MONTICELLO, Ill. (WAND) - Emily Reichman is the proud founder and director at the Hope Lives Youth Ranch. But long before she opened these barn doors, she was a rider herself. 

"I started riding when I was five or six, but really started riding when I was 8..." Reichman explained. "Then, I wanted to start with colts and train young horses for a career."

It was then, that the unimaginable happened.

"A colt slipped and fell. When he fell, he landed on my leg and it broke."

Monticello riding ranch, funding new indoor riding facility

Reichman shared, it was that moment that shifted her perspective. She used that pause to take a closer examination at the science. After reading many books illustrating the correlation to humans and horses, she began studying equine-therapy.

"As soon as I realized that this is what God wanted me to do, all these people started coming to help me!" Reichman opened the doors to Hope Lives Youth Ranch in Monticello, using equine-assisted mentoring to help youth recover from trauma.

"It was abundantly clear that this is exactly where I was supposed to be."

Now, her ranch is growing the help of $90,000 dollars to fund a new indoor riding facility. This will allow the organization to see double the amount of students, and increase their season-lengths. 

"We completed it in one year. I was flabbergasted! I thought it would take 2 or 3 at least..." Reichman added.

As Reichman and her team of horses and trainers work to help youth battle ADHD, depression and other adversities, she continues to remind herself of the hope. 

"We're seeing so many of the students that have come through already behave better in school and better at home..." she says with a smile. "I had one parent say that we gave them her daughter back. So, it's just makes my heart explodes through this little program."

The new facility hopes to be open and running by May.

Student applications for the 2025 summer mentoring season are now open. To apply, click here.

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