Reach Athletics Youth Programs

Co-regulation doesn’t require words.

It requires presence.

And sometimes, a good horse in a quiet field.

Over the past week, I’ve had the chance to connect with some incredible people working in foster care across Massachusetts—CASA volunteers, nonprofit leaders, and caregivers who are showing up every day for kids who need to know they matter.

These conversations have affirmed what I’ve known deep down for a long time:

Kids need spaces where they can just *be*—without needing to explain or perform.

Where nervous systems settle.

Where movement and nature gently offer healing.
Where the sense of *belonging* doesn’t have to be earned.

That’s what we’re building at Sorli Farm:
A barn built on belonging.

Today, I officially received my Massachusetts Riding Instructor License.

With that—and our Sorli Farm stable license—we’re officially up and running.

(I’m also working toward CEIP-ED certification and pursuing Eagala training to further deepen this work.)

They say you become the person your 10-year-old self would run to—and today, I felt that.

The girl who felt like she was somehow less than because she was a foster kid. The girl who tried to earn the love she so badly needed. The girl who just wanted to be “normal”.

Now, I get to help create the kind of place she was looking for.

If you work with foster youth—or simply believe in spaces like this—we’d love to connect.

This is only the beginning. 🐴💛

📍 Carlisle, MA
📧[email protected]

🌾 At The Sorli Farm Therapeutic Barn, we’re building something a little different.

A nature-based, horse-led program designed to support children—especially those impacted by early adversity—through movement, connection, and trust.

For many kids in foster care, survival mode becomes a way of life.

Before they can regulate, relate, or grow… their body has to feel safe.

🐴 That’s where horses come in.

Our equine-assisted sessions offer:

✨ Rhythmic movement
✨ Nonverbal, judgment-free connection
✨ Predictable routines
✨ Nervous system-informed support

We’re in the early stages—and we’re looking to connect.

If you’re a foster parent, social worker, therapist, or someone who supports youth in care… (or know someone who is)

We’d love to collaborate, learn from your experience, and build something meaningful together.

📩 Email [email protected] or DM us—we’d love to chat.

💛🐴🌿

🐣The baby chickens have arrived 🐥

Farmer Cassidy and farmer Cody are in charge of feeding, water and all things baby chicken.

This is the fifth year the kids have raised baby chickens (and the 8th batch), for 238 chickens total 🤯

Today is basically farm kid Christmas—chicks are arriving in the mail, which means we’ve been running around cleaning out the coop, setting up heat lamps, and trying to stay one step ahead of the chaos (spoiler: we did not).

With my farmhands “helping” and about a dozen things going sideways, I could feel my patience wearing thin. So I did what I know works: I escaped to the basement and got my workout in.

Would I rather be squatting with the crew at Reach Athletics (aka where the right decision is the easy decision)? Absolutely. But thanks to a 15 year habit of working out and a half-decent home setup, I hit today’s front squats and finished with the metcon.

Somewhere in the last round, everything shifted. Fog lifted. Mood reset. Patience: restored.

Farm. Kids. Business. Life. It all runs smoother when I move my body.

Shoutout to Reach for being the kind of structure and habits that keep me sane—even when I’m knee-deep in pine shavings and poultry.

This moment says everything I’ve learned working with horses, cattle, and kids.

You can’t force it.
You can’t rush it.
You can’t think your way through it.

You have to feel, listen, and move with intention. And you have to spend the time to care for yourself so you can care for others.

Regulation, relationship, rhythm—
That’s what moves the herd.
That’s what builds trust.
That’s what creates lasting change.

This work teaches me every day.
And I’m grateful for all of it.

“The horse is a great equalizer. He doesn’t care how good looking you are, or how right you are, or how powerful. He takes you for how you make him feel.” – Buck Brannaman

Horses respond to presence, not status. They don’t judge or hold expectations—they simply react to the energy around them. This is what makes them such powerful partners in therapy and personal growth.

At Sorli Farm Therapeutic Barn, we see this in action every day. Horses create space for reflection, connection, and healing in a way that feels natural and unspoken. Just by being with them, we learn about ourselves.

There’s no rush in a horse’s world. Just breath, presence, and the simple joy of being together. ✨🐴

At Sorli Farm Therapeutic Barn, we create a space where children and horses connect through co-regulation, trust, and shared presence. Horses don’t judge, demand, or hurry—they invite. They offer a moment of calm, a breath of stillness, and a relationship built on nonverbal understanding.

For children navigating big emotions, sensory sensitivities, or just needing a place to slow down and feel safe, this connection can be life-changing.

Want to learn more about our Equine-Assisted Programs? Swipe for the QR code to subscribe to our newsletter!

A horse’s steady breath, a child’s gentle touch—this is co-regulation in action. ✨

Horses don’t just sense emotions; they respond to them. Their calm, rhythmic breathing and steady presence invite the nervous system to shift from fight-or-flight to rest-and-recover. This is the power of the polyvagal system—our body’s built-in ability to regulate stress, build connection, and foster emotional safety.

When Cody reaches out to Cowboy, it’s more than just a simple touch. It’s a silent conversation between nervous systems. Cody’s heart rate slows. His breath deepens. His body moves from tension to relaxation—all guided by the natural rhythm of the horse. This is why equine therapy is so powerful for children navigating anxiety, trauma, or sensory processing challenges.

🗓️ Our Equine Assisted Program officially launches on June 1st!

📍 Want to learn more about equine-assisted therapy?
Swipe left for the QR code to subscribe to our newsletter. 📩🐎

Imagine spending 16 years being moved from place to place, never knowing if you truly belong. Cowboy (our new horse) didn’t get a say in where he went, who cared for him, or what his future held. I realized today I felt the same thing growing. As a foster child we did not have much say either but at least we had the ability to use spoken word to communicate.

Now as he takes in his new surroundings, I can see it in his eyes—his nervous system is still waiting for the next shift, the next goodbye. He takes time to warm up and waits to see if his preference will be heard.

Horses, like people, carry their experiences in their bodies. The book The Body Keeps the Score teaches us how past experiences shape our nervous systems, leaving us in a constant state of fight, flight, or freeze when we lack safety and stability. Polyvagal theory explains how, over time, our bodies learn to protect us from uncertainty—sometimes at the cost of connection.

Cowboy has spent years adapting, surviving. He has only been here a few days and we have lots of ground to cover but every day when we connect and communicate it is almost like we are both healing at the same time.

Every time I interact with a horse (or human) I am doing the same thing he is; trying to determine if the situation is “safe” and trying to figure out what is expected of me to be accepted.

Watching him slowly take it all in reminds me just how much environment, patience, and presence matter—for horses and for us.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop, like you have to be ready to move or protect yourself at any moment, you’re not alone. Healing starts with safety, consistency, and trust—whether you have two legs or four.

Cowboy, you’re home now. And I’ll be here, showing up for you (and for me), every day. 💛