We first came to Horses with Hearts in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. The world felt uncertain, and so much about Lyra’s future felt fragile. She was only two years old then—tiny, with very low muscle tone—and we were doing everything we could to support her journey with Prader-Willi Syndrome.
We had heard that therapeutic riding might help build strength, maybe even help prevent scoliosis, which is so common in children like Lyra. We had also heard whispers of hope—that riding might encourage speech, her greatest delay.
We held on to that hope tightly.
Fast forward to today, and it’s hard to believe the transformation. Over the years, Lyra did develop a thirteen-degree curve in her spine. Despite her muscle gains, it looked like that curve was here to stay. But then came the fall riding session in September 2024… and with it, an x-ray that left us speechless. The curve was gone.
Her body grew stronger. And so did her voice.
Lyra, now six, is still delayed in her speech—but she’s making real, beautiful progress. She can form four-word sentences. She tells us what she wants and needs. Just last week during her riding session, she spelled her name on the magnetic board, naming animals and colors with so much joy it brought tears to our eyes.
And her joy? It starts the moment we turn onto the Horses with Hearts driveway. She squeals with excitement. She knows this place is hers—safe, fun, empowering.
It’s hard to fully express what this program has meant for our daughter and our family. You don’t witness miracles every day—but we’ve seen them here. We’ll continue riding for as long as they’ll have us, because this isn’t just therapy.
This is hope on horseback.
— Lyra’s Family