Lisa Attridge Makes a Difference

By Aundria McMillan Humphrey

Before arriving, I could smell Rancho Corazón de Nopal’s closeness.  An excitement stirred within, bringing back memories of growing up on a farm.  As I stepped through the gate, a smiling Lisa welcomed me. About to shake hands, we hugged spontaneously instead. I asked her about the name of the ranch. “Rancho Corazón de Nopal came to me as I walked the path from the house and came upon a nopal shaped like a heart.  The word for ‘heart’ is corazón in Spanish,” said Lisa. 

The positive energy at Rancho Corazón de Nopal is palpable.  As Lisa and I sat at a table overlooking the vista, an openness gave one a sense of freedom and renewal.Lisa Attridge de Gordillo is the visionary behind the programs offered at Rancho Corazón de Nopal, which currently caters to all seeking to improve their physical and emotional health.  The Ranch is only an eight-minute drive from Centro.

With a degree in Sports Science, Lisa provides personal training - Pilates, water aerobics, horseback riding lessons, and all aspects of wellness and fitness for clients aged five to senior citizens. She has been a workout and wellness coach for over 30 years.  Lisa grew up and was educated in England, where she worked for 10 years after receiving her degrees.  She came to Mexico 23 years ago, where she met and married her husband, Dr. Ricardo Gordillo.  They have been married for 21 years and have one son.  

In recent years, Lisa’s love of horses inspired her to attend school for equine therapy training.  Today, she is a certified Equine-Assist Coach and Hippo therapist with a background rooted in Neuroscience.  She volunteers at Equinoterapia SMA, a not-for-profit organization founded by Jean Gerber that provides equine therapy for children with special needs. Lisa does not provide such services at Rancho Corazón de Nopal but enjoys working with special needs children. “I’ve witnessed the special bond between the child and the horse.  Horses are keenly sensitive to a child’s emotional state. For example, if a child is crying or fearful, the horse will stand perfectly still, ears alert.  The horses will also lower their heads and let the kids hug them. When matching a child to a horse, special care is given to the needs and personality of the child and the personality and temperament of the horse.  Only male horses over 15 years old are used in therapy,” said Lisa.  “They are more predictable.”

There is considerable research to support the effectiveness of hippotherapy (hippo is Latin for horse) in treating children with neurologically based disorders such as Autism and Down Syndrome. Lisa’s greatest joy is seeing the children’s progress and how this positively impacts the family dynamic.

Lisa shared a story about her riding experience as a five-year-old.  Although swimming was her favorite sport, she also loved to ride.  Her grandmother had horses and gave her a Welsh Mountain pony named Joey.  When the family rode together, Joey would invariably throw her so he could catch up to the other horses. Lisa recalled, “Once, during a jumping competition, Joey suddenly stopped at the jump point and threw me! After that incident, I lost my confidence and didn’t ride again until I met my husband and moved to the ranch.”  Yet her love of horses and vision of having a ranch one day stayed with her from childhood.  

Reflecting on how working with children and horses has changed her, Lisa smiled and said it has made her more humble and patient. Regarding challenges and joys, Lisa feels her biggest challenge is keeping everything going – the financial investment and the hard work: cleaning the stables, ensuring the horses are well, and striving.  She talked about having rescued an abused and neglected horse that had been tied up with barbed wire.  Lisa cares deeply about her animals, of which she has many. In addition to her horses, she has three dogs, a cat, geese, chickens, and turkeys.

Lisa plans to expand her services at Rancho Corazón de Nopal to include children with disabilities and adult clients needing hippo therapy, such as stroke patients. She also foresees starting a nutritional program for children and their parents as part of her equine program.  I sense Lisa’s joy in being in her element.  She loves the work that is her life, having found a way to combine her passions and seeing the joy it brings to her clients.  

Together, Lisa and her husband have created a fully equipped Pilates Studio, located in MAC Hospital in San Miguel. Here, Lisa provides functional movement training for clients of all ages. She collaborates with schools and other therapists and feels honored to be able to give back to the community.

Contact Information: WhatsApp 415 109 6972 or lisaattridge@gmail.com

Author’s websitewww.slowdowngranny.com