Meet Terra Schaad of Hunkapi Programs in Scottsdale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Terra Schaad.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
One of my earliest memories as a child was driving to my grandma’s house down the country roads and seeing a man riding a horse. I remember smashing my face against the window able to smell the horse, feel the horse…knowing if I could have that experience I would be happy and safe.

My mom was young when she had me and much of my childhood felt tumultuous.

WE moved to my great grandma Mini’s farm when I was 10 and got our first pony, Smokey, with $150 dollars that my sister and mom had saved from their birthday money.

My brother, sister and I slept with Smokey and our dog, Radar in the chicken coop. From April until November, we almost never stepped inside of our farm house. That chicken coop was our safe haven of freedom and peace from the chaos in our real house. With Smokey, I could breathe.

A few months after we got Smokey, we met the Becker Family. Carl Beckers farm was about 2 miles from our farm, as the crow flies, and he loved opening his heart and his farm to broken, unlikely neighbor kids and we were there every moment we could be.

At the Beckers we learned what it felt like to move from our homes that were filled with fear, disconnection, and impossibility to a farm where we felt safe, loved, and connected- We became the family that none of us had. It was the first place I felt love and connection.

Horses and the Beckers saved my life. My time at the Becker’s gave me the experiences that I needed to gain the knowledge, skills, maturity, and sense of purpose necessary to send me into adulthood. Because of them, I committed to keep horses in my life and to pay that forward in some way.

The road to my non-profit was long and amply overseen by a bunch of angels. With horses as the driving force to everything I did, I got a degree in Pre-Veterinarian Medicine from Texas A & M University. I followed that up with training reining horses professionally in Gainesville, TX and then came to Arizona after being offered the job as Program Director for ASU-Alternative Intervention Research Clinic (AIRC).

At ASU-AIRC I launched a community based horse program, we now called Hunkapi, under the guidance of lead research Dr. Debra Crews. She was the first woman in my life that told me I could do anything I ever wanted and it shifted a belief in me that was completely fear based into seeing all that was possible. After 10 years at ASU, receiving a masters in Counseling, and gaining a whole lot of wisdom, I founded the non-profit 501 C 3, Hunkapi.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has been enormously bumpy and daunting! I’ve moved the program multiple times, stood in front of zoning commissioners, and had to figure out how to run a business with zero dollars in the bank, no home, and no prospects. What I have discovered though is that each challenge has led me to discover one more strength I have and has forced me to step into my own fears of not being old enough, man enough, or worthy enough. I had a lot of deeply embedded fears and voices in my head that would hold me back. I found the best place to be was on my knees and willing to set aside pride and work ethic to ask for help. It is the toughest thing to do as a woman who has made significant progress in life by being independent. Independence only takes you so far, but to go further, there has to be a softening and allowing of others to help you. The balance of vulnerability and strength has been my biggest struggle.

Hunkapi Programs Inc – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Hunkapi Programs offers equine therapy, life skills and therapeutic riding to individuals ages three to adult with special needs. Currently we provide services for nearly 300 people per week ranging in diagnosis from autism to post traumatic stress. We specialize in mindfulness based, somatic horse experiences. We recently took over a 10 acre horse farm in Scottsdale and have been rejuvenating it. WE are known for the lOVE that fills our farm from our staff and horses. Its one of the most relaxing places in the valley, I think, and I’m so proud that in spite of our growth, we have maintained a staff and volunteer force that is so open, accepting and loving to others.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
1. How many lives my presence impacts (ripple effect included).
I look at numbers Hunkapi serves and how successful those people are in our program. I look at feedback from our customers.
On a personal note, I look at if someone softens in my presence or if they become more fearful. I look at how many people are in my tribe and if we have a loving, supportive, reciprocative relationship.
2. How many experiences have I had and will I live to tell
Have I traveled, met a goal, loved my soon to be husband, seen something new that opens my heart and mind.

Contact Info:

• Address: 12051 N 96th St
  Scottsdale, AZ 85260
• Website: www.hunkapi.org
• Phone: 4805106296
• Email: Terra@hunkapi.org

Image Credit:
Images by Blaire Catherine