UNION GROVE, Wis. — Stephanie Kubarth started Midwest Therapeutic Riding back in 1998. Since then, the non-profit organization has helped hundreds of kids through hippotherapy.
"The horse is such a great motivator," said Kubarth.
Little Maysen has been in the therapy program for the past two years, her mother Rachel Petrick said during that time, she has seen her daughter grow and improve in core strength and speech.
"She just looks forward to it and you can tell she loves the horse and really enjoys it," said Petrick.
It's through the horses that the children work on improving everyday tasks by working with occupational, physical, and speech therapy.
"We have a lot of families say their kids walk for the first time after riding," said Kubarth.
But the therapeutic benefits extend beyond the physical for Catelynn Holder. The horses have helped her learn how to express her emotions.
"They have helped me grieve, helped me heal, they have helped me so much," said Catelynn.
She said it's through spending time with the horses that she has learned to deal with life's challenges.
"Since I been here it's been a lot more helpful and I have been able to talk about my feelings," said Catelynn.
"Cate is the bravest strongest person I know, she is my hero because most kids who have gone through what she has gone through---don't end up as well as she has done," said Kyle Holder, Catelynn's father.
It's the love from the animals, showing the power of connection. Horses are helping heal, one person at a time.
"One boy wrote a letter to his horse and said thank you for loving me. You're the first thing that's ever loved me back," said Kubarth.
To learn more about Midwest Therapeutic Riding, click here.
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