Healing with horses in James City County
Dream Catchers helps people with disabilities, veterans, at-risk youth
TOANO — Tucked away at the end of a long, winding road in Toano, Dream Catchers at the Cori Sikich Therapeutic Riding Center is a haven for horses and riders.
Since 1993, the charitable organization has been providing equine-assisted therapy to people living with disabilities, veterans and at-risk youth. In 2004, the organization moved to its permanent home on 22 acres off Fire Tower Road.
Dream Catchers offers a variety of programs, including therapeutic riding and horsemanship and equine-assisted psychotherapy, as well as opportunities for corporate and school groups.
The sprawling facility is made up of pastures, indoor and outdoor riding rings and a large barn with 20 stalls. There are 15 horses and four ponies, some are owned by Dream Catchers and some are there on free lease. All of the horses are carefully vetted for temperament and trained by Dream Catchers.
The horses are “all kinds of different sizes and shapes,” said Jenn Daley, the organization’s development director. “That way, we can accommodate all different types of riders.”
Executive Director Nancy Williams said many of the horses can do anything. But some have specialties.
“There are a few that are better for just the veterans, for example,” she said. “We have a horse named Gameboy, and he’s quite tall. So if I put him in a class with children, a volunteer is going to be (reaching up) trying to hold the child.
“A super tall horse doesn’t make a lot of sense in that context. But this horse is phenomenal with our veterans ... So each one of our horses has a special talent, and we know how to use it in our classes.”
At any time, there are roughly 100-120 people attending Dream Catchers sessions throughout the week. Those able to benefit from the programs range from kids as young as 4 to senior citizens.
Abby Jones was 7 when she began going to Dream Catchers. Now 24, she still looks forward to weekly sessions — these days, riding Suzie Q.
“They’re actually, kind of, really cool,” she said. “We just work on strengthening and working out on the horses.”
Jones has cerebral palsy, which affects movement and muscle tone. Or, as she explained, “I’ve got weak leg muscles.”
At Dream Catchers, Jones said she works on stretching and strengthening her muscles. She’s ridden about seven or eight horses at the organization. Her favorite is Norman, who is still at the facility, though she no longer rides him.
“He was the first one where I had the skills and they trusted me to go completely solo on him,” she said.
After 15-plus years, Jones still swears by the organization.
“I would say, if you know someone that needs some exercise or if you just need a place to volunteer and stuff, I would definitely say go for it because the staff is awesome,” she said. “And all of the horses and the atmosphere is awesome.”
For Williams, being at Dream Catchers is the culmination of a life of work.
“You get to a point in life where sometimes, depending on your history, you wonder, ‘What has it all been leading up to?’ ” she said. “All it of the sudden, it all comes together in a way that makes me feel like I’m doing something really good for people.
“Every time I come out here ... you see the smiles and you see the volunteers smiling, and you know there’s progress being made, that these kids are accomplishing new goals every day. And you just feel (like), ‘Yeah, I’m doing something really special today. I’m making a difference.’ ”
Dream Catchers’ operation depends largely on private donations and volunteers. Every week, the organization requires more than 250 volunteer hours, with volunteers assisting lessons, taking care of the horses and more. Volunteers do not need to have any prior experience with horses, Daley said.
During the pandemic, Dream Catchers had to halt its sessions for several months. Since coming back in fall of 2020, it has been working to build back its programs.
“We’re filling our schedule bit by bit as more people feel comfortable, as more volunteers (come back),” Williams said. “For a while, the volunteers were a limiting factor. If you don’t have volunteers to be doing what our incredible volunteers do, we don’t have a program. That’s our greatest need, is to have the volunteers who come in.”
The organization has steadily been seeing more interest, including inquiries from organizations interested in collaborating on mental health programs and other riding programs, Williams said. The numbers are about back to where they were pre-COVID, but the hope is to continue to build.
“We have room to keep going,” she said. “We’ve got 19 horses in that barn, and they’re all just phenomenal, each in their own way. So we’d like to see this place busy every day of the week if we could do it. That’s what it’s here for.”