East Bradenton equine therapy program needs room to grow

With a crowd of people watching, 29-year-old Lexis Engle blocks everyone out and focuses solely on her horse. For 17-year-old Addison Long, the crowd is a thrill. She even cues the audience when she’s ready for a round of applause. 

All eyes were on both Engle and Long when the pair won gold medals at the Special Olympics State Equestrian Competition on April 5 at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala. 

The riders competed in different divisions, but in the same two events — Trails and Equitation. Trails requires riders to maneuver their horses around an obstacle course, and equitation requires following instructions and maintaining the proper positioning on the horse. 

Engle, an Ellenton resident, won the gold in both events. Parrish resident Long won the gold in Trails and took fourth in Equitation. 

Engle and Long train at Hooves with H.E.A.R.T. (Horse Education and Riding Therapy). The nonprofit operates out of Cavalli Creek Farms on Gates Creek Road from November through May. 

Hooves partners with Special Olympics Florida to offer its Registered Training Program in Manatee County. At the end of each season, the farm hosts the Special Olympics Florida – Manatee County Equestrian Competition.

The equestrian training offered by the county to Special Olympic athletes only lasts 10 weeks. Hooves was formed in 2019 as a way to extend the training without transferring the cost onto the families. 

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

It’s since grown into accommodating groups, as well, but all the programs are limited by barn space. There’s only room for six horses, and there are limits on how much the horses can be worked in a day. 

There are 24 individual riders and a waiting list. 

“This property is donated to us, and it’s a little farm and we appreciate it so much,” President Danielle Curtis said, “But we’re outgrowing it. The needs of our community are sometimes shocking to me.”

Individual riders have been diagnosed with various special needs. Engle was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and a developmental delay, Long with autism. 

However, the group lessons cater to special needs that arise from trauma. Participants are victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Others are veterans or children who lost a parent. Some are first responders who have experienced second-hand trauma.

Courtesy image

The programs are tailored to each group. For example, Curtis said the program for sex trafficking survivors is not about riding a horse, it’s about learning to trust themselves and others again. 

“When we started, I didn’t know that this is where we’d be,” Curtis said. “We went from one day a week to two to three days a week for riding, plus all these programs that come out. It’s almost overwhelming.”

Hooves operates on volunteers and community donations. There are about 45 volunteers on the roster, and organizations like the Elks offer financial support. The Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks and Bradenton Elks contribute annually. 

If a family is financially able to make a donation, the donation is welcome, but it is not a requirement of the program. Hooves doesn’t operate on a sliding scale. All individual riders ride for free, which was important to Curtis.

“I made a promise to myself, and it’s been a very hard promise to keep, that this was not going to be a business,” she said. “I want it to be a true nonprofit because I understand they’re dealing with so many other things – doctors, medication, all of that other stuff.”

When Curtis saw what riders gained in just 10 weeks, she extended the program to run November through May. Now that she sees how many other community members can benefit, she wants to find a permanent home for the nonprofit. 

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

Currently, the property is owned by Alessandro and Bonnie Galino, who loan it to Hooves. The couple’s daughter Lauren started the Special Olympics program. The house on the property is rented out, and Hooves leaves for the summer. 

Even if Hooves had a permanent home, summer is a hot time of year for riding lessons. The bigger issues are that Curtis is capped at six horses and has to find temporary housing for them each year. Sometimes, the horses have to be split up. 

Beyond logistics, Curtis simply wants Hooves to be able to carry on beyond her service. 

“If I can establish it so nobody has to leave or go anywhere else and Hooves just lives (in one place), then whoever comes up after us, they can just assume the role,” she said. “I’m hoping somebody out there wants to help us do this for the future generations.”