March/April 2025 Issue

Page 50 March/April 2025 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN By Suzanne Bush Temple Grandin, the re- nowned author, college professor, Keynote speaker at the 2025 Pennsylvania Farm Show and ad- vocate for the humane treatment of animals, believes that ani- mals—especially horses—have the power to transform lives. “Horses can help us to develop a sense of trust, empathy and compassion,” she wrote. Indeed. Those special powers are in high demand as the world grows more unpredictable every day. Kristen de Marco is a fan of horses and their remarkable healing powers. She believes horses can be guides, leading people to find their own special powers of forgiveness, strength and understanding. She recog- nized that horses also have the power to heal those who have experienced trauma. Her organiza- tion, Gateway HorseWorks, serves communities as diverse as inmates preparing to leave prison, victims of human trafficking, children in residential treatment, people in recovery and veterans. These often marginalized and vulnerable com- munities are the focus of Gateway HorseWorks, communities of individuals who would likely not have access to either horses or the innovative programs that de Marco and her team provide. She grew up riding and train- ing horses, but “I stepped away from them when it was time to go to college. You know how you are supposed to ‘get a real job,’ which doesn’t include horses.” But real life has ways of chang- ing one’s perspective. “I found my way back to horses as I was asking myself all those big life questions,” she explains, “when you go through a kind of chasm in your life.” For her, that chasm was her divorce. “I heard about horses working in mental health settings, and I was just really fascinated. They were doing what I always knew I could do.” The Need is Great De Marco achieved certifica- tion as an Equine Specialist in the EAGALAmodel (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning) in 2011. “I started a little business and then quickly realized that so many peo- ple that were in need of innovative mental health treatment couldn’t afford access to it,” she says. She started a non-profit after a pro- bation officer reached out to her, looking for a program to help one of his clients. That was in 2015, and she didn’t have a permanent place for her horses, or even a staff. Today Gateway HorseWorks has a permanent location—a 15- acre farm in Malvern, PA. The staff, which includes clinical social workers and equine specialists, provides an array of services at the farm and at other locations. “We have a lot of our clients come here, obviously, this is our flagship location. But we also have a permanent pasture on site at the Chester County Prison.” She says Gateway has run a The Horse Will See You Now (Continued on page 51)