Fostering Friendship: Audrey & Alexa’s Story

Audrey and Alexa are two friends who met at Forward Stride seven years ago, forming a friendship that would enrich both their lives and their families’. The barn created a space that encouraged the building of relationships; between riders, volunteers, horses, and instructors alike.

Audrey’s mom, Laurie, first learned about Forward Stride in 2018 through a Fox 12 interview with former Associate Executive Director Candi Cornils. After years of helping Audrey navigate anxiety and emotional dysregulation, Laurie was ready to try something different. She recalls, “I thought it was so amazing that a horse could help people in this way, and I thought ‘this could work for her.’” She hoped that riding might give Audrey the confidence and steadiness she needed to keep moving forward.

In 2018, their roads met, and the girls began riding together, creating a shared space where they could foster a friendship with each other, a bond with their horses, and long-term connections with their dedicated volunteers. Their parents forged their own connection too, sharing the journey and supporting one another along the way.

From the beginning, transformations took root. Alexa was eventually able to drop the speech, occupational, and physical therapies, and can now ride without a volunteer leading her horse. She relaxes on Pickles in a way she doesn’t anywhere else; “her words just flow,” Lisa says. Even on the difficult days, Audrey’s confidence is noticeable when she’s with Sterling; “We just take everything one day at a time, step by step.” Liz, their instructor for over two years, mentions “I’m so proud of these two amazing young women and am grateful for the opportunity to work with them.”

The magic of Forward Stride is not only in the skill-building and the self-improvement, but in the connections that form every day. These girls are making strides on their own goals, but by taking their journeys together, they are walking the Road to Resilience.