Majestic Equine Connections, Inc. fundraising to expand therapeutic horseback riding services

WESTFIELD TWP. — Nonprofit Majestic Equine Connections Inc. is raising funds to further spread its initiative of giving people who have a disability a therapeutic experience through horseback riding. Founder Jennifer Stankiewicz said she has been doing therapeutic horseback riding for more than 20 years and helped other programs start up before starting her own program in 2022. "No matter what walk of life you are, you are accepted just because you're there to improve yourself," she said. "We just wanted to make it a really great way for people just to feel loved." The program connects people who have a disability with a horse, and they participate in classes with up to four riders. Stankiewicz said private horseback riding lessons are also offered because not everyone thrives in a group setting. "Honestly, the social emotional learning that comes from learning to partner with an animal transcends just partnering with the horse," grant writer Nicole Farrell said. "You're going to be able to connect with other people better, your family, your teachers. It's really fantastic." Equipment like an adaptive saddle and a lift are available to help people who are physically disabled, Farrell said. Horses have also helped people with autism. "There's a lot of frustration that autistic kids get into because they either are not able to communicate their emotions effectively or just not able to communicate flat out, so you get a lot of negative behaviors like yelling, hitting sometimes, things like that," she said. "The horses are just such gentle souls that act as a mediator for those things. These kids go from having these behaviors all the time to very rarely having these behaviors." Majestic Equine is also looking to start a veterans program to help those who have post-traumatic stress disorder and bring more of a mental health component to its programming, Farrell said. "We will be reaching more than just disabled youth," she said. "We'll be reaching all levels of life. Really everybody at some point in time struggles with their mental health, so we'll be able to help a much larger population with this project." Majestic Equine operates out of 7460 Wooster Pike Road in Seville. The organization has a lease with the Medina County Park District for the property at 7859 Westfield Road in Westfield Township, which will be Majestic Equine's second location. "No public dollars have been spent on the house/property since the lease was executed," Medina County Park District Director Nate Eppink said. "We're not subsidizing a nonprofit. Rather, we've offered them a great location and favorable terms to do good and make the community better. In return, Majestic is stewarding the property." The state gave Majestic Equine a $200,000 grant, which was used to build a barn on the new property and move the septic system, Stankiewicz said. The outer shell of the barn is complete, but the organization needs to raise $60,000 to finish the barn to start lessons on the property. Farrell said the new property will help Majestic Equine expand operations since the current location is much smaller. It also has more acreage, which could potentially allow for more trail riding. "You can house more horses here, which is also good from an equine standpoint," she said. "You can cycle through horses more and be able to really pair the horses with the children and the adults, ultimately, when we start that program as well, so that we can really speak to the horse and the person's strengths." For more information about Majestic Equine Connections Inc. or to make a donation, visit tinyurl.com/mryvdwfb. "The sky is the limit as soon as the barn is finished," Farrell said. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.