Trust is essential at MKE Urban Stables
Facility houses police horses and offers youths equine-assisted therapy
At MKE Urban Stables, there is a sense of summer calm.
The sound of traffic can be heard rumbling by outside 143 E. Lincoln Ave., yet on these 4 acres, things slow down, and all is focused on a connection with the horses.
“You have to gain their trust,” said Sherri Jibson, a U.S. Navy veteran who volunteers at the stable. “When you’ve done that, they let you into their circle. And that’s where I gain my confidence.”
Slowly but surely the vision of MKE Urban Stables is taking shape.
It’s where the Milwaukee Police Department Mounted Patrol Unit stables 10 Percheron horses.
And it’s also where an equine-assisted therapy program is taking shape, designed to help young people deal with trauma. A program for veterans is also being planned.
“There are more than 850 equine therapy centers in the nation, but this is one of the very few in an urban setting,” said Kent Lovern, chief deputy district attorney for Milwaukee County and board president of MKE Urban Stables.
The $6 million project has developed over the years and risen on a once-vacant lot in Bay View.
Beth Weirick, CEO of Milwaukee Downtown BID 21, was among those who galvanized the business community to get involved in the project. The Rotary Club of Milwaukee became a key sponsor.
Groundbreaking took place in April 2019 on a cold, wet day where people sloshed through a muddy site. The project was completed in phases. Milwaukee Police moved in its mounted patrol last summer. A few months ago, Rawhide Youth Services began a three-daya-week equine therapy program for 25 youths.
There are community rooms, an indoor arena with bleachers, stables and riding areas outside.
“The idea is ultimately to serve people in the city who can use this therapy but have a hard time accessing it,” Lovern said. “At the same time, the promise this holds is the opportunity for policecommunity engagement in a really calm place.”
Milwaukee Police Officer John Pederson Jr., a member of the mounted patrol, envisioned the stable as a community asset. Over the years, whether on horseback or giving talks, he has seen how children reacted to the horses.
“Absolutely, we need to open this up, not just to kids but wounded warriors,” he said. “A lot of these vets, they don’t even care about riding the horses. They just want to be around them and care for them.”
Glenn Scheuerman, a U.S. Army veteran, volunteers at the facility. He said working with the horses helps him deal with issues of “trust and anxiety.”
“We give to them,” he said of working with the horses. “And they give back.”
There are four therapy horses onsite, including Hawkeye and Franny, two miniature horses. A donkey named Prissy appears to have the run of the place, though, sometimes wandering into offices. “The most well-mannered donkey I’ve ever met,” said Felicia Sackett, equine manager.
Sackett plays a critical role in safety during the equine therapy sessions.
“My job is to understand how the horses act,” she said.
Heather Kahl, clinic and community resource manager with Rawhide, said equine-assisted therapy can help clients as they try to heal emotionally.
“Horses are really unique creatures,” she said. “They feel what we feel. They take on the emotions and feelings of that client in that session. Their responses are based on what the client is feeling.
“The other piece is going back to the environment. That’s unique to it as well. For a lot of children and youth, sitting doesn’t help. Being able to move and interact and not to have to talk to an adult for an hour is beneficial as well.”
“There are more than 850 equine therapy centers in the nation, but this is one of the very few in an urban setting.” Kent Lovern Chief deputy district attorney for Milwaukee County and board president of MKE Urban Stables