Aisling was founded to provide Equine-assisted Therapies for our veterans, first responders, and their dependents at no cost to them. These deserving groups of heroes, and the people that walk beside and support them everyday, are near and dear to us as our founder’s brother is a career Marine and she is a former 911 Dispatcher of 13 years. There are none more deserving of our time and efforts than those who have sacrificed, and those who continue to do so, to protect us, our country, and our way of life every single day.
It is not only important to us to create a safe space to experience the therapeutic benefits of horses, but to build a community of support for our participants by partnering with other nonprofits with our same vision. Some of these partnerships include The Garland Police Never Walk Alone Foundation, Patriot Anglers, The PTSD Foundation of America, REINS Therapeutic Horsemanship Program, Guns & Hoses Foundation, and the list continues to grow.
Equine Therapy offers an alternative to talk therapy that can feel less threatening and more inviting than an office setting. It allows us to build a relationship built on trust, honesty, humility, and patience with an incredible, majestic animal whose ability to help us knows no end and leaves us with real-life experiences to take with us and apply in our everyday lives. Horses don’t function in the world of words, therefore they mean nothing, while our intention means everything, and no words have to be spoken.
While our emphasis is on our veterans, first responders, and their families, our work doesn’t stop there. Along with our ‘Freedom Strides’ program, that twice this year has led us to Camp Pendleton in California to work with active duty Marines, we also conduct therapeutic riding sessions for children and adults with special abilities, currently holding weekly sessions for these riders. We have recently partnered with the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office and introduced a program for inmates housed at the Rockwall County Jail to do our part to combat recidivism.
Your support allows us to continue our mission and expand our programs as the needs arise. Please consider us on this North Texas Giving Day of 2024. We thank you in advance for your support.