Forest Acres Retreats and Events

12/04/2025

We welcomed an incredible group from the Jamestown Boys & Girls Club to our most recent Youth Discovery Day … many of whom had never seen a horse up close before.

What happened in the barn went far beyond meeting horses.
It was real-life emotional skill-building, disguised as a magical afternoon.

💛 The kids learned:
• Calming techniques they can use anywhere - school, home, sports, or whenever life feels overwhelming.
• How to read and respond to body language, as well as their own - starting with a 1,200 lb horse, and then applying it to friendships, communication, and confidence in the real world.
• How to regulate their nervous systems in a way that feels natural, playful, and empowering.

And the best part?
I can teach these tools in a barn, surrounded by gentle horses who help kids discover what calm actually feels like.

Seeing their eyes light up, their smiles, and their confidence rise… it’s exactly why we offer Youth Discovery Days
We’re building emotional resilience, one quiet moment and one gentle horse at a time. 🌟

Thank you, Jamestown Boys & Girls Club, for a beautiful day, and Centaur Stride Therapeutic Riding Center for letting us share your horses.
We can’t wait for the next event. 🐴🤍

11/20/2025

One session. One shift. One once-in-a-lifetime experience that changed how she shows up forever.

“This past spring / early summer I had the pleasure of meeting Dena. I had been participating in professional coaching which took a holistic approach that evaluated all facets of my life. One particular focus of my coaching was to evaluate personal challenges, including past experiences, and how it impacted my reactions and responses. Additionally, in my private life, I had just purchased my first horse, Easy. One challenge that was visible through my coaching was that I was having a challenge showing up and being present for my horse in the way that he needed me to be present for him. My professional coach was kind enough to arrange a private session with Dena. Dena and my coach made the 90 minute trip to my location to meet with me and Easy. The biggest take away from our session was finding the ability to ground myself in a way that deepened my connection with Easy. Easy for the most part is an “Easy” - going gelding, however he is a chestnut and is sensitive from time to time. Easy likes to remind me that he indeed is a sentient being with his own opinions and reactions. Prior to my session with my coach and Dena, I struggled with nervousness when Easy acted out of the ordinary, which further escalated the situation. Now, when he acts out of the ordinary, I am able to quiet my energy and respond to his reactions confidently. It is extremely rare that he exhibits unsafe behavior, but when it occurs, I am able to work with him in a way that brings his attention back to me and reestablish a connection that results in safe interactions. My session with Dena was a once in a lifetime experience and I am thankful that I had the opportunity to meet with Dena so now I can better take care of my horse.“

The time I spent with Clarissa and Easy felt effortless, as their bond reflects reciprocal energy, patience and flow. These two simply belong together!

Thanks to .cipolla.12 for arranging our session, and to for sharing her beautiful bond with Easy.

11/07/2025

What if your work day began with sunrise, silence, and 1,200 pounds of calm?

My favorite way to start the day is between two ears — in the stillness of morning, where presence replaces pressure and becomes the rock for the resilience to face anything.

Every session here at Forest Acres, every sunrise, every heartbeat shared with a horse reminds me why Equine Union International exists — to unite professionals, patients, and horses through ethical, science-backed partnership.

Because when we help people regulate, lead, and reconnect with nature, we’re not just improving care — we’re also saving more horses, giving them purpose and a chance to heal alongside us. 🌅🐴

⬇️ Share your favorite way to start the day!

10/27/2025

10/27/2025

Each session, a little more connection.
Today, Matt invited KeKe beyond the comfort of the barn and into open space — grazing together, relaxed, curious, and side-by-side.
These are the subtle shifts that build trust and confidence — for both horse and human. 🐴💙
And shout-out to Karen Silzle for enhancing the lives of her favorite friends with experiences like this!

10/25/2025

✨ Have you ever been told you’re the competition?
That moment taught me something profound—
those who stay centered in creation do not need to compete.

There are some that may see you as rivalry through their own lens. When others fear your originality, it’s only because they are doubting their own.
That fear scatters focus and dims the flame meant to guide them.

Don’t let that stop you from doing your work, from becoming and sharing your purpose.

Your gifts are already written into your design.
They can’t be copied, rushed, or replicated.
Your light expands only when it’s directed, not diluted.

When someone compares themselves to you - it’s
often a reflection that your light is bright enough to be noticed. That you’re doing something that is worthy of being seen.

Keep creating from that place of light. The world will adjust to your rhythm.

📸 Grateful to professional photography for capturing this season’s stillness and soul.

💭 Save this for the days you forget the power of your own unique gifts.

10/25/2025

💓 The Moment a Heartbeat Spoke Through a Hand

Something remarkable happened in yesterday’s session.
It wasn’t dramatic or loud — it was quiet and absolutely unforgettable.

Matt, a young adult I’ve been working with, was standing beside Mr. B, our saddlebred gelding that usually wants all the attention.
I gently placed Matt’s hand on the front of Mr. B’s chest — just below the neck, slightly to the left— one of the spots where you can feel the rhythm of a horse’s heart if you’re patient enough to listen.

We stood still.
The air softened.
And then, through Matt’s thumb, I felt it — the deep, steady pulse of Mr. B’s heartbeat syncing with Matt’s, and then my own.

It was strong, grounding, and ancient, as if the horse’s calm was traveling straight through Matt to me, reminding both of us to slow down.
No one said a word; Matt’s shoulders relaxed, his breath deepened, and the world around us grew still.

That’s what heart coherence feels like — the nervous systems of horse and human settling into harmony, one heartbeat leading the other back to calm.
It’s not a metaphor. It’s measurable.
But in that moment, it felt like grace — a conversation between two beings who didn’t need language to understand each other. And that flowed right through to me to the point that I felt it physically and emotionally myself.

If you ever want to feel it yourself, stand beside a horse and rest your hand on that same spot.
Breathe slowly.
Wait.
And when you feel that steady rhythm under your palm, let it remind you:
Peace is not something we chase — it’s something we attune to.

🐴💞

10/23/2025

Our Youth Discovery Workshops continue to create visible transformation in every group we serve.

Kids who might start the day rushed, anxious, distracted, or shut down — are learning ways to become calm, focused, and inspired.

These measurable shifts in attention, empathy, and confidence are the foundation of something much bigger: a youth wellness movement that we are expanding to new cities across the country, as well as inviting more to experience the immersion right here in Chautauqua County.

We’re building a generation of grounded, compassionate leaders — one Youth Discovery Workshop at a time. 🐴

10/23/2025

🐾 For the Kids, the Staff… and the Paws that Heal 🐾
We’re so grateful to team up with amazing partners to support the PAWS event on Nov. 1 — celebrating the therapy dogs who bring calm, comfort, and connection to local Warren County schools. 💛

5 gentle pups help kids and staff slow down, smile, and feel safe — a small reminder of the healing power of animals. 🐶✨

Huge thanks to our partners who made this donation basket possible:
🌟
🌟
🌟

The 2nd annual PAWS-vember at Cable Hollow Golf Course will include appetizers, desserts, refreshments, and live music by Sweet Jane Band and aKoostikaly challenged. Raffle baskets will also be available.
For more info, check out “PAWS-vember Fest” event page: https://facebook.com/events/s/paws-vember-fest/1498581104493133/

10/22/2025

Caught this glimpse as I drove down my driveway this morning.
The sun was shining just right.
So grateful for my happy horses.

☀️🐴♥️🐴♥️☀️