Client Testimonials
At Brady Therapeutic Riding, we take our clients on a new path of healing and freedom.
Imagine a foster child, afraid of the world and distrusting of any adults, finding a place to cry and not be made fun of. Within an hour, this young boy finds the courage to ride a horse for the first time with adults he can finally trust.
Imagine a systems-impacted teen girl having the chance to hug the neck of a horse - when hugs from humans have always felt unsafe to her. Imagine this same girl several months later coming out of her shell, opening up and sharing her life with staff and volunteers, and taking initiative, leadership and ownership of her responsibilities at the program.
Imagine a young man with disabilities, who isn’t able to tie his own shoelaces, feeling a sense of purpose and accomplishment as he learns to independently halter and lead a horse out of its stall. He learns to wash horse bowls at Brady and then applies these skills to the dirty dishes in the sink at home.
Imagine a teen girl with physical disabilities unable to walk on her own. She discovers the joy of moving independently without a walker or wheelchair. This same teen then begins her own vocational skill training by fetching a halter from the barn .
These are real stories of actual Brady Therapeutic Riding clients who have taken part in our various therapeutic programs!
“H”
My son “H” has been a Brady Therapeutic Riding client for over a decade. “H” first came to Brady in early elementary school. At that time, “H” had been newly diagnosed with autism in addition to his existing diagnoses that included developmental delay and hypotonia (global muscle tone issues). When I first signed up “H” for Brady’s programs, I was relieved to find a local adaptive riding program which could be a supplement to his weekly physical therapy regime. I had absolutely no idea how incredibly life changing being part of this program would become - not just for our son- but even more so for our entire family!
Fast forward to today - “H” is now at a point where he can participate in Brady's vocational skills program for young adults with disabilities to learn vital soft skills that will help him in the workplace when he is ready. “H” knows his own way around the barn and the horses so well now (and only requires light supervision for safety reasons). I would never have imagined he would have the cognitive nor physical capability to perform these tasks 10 years ago when he first started the program.
“H” has also greatly benefited from interacting weekly with the staff, volunteers and clients at Brady - learning important social skills in a safe and loving environment. In fact, our whole family has made lasting intimate connections with the Brady staff and community. These friendships have helped us weather some incredibly difficult life circumstances from debilitating medical issues to systems involvement and court cases. The Brady staff and community has been there through it all with our family and we felt so very supported and cared for in those dark hours and in our recovery time.
Sarah Meakin and her team are simply put - miracle workers. I truly believe the Brady program and its equines have special healing “superpowers.” Sarah and her team truly understand trauma and what it takes to heal and be restored. I have seen first hand how the various Brady programs have deeply touched anyone and everyone who visits - from a terrified foster child to a burned out special needs mom with a medically fragile child to a young adult with sensory issues to even a shy high school volunteer who needed a push to come out of his shell. I have witnessed a systems impacted guardian start crying as she was helping clean horse manure in the paddock because of how peaceful and beautiful it was to be at Brady that day. This is what I mean by the healing “superpowers” of Brady Riding. Everyone comes away feeling just a bit lighter in their step than when they arrived.
TEAGAN
Teagan has multiple disabilities including a severe form of treatment resistant epilepsy. When we first looked into therapeutic riding programs, we were told by another organization that they didn’t feel comfortable taking on a child like Teagan unless she could go 6 months seizure free. We were deeply disappointed and discouraged, because it is unlikely that Teagan will ever get to experience that kind of freedom from seizures. In hindsight, I am now thankful that we were turned away, because it gave us the opportunity to find the Brady Therapeutic Riding Program, which welcomed Teagan with open arms and saddles! And comparing the two programs, Brady provides an unmatched experience for Teagan and our entire family.
We have seen Teagan absolutely blossom during her time with the Meakins, their volunteers, and the darling horses at Brady.
Our family is so grateful for this wonderful program, and for the incredible spirit Sarah Meakin infuses into the entire experience. Brady Therapeutic Riding program truly sees our special needs children as ABLE. And they make the experience for the entire family delightful.
Spending the morning or afternoon riding on the trails and in the arena with the Brady program is such a treat. It is therapeutic for the entire family, which is not something you come across very often in the special needs world. From the beautiful, calming outdoor scenery at the zoo, the delightful hospitality of tea, snacks, and charming british discourse with Hugh, to seeing your special needs child be fully supported, accepted and thriving, and to building lasting friendships and community with the other families and volunteers we get to meet along the way - Brady provides a program of unmatched value, and has a lasting impact on all those it touches.
