At Cedar Springs Therapeutic Ranch in Slinger, Wisconsin, healing doesn’t happen in a clinic—it happens in a barn, on a trail, and most powerfully, on the back of a horse.
“Most of our clients are already in physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy,” said Executive Director Danielle Missall. “They make progress, but it kind of reaches a stall. With our riding program, they’re able to meet milestones they can’t meet in traditional settings.”
That difference comes down to one thing: connection.
Why Horses Work When Other Therapies Stall
Equine-assisted therapy at Cedar Springs blends physical, emotional, and behavioral support into one experience. Participants aren’t just exercising—they’re playing games, building relationships, and engaging muscles without even realizing it.“ They’re on a horse, arms stretched out, working all these muscles,” Missall explained. “But they’re so enthralled with being on the horse, they don’t even recognize that they’re doing the work.”
Impact Beyond Physical Strength
“Horses mirror human behavior and emotion,” she said. “When a person is feeling something, the horse feels it too… and can help them work through those emotions and come out stronger on the other side.” It’s this combination—movement, emotion, and connection—that makes equine therapy uniquely powerful.
A Breakthrough That Changed Everything
For one young girl with cerebral palsy, that power has been life-changing.
When she first arrived at Cedar Springs, she was fully dependent on a wheelchair and required full support just to sit on a horse. Now, years later, everything is different.
“She is now no longer wheelchair-bound. She walks with a walker,” Missall said.
Her care team credits much of that progress to the work she does at the ranch—because unlike traditional therapy, she wants to participate. “She didn’t work as hard at physical therapy because it wasn’t as fun,” Missall explained. “But here… her body is forced to react, engage, and build strength as the horse moves.”
And then came a moment her family will never forget: “She said her first word while she was on the back of the horse.”
Healing Through Shared Stories
Not all breakthroughs are physical. Through Cedar Springs’ Stable Moments program—designed for children who have experienced trauma, foster care, or adoption—healing often begins with something simpler: being understood.
During one session, a young girl was introduced to a horse named Whiskey, a former wild mustang who had been moved from place to place before arriving at the ranch. When she heard his story, she immediately connected it to her own. “She said, ‘He’s just like me,’” Missall recalled.
The girl had also moved from home to home before being adopted. Today, she and Whiskey are paired together—building trust, stability, and a bond that helps her process her own experiences.
Expanding Access Through Wispact Support
Wispact funding has helped Cedar Springs remove barriers so more individuals can participate fully in these experiences. One of the most transformative additions is an all-terrain wheelchair. Previously, some participants could only watch from the sidelines. “It made a lot of what we do difficult,” Missall said. “Now they’ll be able to really interact… go into the arena, go into the paddock, instead of just sitting on the edge. ”The funding also supported adaptive saddles and accessibility improvements—tools that are already making a daily impact.
“There were clients on the waitlist that we would have had to turn away if we didn’t have that saddle,” she said.
More Than Riding: A Place to Belong
Cedar Springs serves individuals across southeastern Wisconsin and is home to 17 horses, along with donkeys, goats, and even a pot-bellied pig. But what truly defines the ranch is its environment.
“It’s a team,” Missall said. “We’re really trying to get involved in the community so that we can provide to the community.”
From partnerships with day programs to new Girl Scout initiatives and volunteer opportunities, Cedar Springs continues to grow as a hub for connection and inclusion.
How You Can Help
Cedar Springs Therapeutic Ranch relies on community support to continue its work—and there are many ways to get involved:
• Donate or sponsor programs to expand access to therapy
• Volunteer in the barn or with programming
• Spread awareness about equine-assisted therapy and its impact
• Get involved locally through events, partnerships, or group service opportunities
“Just getting the word out is huge,” Missall said. “There are so many people who could benefit from equine-assisted therapy—they just don’t know it exists.” To learn more, visit www.csranch.org.