Where Hope Finds Its Strength

When Rowan first arrived at Taking The Lead, he could barely sit up on his own. Born with a condition that caused low muscle tone and difficulty swallowing, he relied on a feeding tube and had spent much of his young life in hospitals and therapy rooms that left him feeling frustrated and withdrawn.

Then Rowan met George — a gentle horse with kind eyes and a steady gait. Week after week, Rowan came to the farm. His occupational therapist used George’s movement to strengthen his core, while our volunteers encouraged him to sit taller, smile bigger, and believe in himself.

Little by little, things began to change. Within months, Rowan could drink on his own. Soon, he was walking, eating, and laughing freely. By the start of this year, his feeding tube was gone for good.

“His favorite part,” his mom says, “is simply seeing George. He loves that horse.”

Rowan’s story is just one of hundreds that unfold every year at Taking The Lead, a nonprofit farm in northern Baltimore County that harnesses the power of horses and nature to help children, adults, and veterans with disabilities build strength, independence, and confidence.

Horses That Heal. People Who Believe.

Every week, individuals of all ages come to our 80-acre farm seeking something different: focus, balance, calm, strength, or simply a place to belong. Some participate in hippotherapy, where licensed occupational therapists use the horse’s movement as a tool to meet physical and emotional goals. Others take part in therapeutic riding, where the goal is independence — learning to guide, steer, and connect with the horse on their own.

Our clients live with a range of diagnoses — Autism, Down Syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos, PTSD, Multiple Sclerosis, anxiety, depression, and more — yet all share something in common: the determination to grow. Many take their first steps, speak their first words, or find their first sense of purpose here.

From the Battlefield to the Arena — Healing for Veterans Too

For veterans coping with trauma or the challenges of civilian life, our Heroes & Horses Program offers a peaceful space to reconnect — with nature, with animals, and with themselves. Through groundwork and gentle riding, veterans learn new coping strategies, rebuild trust, and rediscover a sense of calm and community.

As one veteran shared, “It’s the first place I’ve been in years where I can just breathe.”

A Place That’s Growing — and Needs Your Help

Right now, Taking The Lead serves nearly 200 clients a year — but demand is rising. We are growing and accepting new clients for our therapy programs, ensuring no one has to wait to begin their healing journey.

To meet this growing need, we are raising funds to support every part of our mission — from feeding and caring for our therapy horses, to providing financial assistance for families in need, to completing the next phase of our ADA-accessible therapy barn renovation.

Your gift — no matter the size or designation — directly fuels this work. Whether it helps purchase hay for our horses, funds a therapy session for a child like Rowan, or helps us finish the classroom that will welcome dozens more, every dollar becomes hope in motion.

Be the Reason Hope Keeps Growing

When you give to Taking The Lead, you’re not just funding a building or helping feed a horse.
You’re giving a child their first step.
A veteran their first deep breath.
A family their first real moment of hope.

Every nail, every board, every bale of hay you help fund becomes part of a space where independence takes root and courage grows stronger.

You are the reason someone like Rowan can meet their horse, find their voice, and take the lead in their own life.

Join us in building a place where healing happens every season.
Together, we can make sure no one has to wait for hope.

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