Help Us Replace Aging Horses to Keep Therapeutic Riding Accessible for All

At Stoneybrook Foundation, we are committed to ensuring that individuals of all sizes and abilities have access to safe, effective, and life-changing therapeutic riding experiences. What makes our program unique is that we are the only therapeutic riding center in our region equipped with large draft-type horses capable of safely accommodating taller and larger riders.

For many of our participants, these horses are not a luxury—they are a necessity.

Today, our program faces an urgent challenge. Two of our three large horses are aging and approaching retirement. One of these horses must be retired from active service within the next four months to ensure their health, comfort, and well-being as well as for the safety of our riders.

However, replacing a therapeutic horse is not immediate. A newly acquired horse requires time for training, desensitization, and acclimation to the specialized environment of therapeutic work—including adaptive equipment, sidewalkers, mounting blocks, and the unique needs of our riders. This transition period is critical to ensure safety for both horse and participant.

Because of this, we must act now to secure and begin preparing a new horse before our current horse retires.

Without timely action, the impact on our community will be immediate and significant:

We will no longer be able to accept new larger riders into our program
5–7 current participants may be forced to discontinue services
Several group programs will lose access each month
Over the next year, 40–50 individuals could lose the opportunity to benefit from therapeutic riding

Therapeutic riding is more than recreation—it improves physical strength, balance, coordination, emotional regulation, confidence, and connection. For individuals with disabilities, veterans, and those facing emotional or developmental challenges, access to the right horse is essential for safe participation.

Draft and draft-cross horses are uniquely suited to this work due to their:

Size and strength, allowing them to safely carry larger riders
Calm, steady temperament
Smooth, rhythmic movement that supports therapeutic goals

However, these horses are also significantly more expensive to purchase, train, and maintain—and require intentional preparation before joining a program.

Our goal is to raise funds to purchase and prepare a suitable large horse in the next 2 months and another within the next 6 months so that we can:

Maintain uninterrupted services for current participants
Allow adequate time for safe training and acclimation
Continue accepting new riders of all sizes
Preserve inclusive access to our program
Honor the well-earned retirement of our aging horses

By supporting this project through Benevity Causes, you are directly helping individuals who might otherwise be excluded from therapeutic riding simply due to lack of appropriate horses.

Together, we can ensure that no rider is turned away and that every individual—regardless of size or ability—has the opportunity to experience the healing power of horses.