Chicago Rewilding Society is a city-based nature sanctuary on the West Side of Chicago. Our goal is to amplify joy, wonder, delight, and a sense of magic through therapeutic horseback riding, animal-assisted therapy, and experiential environmental studies.

We have the only horses in Garfield Park and perhaps the only horses in Chicago. In addition to bringing our community ponies to neighborhood block parties and community building events, we have begun to do informal trick riding with some of the neighborhood kids. As many of our neighbors jump train as part of basketball and football team practice, they are naturally inclined toward equestrian vaulting (jumping up on a running horse)!

Our vaulting horse, Egypt, is a 14 year old palomino that was rescued from a kill-pen in Oklahoma. She confidently navigates the streets of Chicago and patiently welcomes new riders. She is mentally present and aware of her surroundings, while remaining clear-headed and reliable. She deserves the best!

She lives on a third of an acre in the Garfield Park neighborhood, freely roaming between her paddock and barn with her pony and goat friends. They have an additional acre of rotational grazing on two nearby intersections.

Egypt is healthy & we want to keep her this way by protecting her back. This grant will fund a vaulting pad that will help absorb the shock of jumping to protect Egypt's back and make the landing more comfortable for new vaulters. Equestrian vaulting pads are designed to distribute the weight of a vaulter's body.