The brown mare stood quietly as eighteen-year-old Lucas pressed his head against her warm neck. For several moments, the two stood together in the dusty corral, sharing a quiet connection.

Their encounter was part of a unique collaboration between Court Appointed Special Advocates of Orange County (CASA OC) and the Free Rein equine sanctuary in Huntington Beach.

Free Rein serves as both a sanctuary for abused horses and a safe space for youth and adults who may be struggling. The bonds formed between humans and horses can be life-changing for those who visit.

On a recent sunny Saturday morning, several CASA teens and their advocates spent a few hours immersed in the quiet groves and pastures at Free Rein.

The group was greeted by Justine Makoff, president and co-founder of Free Rein, who walked them through the day's schedule: an introduction to Free Rein's equine and mental health specialists, a safety overview, a visit with the goats and miniature horses, a walk to the "urban forest," time in the pasture with the horses, and finally a journaling exercise and lunch together as a group.

Justine helped launch the entirely volunteer-run organization fourteen years ago, after witnessing the immediate connection between a group of veterans — many experiencing PTSD — and the horses. She has since seen firsthand how these large, beautiful animals can touch both children and adults in profound ways.

"Bringing people out here to this safe space is so powerful," she says. "Why horses? They're large, intimidating animals and command a lot of respect, but they're also very present. They don't think about yesterday. They don't think about the future. They're in the here and now. So they bring us into the present moment, allowing us to sit with ourselves and start exploring what's going on inside of us. That's when the work happens."

The quiet reflection Free Rein encourages was evident in the cool shade of what Justine calls their "urban forest." A short hike led CASAs and their youth into the grove overlooking the pastures below. There, one of the mental health coaches led the group through a guided relaxation and breathing exercise — meant to help them transition away from the stress of everyday life and arrive at their encounter with the horses with a calm, peaceful energy.

The horses at Free Rein arrive with their own difficult histories. "They're all rescued horses with a lot of different backgrounds," Justine explains. "Some experienced abuse, some were found tied up on the side of a freeway. Some were used for 'tripping,' a terrible sport where a cowboy ropes a horse and takes out its front legs."

Justine Makoff, President and Co-founder of Free Rein

But at Free Rein, they get a new beginning. "They come here and we help build them back up," Justine says. "They know that this is their forever sanctuary — where they'll be loved and meticulously cared for the rest of their lives."

Peggy Pence is living the dream, having blended her passion for supporting youth in difficult circumstances, with her equally deep devotion to horses. She volunteers with both CASA OC and Free Rein, and it was her idea to bring CASA youth out to the Huntington Beach sanctuary.

Justine recalls how Peggy first proposed the idea to bring advocates and their youth out to Free Rein. "Our time with the horses or in the urban forest is intended to be experiential. We create opportunities for young people to explore things such as communication, trust, boundaries, self-awareness, teamwork and conflict resolution. The connection with CASA OC felt like a natural fit.” 

Peggy has been through extensive training, which led her to become a certified Equus coach and pursue a Master Facilitator certification. She explains how transformative working with horses can be for young people: "Horses can help build self-awareness and communication skills through non-judgmental interactions that require authenticity. This experiential learning can benefit youth by helping them build confidence and feel valued through working with animals."

Some of this growth was evident as CASA youth were led in a journaling exercise by Peggy. Those who were comfortable doing so, shared their writing, and the feelings that were generated, with the others. The entire group was treated to lunch on the sunny deck before wrapping up the day. 

Feedback from advocates and youth alike was heartfelt and positive. One participating teen said, "I loved being able to be near the horses. It was a very special day because it was my first time seeing a horse up close. I really like the movie Spirit because it captures the beauty and intelligence of a horse and how they can bond with you and sense your energy and mood, which is so amazing."

Her advocate said, "The Free Rein day was such a special and meaningful experience for us both. Watching my youth interact with a horse for the very first time was absolutely magical. Being able to witness her excitement and share such a beautiful moment with her made the day incredibly special for me."

Another advocate shared, "My youth and I both enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the horses. Judging from his participation and joking, he was certainly very comfortable at the event. I know that if there was an opportunity, he would love to go back — same with me."

He added, "I really appreciated the guided exercise in grounding and breathing. Practicing it together was a validation that we always benefit from being mindful, especially when we might be bringing in feelings that could help or hurt a horse. I also appreciated that it was inclusive — both of us participated, it was good for him to see that adults need guidance sometimes too."

The entire CASA staff will have the chance to visit Free Rein during an upcoming team-building service day, and Justine is looking forward to sharing the sanctuary's magic with them. "I'm really enthusiastic about having the CASA team here," she says. "We'll facilitate some hands-on experiences and possibly some communication work. We really enjoy hosting corporate events and team-building opportunities."

"This isn't individual therapy," Justine explains. "We refer to our work as Equine Growth & Learning, where we come together as a group to really find answers to things we might be struggling with. Whether you're a five-year-old child or an adult first-responder or veteran, we can tailor programs based on the age and needs of the group."

"I really trust in this work," she says. "In fact, I trust it more than I trust anything else in my life. These horses do ninety percent of the work. We do maybe ten percent."

To learn more about Free Rein's programs for youth or corporate events, email the Free Rein Foundation at info@freereinfoundation.org.