foster trauma recovery, suicide prevention, and resilience building for individuals and communities.
We are dedicated to creating safe spaces to rebuild connection, allowing individuals to re-establish trust, strengthen family bonds, and reconnect to self and community. With a commitment to excellence and a wealth of experience, we aim to create a healing sanctuary that empowers people to overcome challenges and thrive.
Who We Serve
We envision a world where individuals from all walks of life, especially those facing personal crises and trauma, find healing, resilience, and empowerment through the transformative bond between humans and horses.
Youth (ages 8–18) coping with trauma, neglect, abuse, financial strain, or school challenges and at risk for SUDS ( Substance Use Disorder prevention)
Families rebuilding connection, communication, and resilience after crisis at risk for SUDS (Substance Use Disorder prevention)
Adults & Individuals: including first responders, caregivers, and survivors of trauma at risk for SUDS ( Substance Use Disorder prevention).
Why it matters for our community:
When families, youth, and individuals receive support, the whole community benefits:
Stronger families result in less stress and conflict at home.
Supported youth show reduced risk of crises, better school performance, and healthier relationships.
Employment reinforcement creating stronger team relationships.
Resilient individuals with improved mental health result in stronger community bonds, and reduced strain on social services.
The need for a haven like The Spirit Horse Ranch has never been more critical.
On Maui, families are facing unprecedented challenges. In Lahaina, many remain displaced, living in transitional housing and unable to regain a sense of stability. Across the island, financial strain weighs heavily as businesses, households, and entire communities struggle to recover. Parents are burdened and often emotionally disconnected from their children. At-risk youth, caught in this instability, face trauma that fuels substance use, self-harm, assault, violence, and cycles of generational pain.
Economic hardship, job loss, and rising costs have placed tremendous strain on families, sometimes leading to increased stress within the home. When parents face overwhelming pressure, it can affect the way they connect and respond to their children, increasing the risk of emotional and physical harm. With the mental health of our children already in a tenuous state, the global pandemic further exacerbated the situation. COVID-19 and the resulting lock downs brought fear and anxiety, leading to both short-term and long-term psycho-social and mental health implications for children and adolescents. Lock downs and school closures have left many children stuck with their abusers, without the safe space that school would normally offer. Our vulnerable children are even more at risk in these challenging times. Suicidal idealization is at an all-time high.
The devastation caused by the 2023 Maui wildfires has further intensified the need for mental health support in the community. The trauma experienced by survivors, especially children, has created an urgent demand for healing and resilience-building services.
The Spirit Horse is located in verdant, pristine, sacred, undeveloped country on the southwest side of Haleakalā, with a combined 132 acres of lush land.
Our pristine location allows our participants to feel Maui’s energy, one which is nurturing and motherly, giving it the name “Mother Maui”.
The program is housed on Triple L Ranch, one of the few remaining Paniolo working cattle ranches on Maui established in 1947 and operated by the DePonte family. Additionally, the program serves as a sanctuary for the retired Triple L Ranch Horses to love and be loved!
Just up the road from The Spirit Horse Ranch, Haleakalā not only provides spectacular views, it radiates a special kind of energy through highly magnetic iron oxide rocks and a frequency which matches the human heart. In this environment, we find ourselves connecting on a deeper level, allowing us to move more freely and feel more deeply and restore balance between people, ʻohana, and ʻāina.
A Sanctuary for Healing Hearts
We need your ongoing support to grow our unique programs to heal, encourage and educate participants on their journey to freedom.
Help Maui heal by making a tax-deductible charitable donation today!
We are a 501(c)3 Nonprofit recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt public charity. We need your support to allow us to provide free services to the Maui community.
