Tra St. Pierre, left, a competitor in SpiritHorse at Freedom Ranch’s Special Olympics Horse Show being held Saturday, Oct. 28, sits with ranch manager Jeremiah Moore. (Contributed photo)SpiritHorse at Freedom Ranch had close to 100 people at the open house for its newly opened Equine Riding Center in Tunnel Hill recently.
Specializing in equine therapy, the organization relocated to 61 acres of pastures and woodlands in Tunnel Hill, from its previous location in Flintstone.
“Where we were it was a private boarding facility, and basically we could only use it for special events and one day a week fulltime,” said Freedom Ranch founder Ginger Brown. “So here, the nonprofit bought the property that we have access to 24-7. Now we can not only serve more of our clients, but we can also develop more programming.”
Equine therapy is designed to develop skills and characteristics such as responsibility, confidence, problem solving and self-control. As a licensed SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center, Brown’s program has been providing equine therapy for local individuals with special needs or emotional/ behavioral issues since opening in 2009.
With the additional space at the new facility, her program’s focus will soon also include veterans and active duty military members. A Special Olympics Horse Show being held Saturday, Oct. 28 will mark the turning point.
Featuring about 70 special needs children, the show will showcase what they have learned during their time at SpiritHorse at Freedom Ranch. While at the previous location, Eagles Rest Ranch in Flintstone, Brown could only accommodate about 35 students for this event.
After the show, Brown and her staff hope to also welcome military personnel to take advantage of the healing benefits.
“We hope to pursue funding for weekend restoration retreats,” Brown said. “We can handle the food and handle the horses; what we’ll need is volunteer veterans who have worked through this.”
Brown has always had a passion for giving back to the community and serving those in need, but it was the response of one child that lead her to begin the program, originally known as SpiritHorse at Eagles Rest Ranch.
“I was teaching riding lessons, and the student was autistic, and through the course of a few months there, he said his first words,” she said.
After her experience with that student, as well as finding the facility in Flintstone that could support such therapeutic teachings, Brown and several other individuals decided to make breakthrough moments like that their focus. They attended SpiritHorse training in Texas and opened their first training facility in 2009.
“It’s pure joy to serve,” Brown said. “There’s nothing like it. The gratification is worth more than any salary.”
Military members and veterans are welcome to attend sessions free of charge. While there are fees for the therapy offered to children, Freedom Ranch does not turn anyone away due to inability to pay. SpiritHorse at Freedom Ranch is a 501(c)(3) organization and any donations made to the nonprofit are tax deductible.
For more information, call 423-421-3205 or stop by for the horse show Oct. 28. Opening ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. SpiritHorse at Freedom Ranch is located at 288 W. Colston Lane.