With a lifelong passion for horses and a background in assisting children in the community, Denise Dragon, of Surry, NH, has been drawn to the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding for many years. While she has volunteered for a multitude of programs over the years, she recently took action against the lack of therapeutic riding programs in the local community, developing one of her own. Opening Freedom Reins Therapeutic Riding Center in April, Denise has already had a strong impact on the community, filling their first session with 16 participants in three days. The program encourages participants to begin riding with them as early as four-years-old and continues on through adult therapeutic programs.
Denise has been a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for the state of New Hampshire for the past seven years and has been a volunteer for a therapeutic riding program as well. “After having the opportunity to interact with children from all backgrounds, with different abilities, one thing has always been clear… there is a lack of resources that allows these children to feel safe,” Denise comments. “Safe to express themselves, to be vulnerable, and to work through their emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Equine-assisted activities and therapies allow for these to be dealt with and our local Cheshire County has a significant need for this type of program.”
“The response from the community has just been incredible,” Denise says with a smile. Originally, Denise set out to become PATH, International Certified so that she could volunteer in therapeutic riding programs. PATH, Intl. is one of the leading training and licensing organizations in the country for adaptive and therapeutic riding centers. They provide instruction and rigid standards to ensure that the Instructors are versed in all facets of the therapeutic riding mission, while also providing continuing education and safety guidelines.
After Denise obtained her PATH certification and she began to teach, her goals became a bit loftier. It was then that she decided to focus on developing her own therapeutic riding program. “I owned the horses, I had the property, and the need is here in the community — I knew that now was the right opportunity to make a difference and open a program,” she explains.
Freedom Reins’ mission is to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for equine-assisted activities and therapies to empower individuals with a vast range of needs. The program is dedicated to using the power of horses to improve the lives of all ages, means, and challenges through the experience and extraordinary benefits of therapeutic riding and activities. These challenges include behavioral, social, emotional, cognitive, and physical challenges. “It’s a common misconception that therapeutic riding only benefits those with physical disabilities. While therapeutic riding is incredible for physical health, it can benefit so many different challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, autism, and so much more,” Denise explains.
Currently, Denise’s three rescue horses are the heart of the program. “There is something really special about the fact that our program works entirely with rescues,” Denise says. “It wasn’t something that I set out to do, but it came together this way. I rescue animals, and I am so proud that all of my horses are able to be a part of the program.” The horses include Justa, a Paint mare that loves little kids and trail rides; Ebony, an Arabian mare who loves to play dress-up and pose for pictures; and Belle, a Percheron mix mare, rescued from Draft Gratitude, in Winchester, NH, who is quiet and slow, making her wonderful for children and adults with balance issues.
“In addition to our fabulous horses, we have been lucky with our incredible volunteers, many are from the local community: Surry, Gilsum, Walpole, Keene, etc.,” Denise explains. “Despite our amazing volunteers, we always need more volunteers, as we are hoping to build a larger volunteer base so that we can expand the program.” The program is hoping to add additional weekend hours, but currently, they need more hands-on help to make it a reality.
“Program volunteers play a fundamental role in the ability to conduct safe horsemanship lessons, acting as leaders and/or side walkers,” Denise states. Leaders are responsible for the horse during the lessons and support participants with leading the horse. Side walkers walk beside the horse and support participants while in the saddle to stay safe and give reminders as needed. There are also other opportunities to volunteer including around the barn and at special events. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and attend volunteer training. However, horse experience is not required; Freedom Reins provides all of the training that a volunteer needs.
The program has two PATH Certified instructors that teach with volunteer assistance: Denise Dragon, the Executive Director, and Becki Marrero, the Program Manager. The two instructors work with the riders and the horses to customize each individual lesson. They are supported by the rest of the board at Freedom Reins, including Peter Powers, President; Jean Picard, Vice President; Sarah Vitello, Secretary; Tim LaRoche, Barn Manager; and Board Members, Mackenzie Curtis and Karen Ruiter.
“One of the biggest challenges at this point is that we only have an outdoor arena,” Denise explains. This limits the program’s ability to operate from October through April because the winter months can be brutal for the participants, instructors, and volunteers. However, this outdoor setting also has a hidden benefit. “The feedback for the outdoor setting has been incredibly positive,” she continues. “There is so much more room to watch and observe, meaning that we truly have the ability to welcome the whole family. All of the participants and families have been so flexible with us, as we figure out the ins and outs of running the program — we are so appreciative of their patience and understanding.”
The program is also fortunate to have a Sensory Trail, where the participants can leave the confines of the arena. The Sensory Trail is a short ride through the woods, during which the riders find a number of natural and man-made obstacles. While on the trail ride, they may encounter a variety of different challenges and puzzles (gravel pits, water obstacles, and pool noodle horse “washes”, for example) to keep them engaged while encouraging better balance and focus. “We are so lucky to have access to the Sensory Trail, it really makes our program unique,” Denise comments.
With expansion plans for the future, Denise has recently purchased the land next to her property with the dream to build an indoor facility and be able to run the program year-round. “Getting the property was a huge bonus and made the future seem even more exciting,” she says. “We have had excellent community support, and I hope that it will continue as we grow… I hope that the community has faith that we are starting slow, so we build a strong foundation for the program.”
“This is the right time for Freedom Reins,” Denise concludes. “We are all so excited to look back and see how far we have come already. There is a big need for this in the community and we are so excited to be here.”
To learn more about the Freedom Reins, including how you can donate to the program and volunteer opportunities, we encourage you to visit their website, Freedom Reins Therapeutic Riding Center.