Equine Therapeutic Recreation

“I love the place. It’s great. Ten out of ten. I love the cats, and the horse-riding, and the animals. The people are very nice. There’s so many things to do and I really recommend it.”
~ Malachi, age 9

“The first time we visited Heal with Horses, I was amazed at how calm and happy my son was. He has ADHD and is on the autism spectrum, and this form of therapy has been fantastic for him. Working with animals allows him to express and nurture his sense of empathy. His therapist works with him to develop an awareness of body-language and non-verbal communication so that he can better relate to his animal friends. The staff are friendly and flexible, and he always looks forward to his visits. This is therapy that works with who he is and what he loves.”
~ Melinda (mom)

My daughter was suffering from Post Concussion Syndrome and she and I were looking into alternate therapies to support her recovery. While doing research, we found Heal with Horses. She has always loved animals and used to ride when she was younger so we booked a meet and greet. It went so well she had her first session later that same week. Heal with Horses has made the difference in my daughter’s recovery and her life. The animals and the people there created such a positive, caring and supportive environment that allowed my daughter to heal and continue to move forward at her own rate. She volunteers with Heal with Horses and jumps at any chance to be with and around the animals and people at Heal.

Our son Zachary has been doing therapeutic horseback riding at heal with horse and it’s been a wonderful experience for him. Under the care of the Heal With Horses team, he has been riding and caring for horses and it is amazing to see the relationship he has developed with the horses and the animals.
The staff is always welcoming and caring. He loves spending time grooming the horses and of course riding them but it has given him a space to be a kid and not worry about life. Olivia has been particularly good with him and she gets him talking even on difficult days. Our experience has been great and Zachary looks forward for his session every time!

“I love going to Heal with Horses! You get to do all kinds of fun things. You get to ride a horse, & you also get to see goats & pet the goats, & visit the bunnies, & brush the goats if you want. It’s so much fun you’ll have a blast! One thing is I love my horse. I like when the dogs come out to visit too. And I like feeding carrots to all the animals. It’s awesomely great!”
~From Maribella, age 4 ½

“I am so thankful to have found Heal with Horses. My 4 yr old daughter is in her element there. The power of the animals to regulate her nervous system is truly a beautiful sight. They are very accommodating, flexible, aware, & happy to work with you to meet your child’s individual needs & wants. I appreciate how child focused & child led the sessions are. I would HIGHLY recommend this amazing therapeutic centre!!
~ From Laura (mom)

Heal with Horses’ is one of my favourite places to bring my friend, Rachel. Which is wonderful, because it is undoubtedly one of her favourite places to go! I’ve supported Rachel for many years and it has been a privilege to witness the great joy she gains from the experience. Each week, without fail, we are greeted with smiles from staff and volunteers. It is always apparent that the safety of their clients is held at utmost importance. Furthermore, they’re always ready and willing to accommodate the needs of their patrons to the best of their abilities; you willI always feel seen and respected at ‘Heal with Horses’. If a session needs to be cancelled, staff do their best to reschedule so you won’t miss out! This has been especially important to us because it is something we look forward to every week. The warm, caring and friendly vibe that ‘Heal with Horses’ exudes can be felt by everyone who visits. Staff talk lovingly about the animals on the farm as if they were human, which adds to the fun of it all! I would highly recommend ‘Heal with Horses’ to someone of any age or ability.

I just attended there with my recreational agency, I was the one in a wheelchair that you lifted on a horse. I just wanted to say many heartfelt thank yous again with GRAND appreciation for giving me the BEST treasure that I could ask for! You have no idea what that meant to me, the world and beyond! I never thought I would get to horseback as an adult because most agencies with horses don’t have accessible equipment like you and are willing to go above and beyond like you guys did! Your kindness and efforts really touched my heart and it might be a small act to you but it was a big deal to me! You gave me my freedom back, and made the impossible, possible! That was the most beautiful gift you could ever give me. I was exploding in overloading happiness, and on cloud 9! You put me on top of the world! Gave me something nobody else could! I have so much overflowing gratitude to you, you don’t understand how much! You are all incredibly, wonderfully fantastic people who drop the “dis” of disability, to make it just become ability. You all have golden hearts there and it’s easy to see you truly care about the animals and the clients that come. This was a major highlight of the year so far and I can’t say enough positive about you all! Your team is a blessing! I’ve waited a long time for something like this to happen as an adult, it was well worth the wait! Never thought it could be reality again so thank you for making one of my biggest dreams a reality! Thank you for being angels on earth! You went out of your way, and let me tell you that 20 mins or whatever it was made a huge positive difference in my life, you really brightened it! 

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I can’t say it enough! I’m super grateful!

I first met Suzanne at Heal with Horses in 2015. Our 4 year old son Aarav had been recently diagnosed with PPDNOS and we were looking for something- we didn’t know what since we were so inexperienced with this situation(!) and by our incredible luck we found The Horse Boy Method sessions with Suzanne and Taylor.

​At the first session–my son had an absolute meltdown (his reaction to the whole unfamiliar non city environment)–but after about a half an hour of resistance, I sat on the horse with him and we walked through the beautiful property very calmly. The environment itself is so open, so relaxed- it’s a little hard to describe – you need to experience it. We rode through the forest trail, saw the glowing fireflies, and we fed and talked to the various animals on the property in what seemed to me a very special, magical place. Aarav’s speech wasn’t great at that point, but gradually it’s like we saw a miracle happen.

At the end of only 2 sessions it was like something clicked. My son’s speech came out more, and we definitely saw improvement. Most importantly it felt like all of us were experiencing a peace, and fulfilling happiness, even relief that we hadn’t felt with any other therapy or class we tried since my son’s diagnosis.

We live in Long Island, New York. There are countless equestrian centers nearby us that we have inquired about but they just don’t have the same calming energy that Heal with Horses has. We are truly blessed by this experience and our lives were changed. It taught me so much and even guided me to the right path to help my child. We recently made the trek all the way from Long Island at the end of August 2017 for Aarav to experience the magic once again!

It’s important to note that it happened so naturally. Our experience wasn’t about forcing or discipline- it was simply about enjoying and respecting nature while reaping all the benefits of horseback riding.

Our six year old son, Owen, has been attending Heal with Horses for weekly Horse Boy sessions for five months. Owen has been diagnosed with severe autism and we are constantly trying to find activities that help him improve his language and social skills. Suzanne, Taylor and the rest of the team at Heal with Horses work with us to program activities that match our goals for Owen’s development.

On our first tour of the Heal with Horses farm, Owen was hesitant and would not approach any of the animals on the farm. The caring and supportive staff at Heal with Horses helped Owen feel comfortable and got him on a small pony at the beginning of his first full session. Owen had the biggest smile.

Over the weeks, Owen continued to enjoy his trips to the farm. He now rides larger horses and always loves to see the pigs, goats, chickens and dogs. The staff integrates new activities and challenges to continuously promote Owen’s growth.

We look forward to continued adventures for Owen at Heal with Horses.

The first time we arrived at Heal with Horses TLC, we were automatically greeted by wonderful staff and an array of adorable farm animals. There were pigs taking mud baths, goats and sheep walking around, roosters running and many beautiful horses in the field. My son instantly started to bounce out of his seat, excited to get out there and meet everyone (the animals).

My 6 year old son Liam has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Liam has a hard time communicating with peers, family and his community. He is a lovely, bright child and animals have always been his favourite topic to talk about. Liam fell in love at first sight with Heal with Horses TLC. He was in his element after the very first session. He was able to be free and to be himself.

Every single week, Liam gets more and more comfortable being on his favourite horse Remi and being around the other horses and animals. Liam started out very hesitant when approaching the animals, much like he does with people. Liam has a very hard time gaining trust and putting his whole self out there for others to see.

There have been many elements of Heal with Horses TLC that have allowed my child to express him self fully. Taylor and Suzanne have been there to help Liam grow in his comfort level and expressive language level from the very beginning. Also, a few other staff have helped along the way in making Liam’s sessions unforgettable and relaxed.

Liam has grown to feel more self-confident, comfortable in his own skin and expressive since starting his sessions at Heal with Horses TLC. At the beginning the staff started by building a solid rapport with my child and building the trust they knew he needed. Liam has learned to share himself with them through fears and excitement and with each session comes less fear.

Liam confidently gets out of our vehicle, walks down the path past everyone else and into the stable where Remi awaits. They now have such a wonderful connection that as soon as Liam walks in, Remi turns around to give Liam a huge kiss and Liam greets her with a warm hug and a “Hello Remi!”

These sessions at Heal with Horses TLC are what Liam looks forward to every single week. Every Saturday when we are leaving our session, Liam will say “I want to go see Remi” and throughout the week he counts down the days left until he can return. I am so thankful that Heal with Horses has given my child a sense of purpose, a comfort away from home, a feeling of belonging and his first true friendship. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.