Meet Kassi
My degree is a Bachelor of Science for Equine General Studies with a concentration in assisted therapy. I have been with Freedom Reins since 2021. When I am not at the barn, I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and other pets. At church, I participate in the worship team, teach Sunday school in the nursery, and teach 5th grade Awana. I love nature and going on adventures. However, I do basically live at the barn and am there daily.
I love all of our horses and it's truly an honor to know each of them so well. However, I do have to be biased and pick Sugar. I received her as a present from my family in 2013. She was a 3 year old that didn't know anything besides a halter. We have grown and learned so much about each other. It has taken years of training to get her to be the incredible therapy horse she currently is. You can truly be yourself with her and trust she has your best interest at heart. Sugar is tried and true and has aided in assisting each of our students, along with their families. Sugar is my heart horse and we have a bond that allows us to communicate effectively through body language.
As the lead instructor, I know my students very well.
I've been able to see countless breakthroughs and tough times be overcome. Recently, I was working with a student that has autism and was experiencing anxiousness in school. I could tell he wasn't his normal bright self this particular lesson. By the end of our time, I knew there was something he was really bottling up, so I "opened it". We sat in the arena with Sugar and talked through issues that lead to an anxiety attack. We prayed together, pet Sugar, cried, gave coping homework, and had lots of hugs. The next day, he went to school happy and confident with his light bright again.
Horses are the best tool to relieve stress and provide a safe space to heal. Everyone can use some therapy!
I have been hooked on horses since I was 8. It started with a simple trail ride and now I am the executive director of Freedom Reins. I have known I wanted to do something with horses, but it became more specific my freshman year of high school. I enjoyed teaching recreational lessons, but a defining moment was when I volunteered at a therapeutic riding center. I have been working my way up in the industry ever since.
In 2025, I pray that we continue showing the love and grace of God to each person that comes onto the property. I hope that every student and volunteer feels peace and purpose. We will continue to welcome new people, work with programs in our community, host fundraisers to support the nonprofit, carry on with the training and upkeep of our herd,. We have some more big news that will come out when the time is right.