Our story

David Smith was born with spina bifida which drastically decreased the function of both legs.  From the very beginning, he has had to fight to gain strength, coordination and the ability to walk.  Now at 17, he walks unassisted.  By his own admission, David was once shy, withdrawn and anxious.  If you meet him now, you’d think this bold, gregarious, and funny young man was always so outgoing.  He attributes this mental and physical transformation to therapeutic riding.  Unfortunately for David, his local therapeutic riding program shut down, leaving a massive void in the community and in David’s life.

In 2022, David’s parents founded Aspen Trail Therapeutic Riding to meet this need.  They have invested everything to make Aspen Trail succeed.  Through the work of our small but powerful community, sufficient funds were raised to begin our first lessons in July 2024.

Nestled among the Aspens against a backdrop of the majestic Bitterroot Mountains, Aspen Trail focuses on serving the underserved - veterans, first responders, and people with disabilities - making horsemanship accessible to all.

Meet our Team

T. David Smith

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
David Smith is a Founding Member and Executive Director of Aspen Trail Therapeutic Riding and Equine Assisted Services. David is a Veteran of the U.S. Air Force and has 30 years of experience in public service.
David served as a volunteer in two therapeutic riding programs in which his son participated and became a passionate advocate for equine assisted services.
As a proven leader in the field of communications, David has worked tirelessly to share with others the tremendous benefits derived from working with horses.
David is a member of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International and is working toward certification as a therapeutic riding instructor.
Jennifer Gaston-Smith

BOARD PRESIDENT
Jennifer Gaston-Smith is a Founding Member and currently serves as the President of Aspen Trail Therapeutic Riding and Equine Assisted Services. Jennifer is a school counselor and has extensive experience as a children’s therapist.
As a graduate of the Partners in Policymaking program in Virginia, Jennifer has expert training and experience in disabilities advocacy and special education law.
She is passionate about accessibility and inclusion and established a small non-profit to fund and build an accessible playground for a pre-school serving children with special needs.
Jennifer became an advocate of equine assisted services through experiences with her son’s participation in therapeutic riding and with colleagues who incorporate equines into their mental health therapy practice.
Betsy West

Board Vice President
Betsy West is a Founding Member and currently serves as the Vice President of Aspen Trail Therapeutic Riding and Equine Assisted Services.
Betsy shares the dream of opening a therapeutic riding program, saying it is truly a labor of love as she benefited from therapeutic effects of adaptive horsemanship.

In 2006, Betsy sustained a spinal cord injury leaving her paralyzed from the neck down. She was extremely fortunate in that she experienced significant recovery.

“I credit my time participating in therapeutic riding as a major factor in my recovery. It is truly a blessing to bring this to others.”
Robin Barber

BOARD TREASURER
Robin Barber is a Founding Member and Treasurer of Aspen Trail Therapeutic Riding and Equine Assisted Services. Robin Barber is the wife of a Veteran Marine and has been in the banking industry for 30 years. She is currently a VP employed with Farmers State Bank for the past 23 years.
Robin has a wide variety of experience outside of banking. She has been involved in sports as a coach for 12 years and volleyball official for 22 years. She worked in the public school system for 10 years as a paraprofessional in title one and special ed.
Her passion for special needs kids is the reason she became involved with the Aspen Trail Therapeutic Riding program. Robin has experience with horses in the ranching and rodeo world. Both of her children rodeoed since they were small and continued through college.
Robin has seen what a relationship does between a horse and a rider and the healing bond that happens both physically and mentally.
Joe Fox

BOARD SECRETARY
Joe Fox is a Founding Member and currently serves as the Secretary of Aspen Trail Therapeutic Riding and Equine Assisted Services. Joe is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon practicing in Missoula, Kalispell, Bozeman and Seattle.
Dr. Fox has dedicated his life to improving the mobility of children throughout Montana, regardless of ability or condition. Through his patients, he has seen the healing and transformative power of therapeutic riding. He is firmly committed to expanding access to this invaluable resource through Aspen Trail.
David G. Smith

FOUNDING MEMBER
David Smith is a Founding Member of Aspen Trail Therapeutic Riding and Equine Assisted Services.
As an individual with spina bifida, David has experienced first-hand the benefits of working with horses. He is passionate about sharing his experience with others and is extremely active in the community promoting the program.
David plans to become a nurse and is hoping to one day be a certified therapeutic riding instructor as well.