We had tried all the therapies: behavioral, play, occupational, etc. but nothing impacted my daughter in the way that the horses at HART has. After adopting my daughter two years ago, we began a journey toward healing - a journey that will likely be lifelong. Raising a child whose story includes years of severe abuse and neglect at the hands of adults she should have been able to trust has had its challenges. On top of significant trauma, my child has a rare genetic disorder causing seizures, learning disabilities, and other neurological impairments. HART was eventually suggested to us by a provider and in my desperation, I said a hesitant “yes”. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t convinced horses would do much - but it’d at least be a fun experience for my girl! From the first day when we had an evaluation at the barn, I saw something I had never seen in my child when she interacted with the horses. Something that is hard to explain with words. Trusting adults has been rightfully hard, but the trust she showed in the horses was incredible. Through riding I have seen my daughter grow in confidence, self-esteem, self-worth, balance, coordination, responsibility, focus, and resilience. I have seen her allow both male and female adults into her space at HART, showing vulnerability and caution toward riding without fear of unreasonable consequences or rejection. The staff and volunteers at HART are incredibly gifted at challenging the riders in their own individual ways, recognizing limitations yet also pushing them gently out of their comfort zone. I am so thankful for the ways HART has served my family and for the place they’ve provided for my child to feel safe, supported, and seen!