I am a pediatric nurse by profession and for me, animals and children are the most innocent populations. If I can improve a child's life, I feel very accomplished. As for the horses, I feel the same way. EARS focused on Premarin mares and foals. That was an education for me, the horrible truth behind the animal abuse perpetrated the making the hormone drug, Premarin.
I began to formulate my plan to rescue Premarin foals and train them for my therapeutic riding facility that I would open on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I chose the Premarin foals for several reasons. First, they are in desperate need of being adopted before they are sent to slaughter. Secondly, they are quite special, typically presenting a bigger boned draft cross with a quiet easy going temperament. I find like most rescued animals, they know they were rescued and most exhibit the unique quality of “giving back.”
As I transitioned from the show ring to the real work of mucking stalls and training my foals to be therapeutic horses, I realized that many of the things these young horses would go through would be applicable to my students. We had a lot of work ahead as they began their education, conquered their fears, became good listeners and learned to respect individuals on the ground and under saddle.
Two years after I began rescuing horses my business partner Peter Dyrness and I opened Cranberry Sunset Farm, a 501 c 3 now in our tenth year of operation. We consider ourselves a “riding facility for all abilities” whose mission is to build upon each individual's ability by providing them life skills and opportunities to succeed by overcoming particular obstacles, thus becoming more self-sufficient in their own lives.
To date, we have forty rescue horses who are primarily trained at my farm in New Jersey to become therapeutic horses. Horses that pass the test travel north to the Cape to work with the children and young adults with disabilities at Cranberry Sunset Farm. Others stay in NJ to continue their training, rehab, have some down time, or live out their lives in retirement. I am proud to say I have happy horses. Being a therapeutic horse requires special qualities. We take extra care to keep our herd exercised with well-conditioned bodies and hooves and lots of turnout time.
Over the years Cranberry Sunset Farm has experienced growth in many areas, including purchasing a cranberry bog on the adjacent property to help offset costs. It’s not just about the horses at the farm, we also have minis, 2 cows, numerous goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens, honey bee hives and of course dogs. The farm offers therapeutic riding lessons to approximately 75 children a week with over 100 children a week coming to the farm for other programs. We also provide job coaching, horsemanship classes, a scholastic equine science program, approved by the state for high school credit, volunteer opportunities, community service and school programs.
At Cranberry Sunset Farm, we stand firm in the belief that the horse/human bond is an instrumental key to open a child’s brain. The horse, used as a facilitator, can stimulate a child’s verbal skills, improve motor skills, aid in cognitive abilities and contribute to the emotional needs of our students. Horses have so much to offer and ask very little in return. For Peter and I, our inspiration to continue comes from the joy on the faces of the children and parents.
It has been 12 years since I began rescuing horses and animals. Today, my beautiful gray Belgium warmblood Quantana would be 17 years old. She was microchipped where she had an unusual double swirl hair marking, pregnant and registered in Belgium and Italy when she was stolen just outside Formello, Italy in 2003. Today I am happy doing what I am doing but I haven’t forgotten her or stopped loving her. Deep down I know she would be pleased with me for rescuing her friends and providing a safe nurturing home for them at Cranberry Sunset Farm.
For more information about Cranberry
Horses have so much to offer
and ask very little in return. For Peter and I,
our inspiration to continue comes from the joy on the faces of the children and parents.