From the Barn to the Heart: Sponsorship & Horse Adoption
From the Barn to the Heart: Sponsorship & Horse Adoption at Connected Growth & Wellness
As the Program Director here, I get the joy of witnessing the powerful connections that form between horses and humans every day. Our herd is made up of retired and semi-retired Arabian Sport Horses—majestic, sensitive souls who once competed in show arenas but now enjoy a new chapter of purpose. These horses have found their second calling in serving people of all ages through therapeutic riding, equine-facilitated counseling, stress reduction workshops, and instructor training for PATH International. It’s a role that’s just as noble as the competitive world they came from, and we invite our community to be part of this mission through year-round sponsorship and our seasonal “Adopt a Horse” program.
Throughout the year, our sponsorship opportunities allow individuals, families, and businesses to directly support the care, feeding, and medical needs of these incredible animals. Every dollar goes toward keeping our herd healthy and happy, from specialized diets to farrier visits to enrichment activities. Sponsors receive weekly updates with photos, behind-the-scenes stories, and videos that bring them closer to the horses they’re helping. And yes, we absolutely welcome sponsors to schedule a visit, meet their sponsored horse in person, and see the arenas and barns where our life-changing work is happening.
As the holidays approach, we launch one of our most heartwarming traditions—our Adopt a Horse for the Holidays campaign. While the horses remain under our care, this symbolic adoption allows you or your loved ones to "adopt" one of our therapy horses for the season. We send a beautiful digital (or print, if requested) adoption packet that includes a photo, your horse’s story, and a certificate of sponsorship—making it a meaningful and unique gift. Adoptive sponsors receive weekly updates throughout the season, including festive videos of their horse enjoying holiday treats, winter grooming sessions, and maybe even dressing up in seasonal flair!
What makes our horses so extraordinary isn't just their beauty or history in the show ring—it’s their ability to connect on a deeply emotional level. As emotional mirrors, our horses reflect the energy of those around them, offering gentle feedback and helping individuals gain insight, self-awareness, and confidence. Whether they’re carrying a child with disabilities in a therapeutic riding session or standing quietly beside someone processing trauma in an equine-facilitated counseling session, these horses offer healing without words. They provide movement where there once was a sense of being frozen, calm where there once was anxiety, and joy where there once was fear.
We are proud to be a place where Arabian Sport Horses transition into a life of healing and purpose. And we are even more proud to offer our community the chance to be part of their journey. Whether you choose to become a year-round sponsor or adopt a horse for the holidays, know that you are making a real difference—not just in the life of a horse, but in the lives of the people they touch every day. Thank you for supporting our mission, and we hope to help you schedule a visit to the barn soon.