Founder & CEO, Head of Finance

Russ, along with Joy, has been involved in the horse industry for many years.  He is the Director of Maintenance for the facility as well as one of our farriers. Russell A Ratkowski SR grew up on a dairy farm and is an avid hunter and fisherman.  Russ is no stranger to hard work, in his youth he worked on other local farms when he was only 12. Russ worked as a logger operating heavy equipment for 15 years when Joy and Russ were first married.  Russ went on to work in the food service industry as the executive chef at the Caribou Lodge at Big Powder Horn in the winters and at a 5-star country club Dairyman’s in Boulder Junction, WI during the summer months. In 2015 he answered an ad that his wife put out for Highland Equestrian Center looking for a maintenance position. He proved to his wife, he was the guy for the job. His first project building the indoor arena was a huge success. Russ is the backbone of the barn, working tirelessly to ensure day to day operations are a well oiled machine. Our participants look forward to his presence in the barn, his kind heart mirrored in their smiles, and evident with the farm’s dogs trailing him around the property.

Joy’s lifelong love of horses and dream of opening a therapeutic horsemanship facility, combined with community need was the catalyst for what has become HEC Hooves of Joy. One could say that her entire life brought her to this place of filling such a vital role in the local community. Joy and her husband Russ have over 40 years of experience working with horses from a trail riding business to Highland Equestrian Center, a professional training and horse boarding facility. Joy has been a professional horse show judge and equestrian clinician. Additionally, Joy had spent over 30 years working with members of the disabled community.  When she was approached by Northlakes Community Health, suggesting that she open a therapeutic horsemanship center in Ashland, all her skills and leadership came together. Joy pursues excellence in every endeavor she knew if she opened for therapy,  the facility would have the highest standards to protect both the horses and participants. This led her to becoming a PATH INTL Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, and Hooves of Joy becoming a member of PATH Internationals Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship. Since opening doors in 2018, the barn has served over 200 individuals of varying mental, physical, and emotional disabilities. This mission wouldn’t be possible without Joy’s professional leadership, kind heart, and genuine passion for not only helping each participant, but changing lives of entire families.

Christina has been involved with horses throughout her life. Her children have taken countless riding and horsemanship lessons, and are successful in the show ring and on the trail. She is a mother of two children with disabilities. Christina lives outside Ashland on a small hobby farm with 3 horses, 2 ponies, goats, chickens, cats and a dog. She has been a PATH instructor since 2012 and became CTRI in 2019, starting work with Reins of Inspiration in 2012 where she continued until beginning at Hooves of Joy. A 4H Horse Leader for 15 plus years, instructing lessons, horsemanship, and horse quiz bowl teams. Certified in first aid, AED, CPR, and First Aid Mental Health for youth. Substitute at Our Lady of the Lake School in the preschool room and various aid positions K-8. Tutors elementary age students. Works for ICES
 ( International Cultural Exchange Services) as a local coordinator supervising high school foreign exchange students during the school year and welcoming students into our own home.

 Lydia is our newest Instructor in Training and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have her! She grew up on a dairy farm in Mason WI. The lifestyle her parents cultivated for their family prepared her for hard work, while teaching her a love for new and challenging things.She grew up loving horses and dreamed of helping people through Equine Therapy.  She discovered early on, as she spent more time with her horse, that they have an innate sense of people. That was fascinating to her and it helped her in her own life, as she worked through some hard things. Her love for horses only grew when she worked as a Wrangler Supervisor for two years at Word of Life Ranch & Wrangler Camp in NY, which included managing a team of 4 to 5 people, creating a fun and safe environment for learning, checking the health of the horses and teaching or observing riding lessons.

She is currently working towards becoming a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI) at HEC Hooves of Joy, inc. While working towards this certification she is involved in the lessons and observes the health of the horses.

Betty has been with Hooves of Joy since it started in 2018 and is involved in the day to day activities necessary to make our programs possible.   Betty serves as a member at large on our board of directors. As a mother of an adult with Autism, she represents parents and caregivers, and brings a voice of long term knowledge and insight of those with disabilities.

Diane has over 38 years of experience with Income Tax Consulting and Preparation, Bookkeeping and Payroll Processing for small businesses in the Bayfield/Ashland area.  She also has 7 years of experience as an auditor.  Diane is contracted with HOJ to help with bookkeeping, budget prep and other financial reporting requirements that may be necessary.

I enjoy volunteering at Hooves of Joy and getting to know the participants and the horses.  I now board my own horse here and am enjoying taking riding lessons. My husband and I enjoy our six grandchildren and staying active.

Assistant to Executive Director / Board Secretary

Nicole is the newest member of our staff. Beginning at HOJ as a parent of a participant and volunteer, seeing first hand the incredible benefits of equine therapy in her own daughter.  Moved by how much horsemanship has helped her child, supporting HOJ and helping to connect families to resources aligns with her heart. Nicole is behind the scenes ensuring administrative tasks are being handled, organizing fundraising, event planning, and sits on our Board of Directors as secretary.