three-gaits.org

If you're new to Ahrefs and want to run your first SEO audit, the fastest path is: open Site Explorer, enter your target URL, review the Overview for a health snapshot, then dig into Organic Keywords, Top Pages, and Site Audit to find specific problems. From there, build a short prioritized to-do list instead of trying to fix everything at once.

This tutorial walks through that workflow using a realistic starting scenario, explains what the numbers mean, and shows how to turn findings into actions.

Before You Start: Pick a Narrow Scope

A common beginner mistake is auditing an entire large website on day one. The reports become overwhelming, and you can't tell which issues matter.

Instead, choose one of these starting points:

• A single important page (your homepage or a key product/service page)
• A small site (under ~50 pages, e.g., a personal blog or small business site)
• One section of a bigger site (e.g., /blog/)

For this tutorial, assume you're auditing a small business site with about 30 pages. The same steps scale up later.

You'll need an Ahrefs account to follow along. Ahrefs offers paid plans, and pricing and feature limits change over time, so check the current Pricing page for what's included in each tier before committing.

Step 1: Enter Your Target in Site Explorer

Site Explorer is Ahrefs' core tool for analyzing any website or URL.

1. Open Site Explorer from the top navigation.
2. In the search box, paste your domain (e.g., example.com).
3. Choose the Exact URL or Domain mode depending on scope. For a full-site view, use Domain or Prefix; for a single page, use Exact URL.
4. Press Enter.

You'll land on the Overview report. Don't try to absorb everything — focus on four numbers first.

Reading the Overview Snapshot

Important caveat: Ahrefs' traffic and keyword numbers are estimates based on its own data. They won't match Google Search Console or your analytics exactly. Treat them as directional, not absolute.

Step 2: See What You Already Rank For

Go to Organic Keywords in the left sidebar. This shows queries where your site appears in search results.

Sort by Traffic (descending) to see which pages bring the most estimated visitors. Then look for:

• Keywords ranking in positions 4–15 — these are often the easiest wins. A small content or on-page improvement can push them onto page one.
• Keywords with high volume but low position — potential opportunities if the topic is relevant.
• Irrelevant keywords — if you rank for something off-topic, it may signal thin or mismatched content.

Write down 5–10 of the position 4–15 keywords. These become your first optimization targets.

Step 3: Find Your Best and Weakest Pages

Open Top Pages. This ranks your URLs by estimated organic traffic.

Look for two things:

1. Your top performers — understand what topics and formats work. Can you create more content like this?
2. Pages with traffic but poor rankings — these may need on-page fixes (title, headings, internal links).

If a page gets zero traffic and targets a topic you care about, it's a candidate for a rewrite or consolidation.

Step 4: Run a Technical Site Audit

Now move to Site Audit. This crawls your site and flags technical and on-page issues.

1. Click Site Audit → New project.
2. Enter your domain and set crawl settings (default is usually fine for a small site).
3. Start the crawl and wait for it to finish.

Once complete, you'll see a Health Score and a list of issues grouped by category.

Which Issues to Fix First

Not all issues are equal. Prioritize in this order:

Ignore low-impact warnings (like minor meta description length) until the big items are handled.

Step 5: Turn Findings Into a To-Do List

You now have raw data. Convert it into a short, actionable list. Example:

1. Fix 3 broken links found in Site Audit.
2. Rewrite title tags on 5 pages with duplicate titles.
3. Improve 4 pages ranking in positions 6–12 by adding missing subtopics and internal links.
4. Remove or update 2 thin pages with no traffic.

Keep the list to 5–10 items max for your first audit. Finishing a short list beats starting a long one.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Chasing every red flag. Site Audit flags many minor issues. Fix what affects rankings and users first.
• Trusting estimates as exact numbers. Ahrefs data is modeled, not measured from your analytics.
• Auditing a huge site too early. Start small to learn the interface.
• Ignoring search intent. A page can be technically perfect but still fail if it doesn't match what searchers want.
• Forgetting to re-crawl. After fixes, run Site Audit again to confirm improvements.

Where to Go Next

Once your first audit is done:

• Compare with competitors using Site Explorer's Competing Domains and Content Gap reports.
• Track keyword rankings over time with Rank Tracker.
• Explore backlink opportunities in the Backlinks and Link Intersect reports.
• Set up recurring Site Audit crawls so new issues surface automatically.

Your first audit isn't about perfection — it's about building a repeatable habit: enter a target, read the key reports, pick the highest-impact fixes, and act. Do that once a month and your site's health compounds.

Three Gaits offers three main ways to get involved: donating, volunteering, and enrolling in or learning about its equine-assisted programs. The right path depends on whether you want to give money or resources, give time, or receive services for yourself or a family member. The organization is based in Stoughton, Wisconsin, and serves people of all ages with physical, emotional, cognitive, or social disabilities through equine-assisted activities and therapy.

Donate to Support the Farm and Programs

Three Gaits states that it relies on donors and partners to keep the farm open and programs running. According to the site, you can help through:

• Monetary support — direct financial gifts
• Horse donations — contributing a horse to the program
• Sponsorships — sponsoring riders or program elements
• Gifts — general contributions

The site frames these as ways to "help our riders meet their goals." If your goal is to sustain operations rather than participate directly, this is the most straightforward route.

A Current Capital Campaign to Note

The site highlights a historic $1 million leadership gift toward the Unbridled Potential Capital Campaign, a $4.5 million effort to build a heated, fully accessible arena and adaptive stable. The stated goal is a 2026 groundbreaking. If you want your donation to support facilities rather than general operations, this campaign is worth asking about directly.

Volunteer in a Role That Fits You

Three Gaits describes volunteer roles in three areas:

• Supporting riders — helping participants during lessons and activities
• Caring for horses — tending to the equine partners
• Maintaining facilities — keeping the farm operational

The site emphasizes that volunteers join "a supportive and passionate community." No specific prerequisites, training requirements, or time commitments are listed in the available material, so those details would need to come from the organization directly.

Learn About Programs or Enroll a Rider

Three Gaits provides equine-assisted activities and therapy for people with physical, emotional, or intellectual disabilities. It partners with:

• Families
• Community centers
• Social services
• Residential facilities
• Senior centers

Programs serve people of all ages with physical, emotional, cognitive, or social disabilities. If you are exploring services for yourself or someone else, the site directs you to learn more about its programs as the starting point.

What Families Report

Testimonials on the site describe outcomes that may help you judge fit:

• One family noted improved posture and self-confidence, quoting their rider saying "Knox, walk on!"
• Another family reported that their child, born with low muscle tone and muscle fatigue, met physical therapy goals faster after starting riding lessons.
• Program Manager Emily Gonzalez described riders practicing social skills through greetings and small talk before class, and building confidence by taking turns leading patterns or demonstrating skills.

These are individual accounts, not guarantees, but they illustrate the kinds of physical, social, and confidence-related goals the program addresses.

Other Ways to Engage

• Attend the Walk Trot Toast fundraiser — the site mentions an online silent auction tied to this event.
• Subscribe to news — the site offers an email signup for updates.

How to Choose Your Path

Because the available site material does not list specific contact details, program schedules, volunteer onboarding steps, or donation amounts, your next step is to reach out to Three Gaits directly through its website to confirm current opportunities and requirements.

Three Gaits in Stoughton, WI provides equine-assisted activities and therapy designed to enhance the lives of people with physical, emotional, or intellectual disabilities. The organization partners with families, community centers, social services, residential facilities, and senior centers to serve people of all ages. Based on the outcomes families and staff describe, the benefits fall into three broad areas: physical skill development, social and emotional growth, and confidence built through encouragement and challenge.

Physical skill development

Riding requires the rider to actively engage their body to stay balanced and communicate with the horse. Families report that this translates into measurable physical progress.

One family shared that their daughter Kira, who was born with low muscle tone and muscle fatigue, met her physical therapy goals faster after starting riding lessons. They also noted improvements in her physical skills through the lessons themselves.

The mechanism is straightforward: holding posture, adjusting to the horse's movement, and giving cues all demand sustained muscle engagement and coordination. For riders working on similar goals, the horse becomes a partner in repetition and practice rather than a piece of equipment.

Social skills and confidence

Group lessons at Three Gaits are structured to create social interaction and leadership opportunities. According to Program Manager Emily Gonzalez, students practice social skills through greetings and small talk when they gather before class. During class, riders take turns leading a pattern or demonstrating a skill — a format that builds self-confidence and pride.

This matters for riders whose goals include communication, turn-taking, or self-advocacy. The lesson format gives each rider a turn in a visible leadership role, not just a passive participant role.

Confidence that shows up outside the arena

Families describe confidence gains that extend beyond riding itself. One family noted they can see their daughter's self-confidence in her posture — sitting tall and straight — and hear her give clear verbal cues to her horse, such as "Knox, walk on!"

That combination — a physical posture change plus a spoken command — illustrates how riding practice can reinforce both motor and communication skills at once. The same family expressed gratitude for instructors who encourage and praise each rider while still challenging them to improve.

What this means if you are considering Three Gaits

If you are evaluating whether therapeutic horseback riding is a fit for yourself or someone you care for, the reported outcomes suggest it may be worth exploring when the goals involve:

• Building strength, posture, or balance in a therapy context
• Practicing social interaction and turn-taking in a structured group
• Developing confidence through progressive challenge with instructor support

Three Gaits serves people with physical, emotional, cognitive, or social disabilities and works with referral partners including families, community centers, social services, residential facilities, and senior centers. To learn more about specific programs or how to get involved, visit the organization's programs page or reach out directly to discuss whether their offerings match your situation.

Three Gaits is a nonprofit in Stoughton, Wisconsin, that provides equine-assisted activities and therapy for people with physical, emotional, or intellectual disabilities. Its mission is to enhance the lives of people of all ages who have physical, emotional, cognitive, or social disabilities through programs built around partnerships with horses. If you are looking for therapeutic horseback riding or equine-assisted learning in the Stoughton area, this is the organization to know.

What Three Gaits does

The organization pairs riders with horses to work toward physical, emotional, and social goals. According to its mission statement, Three Gaits exists to provide equine-assisted activities and therapy, and it describes its horses as "equine partners" in that work.

The scope of who it serves is broad. Programs are designed for people with:

• Physical disabilities
• Emotional disabilities
• Intellectual disabilities
• Cognitive disabilities
• Social disabilities

Participants range across all ages, from children to seniors.

Who it partners with

Three Gaits does not work with riders in isolation. It partners with:

• Families
• Community centers
• Social services
• Residential facilities
• Senior centers

These partnerships are how the organization reaches people who can benefit from its learning experiences. If you are a case manager, family member, or staff at one of these types of organizations, that partnership model is the entry point to explore.

Where it is located

Three Gaits operates a farm in Stoughton, WI. The organization is currently in the middle of a capital campaign called Unbridled Potential, aimed at building a heated, fully accessible arena and adaptive stable. A leadership gift of $1 million was announced toward the $4.5 million effort, with a target of breaking ground in 2026. That matters if accessibility or year-round programming is a factor in your decision — the campaign is specifically about expanding both.

How it is funded

Three Gaits relies on donors and partners to keep the farm open and programs running. Support comes through:

• Monetary donations
• Horse donations
• Sponsorships
• Gifts

There is also a volunteer pathway. Roles include supporting riders, caring for horses, and maintaining facilities. The organization frames volunteering as a way to join a supportive community, not just fill a shift.

What families report

Testimonials on the site describe outcomes in practical terms. One family noted improvements in a rider's physical skills, saying their child met physical therapy goals faster after starting riding lessons. Another described seeing self-confidence show up in posture — sitting taller — and in a rider speaking a command out loud to the horse. A program manager described riders practicing greetings and small talk before class, then taking turns leading patterns or demonstrating skills during it, which builds confidence and pride.

These are individual accounts, not clinical claims, but they illustrate the kind of goals the program works toward: physical skill, communication, and confidence.

How to get involved or learn more

If you want to explore programs, the site directs you to a programs page for details. For giving, there is a donation pathway. For volunteering, there is a separate sign-up and information route. The organization also runs events, including a fundraiser called Walk Trot Toast with an online silent auction, and offers a news subscription by email.

The most direct next step depends on your role:

• Family or individual seeking services: start with the programs information to see what fits.
• Organization or agency: consider a partnership conversation, since that is an explicit part of how Three Gaits operates.
• Donor or volunteer: the give and volunteer pages lay out the options.

Because program availability, schedules, and eligibility details are not fully specified in the available site information, confirm specifics directly with Three Gaits before making plans.

Three Gaits in Stoughton, WI is currently running two fundraising efforts: the Unbridled Potential Capital Campaign, a $4.5 million initiative to build a heated, fully accessible arena and adaptive stable, and the Walk Trot Toast fundraiser, which includes an online silent auction. A historic $1 million leadership gift has brought the organization within reach of a 2026 groundbreaking on the capital project.

The Unbridled Potential Capital Campaign

This is the larger and more consequential of the two efforts. According to Three Gaits, the campaign is a $4.5 million effort with a specific build plan attached to it.

What the money is for

The campaign funds construction of:

• A heated, fully accessible arena
• An adaptive stable

Both elements are designed around the needs of riders with physical, emotional, or intellectual disabilities — the population Three Gaits serves through its equine-assisted activities and therapy programs. A heated, accessible arena extends the riding season and removes weather and mobility barriers that would otherwise limit lesson time; an adaptive stable addresses the practical side of mounting, dismounting, and horse handling.

Where the campaign stands

A $1 million leadership gift — described by Three Gaits as historic — has moved the campaign close enough to its goal that the organization says it is within reach of a 2026 groundbreaking. That phrasing matters: the campaign is not yet described as fully funded, and the groundbreaking is framed as a target tied to continued fundraising rather than a confirmed date.

How to follow or support it

Three Gaits directs anyone interested in the campaign to read more through its site and to give via monetary support, horse donations, sponsorships, or gifts. Donations are the mechanism the organization names for keeping the farm open and the programs running.

The Walk Trot Toast Fundraiser

Walk Trot Toast is Three Gaits' separate fundraising event, and its current component is an online silent auction. Three Gaits describes the auction as featuring "all of the amazing items on this year's Walk Trot Toast Fundraiser's online silent auction."

Practically speaking, this is the lower-commitment entry point: you can participate in the auction without making a capital gift, and the auction runs online rather than requiring attendance at the farm.

Other Ways Three Gaits Raises Support

Beyond the two named campaigns, Three Gaits lists several ongoing channels:

Volunteering is framed as a non-monetary way to contribute while being part of the community — useful if you want to help but the capital campaign and auction aren't a fit.

What This Means If You Want to Get Involved

• If you want to support the building project specifically, the Unbridled Potential Capital Campaign is the target, and the 2026 groundbreaking is the milestone the organization is working toward.
• If you want a lighter or one-time way to participate, the Walk Trot Toast online silent auction is the current option.
• If you'd rather give time than money, Three Gaits recruits volunteers for rider support, horse care, and facility maintenance.

Three Gaits also maintains a news subscription, which is the most direct way to hear about campaign progress or auction dates as they're announced.