Galloping Through Healing
Healing Strides
Carol Young, CEO of Healing Strides made this request, "I need the plan to stop water from running into the paddocks, barns and arena..." which sparked a year-long volunteer design effort by Hill Studio, a landscape architecture firm based in Virginia, to consider not only stormwater but design to the altruistic goals of a riding and mental health facility that serves special-needs children, adults to include veterans, planning for safety and infrastructure, to envisioning future expansion of a regional showplace. Additional programming and exceptional design have been used to attract new fundraising efforts, boost the morale of participants, and position the facility as a legitimate and cherished regional service provider.
Established in 1991, Healing Strides is an equine-assisted, Premier Accredited, designated Center of Excellence serving in Virginia's Blue Ridge. Healing Strides features professional staff, certified instructors, trained volunteers, and a herd of 20+ horses.
The facility is affiliated with local hospitals and social service organizations serving hundreds of people with an array of personal challenges. Staffed with professionals and hundreds of volunteers, the facility brings happiness to thousands of people through an astounding number of special programs -from family therapy to advanced dressage.
Seeing beyond the initial ask, the design team endeavored to better the physical plant to the esteem of the mission. Since limited resources are predominantly spent on the participants and daily programming, the landscape architect created a highly coordinated series of initiatives, individually targeted for specific government and foundation grants, and collectively transformative to the grounds and buildings.
Key Features of the donated project include a front of house and back-of-house that segregates the facility in layers to guests, equestrians, and staff, green and sustainable design principles throughout, such as rain barrels for on-demand dust control. New more adventuresome plans were designed and show trails and campsites far beyond the immediate 22 acres, to enlist land partners to gain their support. Design Guidelines for all future work, to contribute toward the ensemble were crafted by the design team for future projects.
The Equine Assisted Services facility demonstrates the art of caring for a community through careful planning, design, and land stewardship. The planning process and the resulting design show landscape architecture as a community-building enterprise. The design process is valuable to other
likeminded organizations.
