The Red Barn

New Herd Member at The Red Barn! Please welcome Rachel McKenney to the team as our new Office Coordinator.

Rachel graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Wildlife Enterprise Management and earned her master’s degree in Hospitality Management in 2024. A lifelong equestrian, Rachel grew up riding and even brought her horse, Percy, with her to college. Percy has since moved to Birmingham with her and remains an important part of her life. Her love of horses has also taken her out West, where she worked as a wrangler and had the opportunity to work with rescued wild mustangs and natural horsemanship.

Rachel’s connection to The Red Barn’s mission is personal. Throughout many of life’s challenges, Percy has been a constant source of comfort and support, allowing her to experience firsthand the powerful impact horses can have on people’s lives.

Rachel had always hoped to find a career that combined her administrative skills with her love for animals and passion for helping others. At The Red Barn, she found the opportunity to bring all three together in what she considers her dream job.

Outside of the barn, Rachel loves spending time with her dog, LT. She also loves spending time with her cat, Nymeria, as well as her family and friends. In her free time, she enjoys a good puzzle and never turns down a chance to nap.

We are THREE weeks away from Bluegrass at the Barn! Join us for a night of bluegrass by 4-time Grammy winners Fast Track, dinner by Rusty's Bar-B-Q, and drinks at the farm. Your attendance supports our ability to continue providing equine-assisted programs to children, veterans, and individuals with special needs.

To kick off our countdown, starting tomorrow we will be featuring an item a day that will be available in our silent auction. From vacation home rentals, to original fine art, a portrait session, or an incredible w**e dinner, every auction item offers a unique opportunity. And every dollar bid goes directly to supporting The Red Barn.

There is still time to purchase tickets for the event at https://give.theredbarn.org/. See you on the 25th!

Bluegrass at the Barn is only a few weeks away!

Check out the write up from Over the Mountain Journal for the details: https://www.otmj.com/the-red-barn-to-host-first-annual-bluegrass-at-the-barn/

We cannot wait to welcome everyone to the farm for a night of real impact. Your attendance directly supports our ability to continue our mission, support our community, and change lives.

Tickets are available at: https://give.theredbarn.org/

The Red Barn to Host First Annual Bluegrass at the Barn - Over the Mountain Journal The Red Barn, a nonprofit dedicated to providing life changing equine assisted services and adaptive riding programs, is hosting Bluegrass at the Barn, a new ticketed fundraising event set for Sunday, October 25, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at The Red Barn’s Leeds, Alabama facility, located at 2722 Bai...

Meet the herd Friday (Human Edition)

Internships at The Red Barn give students the opportunity to take what they’re learning in the classroom and put it into practice in a unique, hands-on environment. Our interns become part of the day-to-day life of the barn, gaining experience while helping us provide educational, therapeutic, and equine-assisted programs to individuals with disabilities and special circumstances. ❤️
This semester, we’re excited to have Frances and Kieran as part of our team!

🌟 Frances is a senior at the University of Montevallo, studying Social Work, and will graduate this December.
🌟 Kieran is a senior at UAB, studying Occupational Therapy, and will also graduate this December.

Our college interns have the opportunity to experience many different sides of nonprofit and equine-assisted work—from assisting with riding and unmounted lessons to barn chores, administrative projects, fundraising, and more. Internships can also help students build practical skills and explore how their field of study can intersect with serving others.

We’re so glad to have Frances and Kieran learning alongside our staff, students, volunteers, and horses this semester!
Interested in an internship at The Red Barn? We welcome students from a variety of areas of study, and college-credit internships include individualized goals and regular evaluations throughout the student’s service term.
Learn more about internship opportunities and how to apply at TheRedBarn.org/internships.

Meet the Herd!

You may start seeing our barn cats like Gaston out and about a little more often! They’re now spending more time roaming the barn during the day, helping with their very important job of keeping the rodent population under control and protecting our feed and supplies.

The jingle of their collar always helps announce their arrival! You might be wondering why our kitties have 2 collars on and that is because our animals safety is top priority. The second collar is a GPS tracker we use to make sure our furry team members stay safe and sound!

If you spot one making their rounds, just know they’re hard at work… or possibly looking for the perfect sunny nap spot!

Staff Appreciation Day!

Ivey is one of our wonderful riding instructors and a valued member of our Horse Team. Her love for horses began at a young age while growing up in Columbus, Georgia. She rode both English and Western disciplines through college and volunteered with adaptive riding organizations before attending Auburn University, where she majored in Animal Sciences.

Ivey’s journey with The Red Barn began as a volunteer and intern, and she officially joined our full-time staff in March 2020! Over the years, she has shared her talents across our administration, program, operations, and barn teams. With numerous certifications in therapeutic horsemanship, equine-assisted learning, crisis management, and first aid, Ivey brings a wealth of knowledge, compassion, and experience to everything she does.

When she’s not at the barn, Ivey has her own crew of four-legged friends to keep her busy: her horse, Sady; pony, Dumpling; cat, Reba; and dog, Merle! 🐎🐴🐱🐶

We are so grateful to have her here! Next time you see Ivey make sure you say hi!

Your company's support can change lives! Be a sponsor of our Bluegrass at the Barn event this October and directly impact children, veterans, and individuals with disabilities through equine-assisted programs.

This is your last chance - respond by September 15th to be included on all printed materials. Become a sponsor here: https://give.theredbarn.org/bluegrass

The event features live bluegrass by 4-time Grammy nominees Fast Track, delicious barbecue from Rusty's Bar-B-Q, cold drinks, and stunning views of our horses grazing in the pastures. See you in October!

Horse Highlight: Hal is the first Morgan that we've ever had at the barn. He's a wonderful breed ambassador; we would love a barn full of Hals! Hal's registered name is Highland's Promising Wishes. He had lengthy show and teaching careers before coming to the barn. Part of what makes Hal so great is that he has the ability to teach any level student, from leadline with two sidewalkers all the way up to cantering. He is a master at riding patterns and at knowing when it is time to come in for breakfast in the mornings. Hal has been a wonderful addition to our program!

Fun fact: Hal and Hans came to the barn together from Houston, Texas!