This Coastal Connection is sponsored by Matt The Carpet Guy.
GEORGETOWN, Del. — On a quiet farm off Harbeson Road, the rhythm of healing isn’t measured in therapy sessions or prescriptions — it’s measured in hoofbeats. At Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding, veterans are finding strength, peace and connection through a unique horse-centered program.
After serving 42 years in the National Guard — including a tour in Baghdad — veteran John Dill says the eight-week horsemanship program has become a vital part of managing post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I suffer with PTSD and sometimes my PTSD acts up depending if I get stressed out,” Dill said. “This experience has helped me control that and allows me to calm myself.”
Veteran John Dill walks with Patches the horse at Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding.
The veterans program at Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding, a nonprofit founded in 1988, offers more than just equine education. Participants groom, walk, and develop trust with their assigned horses — a process known as natural horsemanship. It’s not about tricks or riding, but about communication, empathy and personal growth.
Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding in Milton.
“It develops a bond and a friendship between the veteran and the horse that builds confidence, self-esteem,” said Program Director Kelly Boyer. “We’ve seen amazing connections happen from the start of the session. We’ve had veterans reach out when they’ve had a bad day to come see their horse.”
Angela La Rosa, an Army veteran paired with a horse named Brumbly, said the experience has reshaped how she relates to others.
“You don’t feel it here because you’re concentrating on the horses,” La Rosa said. “But when you’re home, you start thinking, ‘Well, I did this and that,’ and say, ‘I can do that to humans, and I can interact with humans that same way.’ That’s how it works. That’s how horse therapy works.”
While this featured program is geared toward veterans, Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding also serves children and adults with a wide range of intellectual and physical disabilities. The center offers services year-round and is preparing to host another veterans session this fall.
“These horses help us find a calm place within us,” Boyer said. “They help us be more grounded in the moment. It’s amazing, powerful healing that occurs with the horse.”