Our Team
Rita Reik
As a lifelong animal lover and rescuer from a very young age, Rita always dreamed of working with public service agencies and lawmakers to protect animals of all kinds. Once she and her husband Curt moved to an equestrian area in their late 50s, she found herself presented with the opportunity to work with animal care and control, as well as other national and local agencies and individuals, both public and private, on a number of high profile horse rescues - and the rest is history! In addition to caring for their many rescued animals, Rita is also a practicing physician in Transfusion Medicine and has held a number of non-profit leadership positions in that specialty over the last 30 years.
Curt Reik
Since retiring in 2012, Curt has been busier than ever building and maintaining all the physical infrastructure at Epona’s Path - the horses keep him busy with fence and sprinkler repairs! Curt has been an avid animal lover his entire life, and you can find him around the ranch everyday caring for the many horses of Epona’s Path. As a retired firefighter, paramedic, and RN, Curt always manages to keep his cool when there’s an urgent situation with the animals.
Amanda Bonath
Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Amanda has also lived and worked at a thoroughbred horse rescue in New York, and recently moved to central Florida to work with the horses of Epona’s Path. She has been riding and working with horses for 18 years. Amanda learned to ride by foxhunting from a young age, competed in eventing for a few years, and enjoys trail riding and dressage with her off track thoroughbred, Dexter.
Hanna Quinn
Hanna first came to the barn in 2016 as Assistant Barn Manager, helping to care for and train all 16 horses. She’s since graduated from UCF with a degree in Aerospace Engineering and now works as an engineer at the Kennedy Space Center. Fortunately for us, Hanna’s first love is horses and she is still a key part of the well-being of the horses at Epona’s Path!
Mike Homovics
Mike is Rita’s adopted brother and has been under the care of the Reiks since 2000. He’s been an integral part of Epona’s Path since the beginning and greets all barn visitors with enthusiasm! Though he sleeps in pretty late, you’ll find him zipping around the ranch on his golf cart every afternoon, checking on the horses and their pastures.
Kelly Fitzpatrick
Kelly was raised in Miami, lived in Chicago, and settled in central Florida to start a homestead with her partner. As a teacher of mindfulness practices and a horse novice, she is learning just how much therapeutic value there is in spending time with horses and hopes to create space for more people to experience that. You can find her around the barn, teaching her toddler how to clean horse stalls.
Eric Rodriguez Virgen
Eric loves the big city (he was raised in Chicago) but loves being in nature just as much, which is why he’s found a place to call home in rural Central Florida. With a background in entrepreneurship and human resources, Eric brings his enthusiasm for creating intentional culture to Epona’s Path and hopes to build more connections to local community as the organization grows.