The RMER Team
Jenny Burnsed
Executive Director
Clinician
MS, LPC
Jenny is a Licensed Professional Counselor and trauma-informed equine-facilitated psychotherapist who believes that healing begins with authentic connection. She is passionate about creating a safe, welcoming space where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to grow. Jenny partners with equines to help others connect/reconnect with themselves, their emotions, and their resilience.
Since 1993, Jenny has had the privilege of working with children and families in a variety of settings. In 2001, she experienced the profound healing power of horses—both personally and professionally—and it sparked a lifelong passion for the human-equine connection. She continues to learn from these remarkable animals, whose authenticity, presence, and sensitivity offer unique opportunities for insight, healing, and growth.
Committed to lifelong learning, Jenny has trained in a variety of equine-facilitated therapy models and thoughtfully integrates evidence-based approaches, including EMDR, CBT, DBT, neuroscience, and play therapy. She believes every person's journey is unique and tailors her approach with compassion, curiosity, and respect, walking alongside each client as they move toward healing and meaningful change.
When she's not working with clients, you'll most likely find Jenny outdoors—hiking a favorite trail, traveling, camping, skiing, or spending time at the barn with her equine partners. She also treasures time with her family, friends, and her two Golden Retrievers.
“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”
“Two feet move our body. Four feet move our soul.”
Michelle Rickel
Acting Executive Director
Lead EFL Facilitator
b.s., msw candidate
Michelle has been working in the psychoeducation, behavior therapy, and equine-assisted services fields since 2012. She spent nearly a decade working with children and youth on the Autism spectrum in Applied Behavior Analysis, gaining valuable experience working with neurodivergence and implementing intensive behavior intervention plans. In 2015, she began her work in the equine-assisted services field to pair her experience of working with children with her love of horses. She sees the therapeutic power that the horse brings in every equine-facilitated session and she is committed to sharing that exceptional experience with as many people as she can. She is currently finishing her Master's in Social Work so that she can continue this equine-facilitated work as a full time career.
When Michelle isn't at the barn she can be found hiking, camping, biking, listening to live music, reading on the couch next to her dog Rosie, or completing yet another grad school assignment for her Master of Social Work program through Colorado State University.
Equine Operations and Behavior Coordinator
In-Session Equine Facilitator
Finn Osborne-Gowey
As our Equine Operations and Behavior Coordinator, Finn oversees the physical and emotional growth and development of our horses and serves as Equine Facilitator in sessions — working alongside our session facilitators to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both horses and humans throughout every program.
Having worked with horses her entire life, Finn brings a foundation of hands-on, connection-based horsemanship that continues to shape her approach to sessions. Rooted in cowboy culture and her traditions as a member of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, her guiding belief is simple: true horsemanship is a partnership built on respect, trust, and listening — a philosophy woven into every part of her work here.
Outside of the barn, you'll find Finn recharging her soul with her horse and a cup of coffee, curled up with a good book , or exploring the Front Range with her family and dogs.
Founder, MSW, LCSW
Caroline M. Roy
Caroline M. Roy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked with children, adolescents, and adults in Boulder County for the past thirty-five years. Her work in the criminal justice system as a probation officer provided an opportunity to work with adolescents and adults from a variety of backgrounds who were experiencing numerous challenges. In 1999, she created Rocky Mountain Equi-Rhythm at Joder Arabian Ranch, out of a desire to work with youth in a non-traditional way. Since that time, she has worked with individuals from diverse backgrounds and provides therapy and skill building to help manage life challenges using the healing relationship of the horse. Caroline also works with horses and children in the capacity of a riding instructor and 4-H leader. She combines equine therapy with EMDR and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to address an individual’s trauma and teach skills of mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Caroline has a private therapy practice and works with children, adolescents, families, and adults. Her therapeutic approach is eclectic and combines classic psychodynamic therapy with a family systems therapy approach and incorporates her training in attachment theory, relational trauma, neuroscience, mindfulness, and experiential learning. Caroline also has certificates in farrier science, equine therapy, and mind, body, and energy therapy and is currently obtaining her yoga instructor certification. Click to read Caroline’s letter when she stepped down as director in 2018.