Operation Second Stride serves first responders and their families in Maryland and surrounding communities, providing trauma-informed, equine-assisted programs that support healing, resilience, and connection.
Many participants arrive feeling overwhelmed, burned out, disconnected, and carrying the effects of chronic stress and trauma. Through time spent with our horses, they begin to regulate their nervous systems, rebuild confidence, gain deeper self-awareness, and strengthen their relationships with themselves and others.
Our partnership with Horses for Mental Health helps raise critical funds that directly support this life-changing work. Every dollar raised helps provide quality care for our horses, safe and well-maintained facilities, professional training, and essential program materials—while also sponsoring sessions for those in need.
Our horses help participants regulate, reconnect, and rebuild resilience in ways traditional settings often cannot. This work is especially vital now, as first responders face unprecedented levels of stress and mental health challenges, yet often lack access to safe, supportive spaces for healing.
As a nonprofit, we rely on community support to ensure that financial barriers never stand in the way of care. Donations make it possible to provide exceptional horse care, offer participant scholarships, and deliver high-quality, trauma-informed programming—so we can continue serving those who spend their lives serving others.
