Meet the Team
Our Equine Teachers:
Alma Equine works closely with a dedicated team of rescue horses and a charming miniature pony. Each member of our equine team possesses unique qualities that make them invaluable mentors in our programs. Their ability to connect with participants on a deep, instinctual level plays a crucial role in helping us achieve our mission to empower young people, develop leadership skills, and foster connections within our community.
Gaby (racing name: Gavyn’s Lady) born 2006
Gaby raced until the age of five. She was donated to the Neigh Savers program a year later. Gaby loves to teach and is a kind and patient mentor. She has a big heart and is eager to teach the equine language. She requires very light handling and loves to be ridden bridle-less.
Runner (racing name: Storming Runner) born 2011
As a two-year-old, Runner was rescued from a feed lot by Neigh Savers and sent to their program in Los Gatos. He was used in the Neigh Savers program to train volunteers and to help retrain and rehab other OTTB’s (Off The Track Thoroughbreds). Runner loves to jump. His favorite pastime is playing with Snickerdoodle and eating carrots.
Carabella (racing name: Queen Of Blades) born 2010
As a two year old, Carabella suffered a tendon injury during race training and was donated to Neigh Savers. She was adopted out twice and returned to the Neigh Savers program two years later. Like any dedicated athlete, Carabella has a strong work ethic. However, like most females, she likes to be consulted about her workout routine and thrives with praise. Her favorite pastime is hanging out with her girlfriend, Gaby, flirting with the boys and having her belly rubbed.
Jenny working with Neigh Savers horse, Queen Of Blades (Carabella), as a two-year-old.
Jess
Jess was a young foal when she was adopted from a BLM holding facility back in 2011. Her U.S. Government’s freeze mark indicates that she is approximately 13 years old. Alma Equine adopted her from a nonprofit (CTRH) located in Cincinnati. She had lived at their facility but she was too young and inexperienced to be part of their program for children with disabilities. She came to us well socialized with horses and people and she has impeccable ground manners. She had limited riding experience. The volunteers at Alma Equine have really enjoyed the opportunity to learn from and work with a mustang.
Snickerdoodle
Alma Equine is excited to introduce its newest equine member, a miniature pony named ‘Snickerdoodle’. Snickerdoodle, aka ‘Doodle,’ came to us from Summit Horse Rescue, a local rescue organization dedicated to saving feedlot horses from slaughter. Summit Horse Rescue does amazing work rehabbing neglected and unwanted horses and finding loving homes for them. Alma Equine met Snickerdoodle and realized pretty quickly that he was perfect for their program. You see, Snickerdoodle has a unique skill set – he gives immediate feedback about interpersonal boundaries. He does this by shying away from students until they learn to come into his space calmly, confidently, and with respect for his thoughts, feelings and integrity. Only then will he respond by allowing students to get closer to him. And when they approach him in this way, they are rewarded by a nuzzle from a pony who is as charming and cute as his name suggests. We believe that this experience of becoming a friend to Doodle can help young people identify and relate to their own more sensitive natures.
Our Team: People on a Mission
Alma Equine is driven by a team of passionate people on a mission to nurture and guide the next generation. With their dedication and expertise, they help create a supportive, inclusive environment where every participant can thrive and grow.
Jenny Whitman
Neigh Savers Foundation has had a long standing relationship with trainer Jenny Whitman. Jenny served as Manager for our program operating out of Bear Creek Stables in Los Gatos, CA for 8 years beginning in 2010. During that time she trained approximately 30 off track thoroughbreds for us. Jenny is known as a “horse whisperer” for her innate ability to communicate with her equine charges. Because of this special ability she also created Equine Communication courses for the community at large in order to share her knowledge with others.
Jenny is a patient teacher with much experience and the horses relate to her very well. Horses leaving Bear Creek Stables are well versed in all things relating to trail riding and leave with confidence and ability. It has been a pleasure to work with Jenny over these many years.
- Karin Wagner, Executive Director, Neigh Savers Foundation, Inc.
Jenny exercising Neigh Savers horses, Gavyn's Lady (Gaby) and Edit This (Eddy), on the Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve.
Ana Zavada
Ana comes from Europe, can speak several languages and is currently on a life-long journey of learning Horsi. Upon completing graduate business school in San Francisco, Ana joined assurance practice of a California-based public accounting firm BPM LLP, serving clients in a variety of industries, including nonprofit organizations. Ana is a CPA and currently works at a venture capital fund in Palo Alto.
Ana learned about Neigh Savers through an employee volunteer day held by BPM annually to help local nonprofits. Having a passion for working with animals as well as experience in dog and cat rescue, she could not miss such a great opportunity! Volunteering for Neigh Savers built a strong foundation for her current role at Alma Equine. Ana loves spending her time with horses and teenagers as well as teaching and learning from both!
Kristin Apple
Kristin graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Environmental Studies. She spent the first several years of her career in the field of water conservation. Currently, she loves her job working in product development for a smart home company. When she is not at work, she loves spending her time hiking, kayaking and camping! Before getting involved with Alma Equine, Kristin volunteered with Neigh Savers to rescue, rehab, and retrain racehorses to help find each horse a new home. She has always loved horses and is forever passionate about the environment, so she is excited to connect today’s youth to both through Alma Equine.
Annie Whitman
No one knows for certain if Annie was actually born on a horse (her mother refuses to say). But, she was definitely riding soon afterward. Our teachers are her 1200-pound, long-time close personal friends, making Annie our only true native speaker of Horsi. Annie is in college.
Katja is an engineer by training and was a management consultant over many years who has since devoted her energy to expanding children’s access to nature, animals, and meaningful outdoor experiences. In urban school settings, she has created and maintained two school gardens as well as a school “barnyard” with chickens and bunnies, giving children daily opportunities to learn, care, and connect with living systems.
For many years, Katja has also led a pony co-op at a local stables, supporting families in the shared care of ponies and fostering responsibility, empathy, and community through hands-on involvement with animals. In addition, she has planned and led a yearly Family Camp for a nature-oriented preschool in the Sierra Nevada, creating immersive outdoor experiences that strengthen family bonds and deepen children’s connection to the natural world. She has been an active member of several nonprofit organizations committed to bringing children, youth, and families into nature—both with and without the partnership of horses.
Grounded in her own childhood experiences and those of her daughters, Katja believes deeply in the power of nature and human–animal relationships to support healing, learning, and emotional well-being. Her work is driven by a conviction that all children deserve regular access to nature and the opportunity to grow through relationships with animals, especially in a world where such experiences are increasingly rare.
Crazy about horses? My parents loved to tell people that my first word was “horse” and my first sentence was, “Daddy buy me a horse.” They finally caved in when I was in 6th grade and I was fortunate to have my own horse through the first two years of college and then be in a college riding club for the rest of my undergraduate career.
I’m a classically trained musician (French horn) who studied Sundanese gamelan in Java, played drums in a rock band, became a bluegrass bassist and then took up electric bass to form The Summit Sisters. I play standup bass with the Wildcat Mountain Ramblers, write songs, and perform and record with a wide range of Bay Area bluegrass bands. I’ve been a publicist, a journalist, a marketing director; a runner, a windsurfer, a sea kayaker, a mountain biker.. Somehow though through all that the hoofbeats just kept calling me, and with the help of dear friends about 15 years ago I started riding again, leasing horses, then just riding other people’s horses, and finally deciding that I wanted to be able to trailer out and explore on horseback. My husband was willing to join me and we bought 2 horses and a trailer in 2020. Robert has a sweet Rocky Mountain mare who loves to hit the trail and I found “Baby,” my buckskin wannabe.
We joined Summit Riders and a number of other clubs to help support access issues and learn where we can ride, and we have already enjoyed several fabulous horse camping adventures. We’ve been living on Miller Hill Road for about 25 years and I now have the best view ever, looking out at the horses.. My personal interests in serving on the board are to support the unique opportunities horses offer and give equestrian issues a voice in our community. Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself to Alma Equine.
-Suzanne
Philip is a clinical social worker with 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults. He has a special interest in issues relating to neurodiversity, PTSD, and dissociative identity disorder. He also has a background in mental health outcome research as well as in mental illness stigma reduction. Philip’s equine street cred dates back to summers on the family’s farm in Wisconsin. Jenny’s yearling foals would sometimes wander into the farmhouse, attracted by the sounds of laughter and the cooking smells. His job was to gently guide them out the door and back to their paddock before they could eat his entire salad. This was not always easy. Then as now, Jenny’s connection with her horses is familial and collaborative — more partnership than hierarchy. This is part of what enables the arrows of communication at Alma Equine to flow in both directions, from human to horse and from horse to human. When non-verbal communication is bi-directional and mutual between two species it creates new possibilities for personal growth, insight, and empowerment.
A Special thanks to….
Karin Wagner
Executive Director Neigh Savers Foundation, Inc.
Get to know Karin by reading her story here.
