Highlights the Healing Power of Horses
Before stepping into the dirt arena at Ride On Center for Kids (ROCK), local filmmaker Twila LaBar had no idea about the nonprofit’s life-changing, equine-assisted therapy that was quietly transforming lives. At the time, she was busy filming a documentary about Georgetown’s first hospital with George and Barbara Brightwell, longtime residents who had donated the original 20-acre Georgetown property for ROCK, which has since expanded to 60 acres. The couple couldn’t stop talking about the organization where individuals with disabilities and PTSD find healing through horses. They urged her to visit the center and witness its impact for herself. After touring the facility in 2018 and talking with founder Dr. Nancy Krenek, Twila fell in love with the “beautiful place” where she felt an overwhelming sense of peace.
What began as a casual visit soon evolved into a passion project—a documentary called Where the Horses Heal the Soul. Over the next few years, Twila and her crew followed the journeys of several ROCK participants and captured the ways their time in the saddle opened doors to healing, connection, and renewed purpose.
There’s Hunter Adkins, a woman with cerebral palsy whose time on horseback brought strength and purpose. Faith Smythe, a young woman with Down syndrome who discovered joy and strength through her rides. Todd Plybon, a veteran and former high school teacher who found healing and hope through his bond with a horse after sustaining traumatic brain and leg injuries during combat. And Will Estrada, a veteran with severe PTSD who experienced peace and purpose from his interaction with the horses.
FROM SADDLE TO SCREEN
At first, Nancy was hesitant about the idea of a documentary about ROCK. “We don’t make documentary films; we’re in the dirt with horses and participants, helping people,” she told Twila. But the Brightwells, the film’s executive producers and primary donors, were passionate about shining the spotlight on the nonprofit and its transformative work. The couple, who have since passed, had the chance to watch a final cut of the film before it was released.
As she spent more time with ROCK’s participants, Twila began to understand that the healing didn’t stop when the sessions ended. “We wanted to show what happens at ROCK, but also how it impacts participants’ lives outside ROCK. I’m so blown away and moved by how the lives of participants are transformed because of the horse and the people who believe in them and empower them to pursue their dreams.”
TAKING ROCK’S STORY AROUND THE WORLD
Since its release, Where the Horses Heal the Soul has resonated with audiences around the world. Screenings have taken place at film festivals and equine therapy centers across the United States and internationally—from Texas, New York, and Vermont, to one in South Africa in September. The film has won multiple awards, including Best International Documentary Film at the Equinale Film Festival in Germany and Best Documentary Feature at the Crown Pointe International Film Festival in Chicago. The documentary will also be featured at the GTX Film Festival on September 27.
Some equine-assisted therapy centers have used the film to raise awareness and funding, while viewers—some of whom had never interacted with horses before—have reached out about how the film inspired them. “Horses really can help people and transform lives,” they will tell Twila—words she knows the Brightwells would have loved to hear. “That’s what George and Barbara wanted—for the ripple effect of ROCK to go around the world with this film.”
Twila and her team are working to make the film available on streaming platforms this fall so even more people can witness ROCK’s transformative power of healing through horses.
To stay up to date on the documentary’s release and future screenings, visit wherethehorseshealthesoul.com.