STRIDE Equine Therapy
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East Tennessee Now features Brandi McDonald, director of Stride Equine Therapy in Kingston, Roan County, Tennessee, a newly established 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides adaptive horsemanship programs for at-risk youth and individuals with disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum. McDonald shares how her decades-long experience in horsemanship at Blue Point Stables led to launching this therapeutic initiative in response to growing demand and long waitlists at other facilities. The program leverages the calming, intuitive nature of well-trained, older horses—many of which have been with the program for 15 to 20 years—to foster confidence, emotional regulation, empathy, and responsibility in riders. A key highlight is the upcoming 'Riding for the Roses' fundraiser on Kentucky Derby Day, May 2nd, which includes a silent auction, Calcutta horse betting, live demonstrations, petting of foals, and a festive atmosphere with Derby-themed food and drinks. The event aims to raise funds for the Youth with Promise scholarship program, ensuring access to horsemanship for those facing financial hardship or challenging life circumstances.
Horses serve as natural therapists by responding to human emotions and helping riders build confidence and emotional regulation.
Stride Equine Therapy offers scholarship-based horsemanship for at-risk youth and individuals with disabilities, especially those on the autism spectrum.
The program emphasizes partnership through grooming, saddling, and ground work, which reduce stress and build trust.
The 'Riding for the Roses' Derby Day fundraiser on May 2nd includes auctions, demonstrations, and family-friendly activities with tickets at $60 per person.
Older, well-trained horses are essential to the program’s success due to their calmness and responsiveness to nervous or overwhelmed riders.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introducing Stride Equine Therapy
“Horses are amazing animals. There's just a steadiness, a calmness about them that when a person who is stressed or confused or just lost... can go and ground themselves with those horses.”
The Therapeutic Power of Horses
“If the horse is calm, it calms the person. If you have the correct horses. Okay. So if you approach a young horse... that horse will pick up on it and we'll be aware because the horse's awareness level is much higher than a human's.”
Building the Program and Overcoming Challenges
McDonald discusses the origin of Stride Equine Therapy, the transition from a regular horsemanship business to a nonprofit, and the challenges of securing 501(c)(3) status.
Youth with Promise and Adaptive Horsemanship
“If they can't come for money reasons, maybe they're in foster care. Maybe they're... battling an addiction. There are so many reasons that young people may not be able to access horses, but we want that door open for them.”
The Derby Day Fundraiser: Riding for the Roses
“We'll take the whole derby field of horses and we'll start with the longest shot and we'll auction those horses off to the people who are at the benefit. And once all the horses have been auctioned off, then we'll take half of that money and put it into the pot.”
“Horses are amazing animals. There's just a steadiness, a calmness about them that when a person who is stressed or confused or just lost... can go and ground themselves with those horses.”
“If the horse is calm, it calms the person. If you have the correct horses. Okay. So if you approach a young horse... that horse will pick up on it and we'll be aware because the horse's awareness level is much higher than a human's.”
“Horses in some ways are very similar to the autism spectrum. People that are on the spectrum, they have a level of awareness that's different than other humans.”
Host
Guest
Stride Equine Therapy
organization
Brandi McDonald
person
Frank Murphy
person
Blue Point Stables
organization
Riding for the Roses
other
Kentucky Derby
other
Quarter Horse
other
Mr. Socks
other
Mangalarga Marchador
other
Y12 Federal Credit Union
organization
Camp Ba Yo Ca
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Knoxville Choral Society
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KAPA Kitchen Food Pantry
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Knox Heritage
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