Petlife logo

Horses and Healing

How I Found the Bridle Up Hope Barn

By Chloe BaierPublished 4 years ago 5 min read
3

Every time I look at this mountain backdrop, it fills me with a sense of aww. This place is sacred to me. It is where I can escape the world, and feel free to be ME. It is a place of self-discovery, hope, and healing.

The first time I drove up to the Bridle Up Hope Barn in Alpine, Utah was a special experience. It was the first time in a long time, that I felt myself visibly be able to breathe and RELAX into my body. I had this feeling that this place was going to change my life... and boy has it done just that.

Serendipity is the only word to describe how this little slice of Heaven landed in my life. Around the fall of 2018 I came upon the book "Where There's Hope" By Elizabeth Smart. It's a collection of stories from survivors about: "Healing, Moving Forward, and Never Giving Up". I don't think there were many moments where I had a dry eye. If you feel called to it, please go read that book, it is truly inspiring.

One story, in particular, caught my attention. It was about the Stephen Covey family, and their story of how they lost their daughter/sister Rachel Covey to suicide. The focus was on Rachel’s life. She loved to share her passion for horses with other young girls who struggled with depression/anxiety just like she had. At Rachel's funeral, her parents were taken aback by how many people came up to them and thanked them. If it hadn't been for Rachel, their own daughters' would not be here. Not long afterwards, the Rachel Covey Foundation and Bridle Up Hope Barn was born. It is a refuge for girls and women who struggle with depression and anxiety. It helps them to have hope, and to connect to their inner source of confidence.

I cried like a baby when I read about this family’s story. I felt connected to Rachel, because I too struggled with severe depression. Several times it had threatened to take my own life. I also shared her strong love/connection to horses. It was inspiring to me how her family took something that was so painful, and used the memory of their daughter for good. After reading that story, I started following the Rachel Covey Foundation. I wanted to keep in contact, so that I could learn how I could be a part of it. It had been my hope to get involved with therapeutic horseback riding for some time, because I had personal experience with how life saving horses can be.

Flashforward to December 2019.

I saw a friend’s facebook story, and it looked like she was riding a horse at the Bridle Up Hope barn. I thought that was curious, but kind of forgot about it. Then quite unexpectedly, I got an email notification from Bridle Up Hope. They were announcing women's scholarship opportunities to be able to take part in their 7 week program at the barn.

OH, I WAS SO EXCITED!!!!

I could not believe it, I had been longing for YEARS to be able to ride and be around horses again. It had been such a long time! In the scholarship application, all I had to do was tell my story. So this is what I shared...

“The first time I saw a horse was when I was 3 years old. My family and I were driving through Nevada, and I witnessed a herd of wild horses barreling down the canyon. Ever since then, I have had this instinctual love and connection to horses. Sometimes they even make me cry. Some people at certain times in my life, dismiss it by telling me, “every little girl loves horses”, but it goes far beyond that for me. Being around them, and when I have the gift of connecting with them through riding... I feel strong, capable, confident, wanted, and SAFE. There’s something about their spirit that senses a fellow tender soul, one that has been crushed by the challenges of life. That certainly was me through my experiences of being intensely bullied in my youth, and sexually abused throughout my young adult life. When I was blessed with the ability to ride horses for the first time back in college, and then again shortly before I got divorced.... I felt like I could breathe easily for the first time in my life! I can’t describe how amazingly healing these creatures and the bond that you can build with them can be. I have a strong desire to continually grow and heal so that I can use my strengths and gifts to be able to help others in their own healing journeys. I have a feeling that being apart of this program will aid me in that mission”

About a week later, I found out that I had been picked to be one of the first woman scholarship participants! WHAT?! I had never really “won” anything before! This was amazing.

Do you ever have moments where you have this feeling that your life is about to open up and change in miraculous ways?! That’s the feeling I got as I drove up to the Bridle Up Hope Facility for the first time.

My first time at BUP. There really truly is a sense of hope+peace here.

I have since finished the 7 week program, but still remain apart of the barn family. It's a sense of belonging I don't think I have had until now. The lessons and experiences within my 7 week journey, and what I continue to gain from this place probably will fill up space on many more posts to come.

It makes me a little teary eyed thinking about the gift this place has been in my life. Every time I go to: participate in service hours, be around the horses, or do yoga with the backdrop of those spectacular mountains... I marvel at the seredipiditous events that led me here. Although, it was only 6 months ago that I became a part of this community, I feel like I've discovered things about myself that I didn't know existed. I feel whole. I feel free to be me.

Photo taken by my wonderful instructor Joyce of Diego and Myself.

therapy
3

About the Creator

Chloe Baier

I’m passionate about helping young women find their voice and power by connecting to their own intuition. I share the stories of my life to help all women young & old heal their trauma. Personal growth is my love story.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.