Holland equestrian therapy nonprofit celebrates year-round expansion

Aug. 28—FILLMORE TWP. — After 12 years, Renew Therapeutic Riding Center is celebrating private property and an indoor, year-round area.

"We started in 2009," said the nonprofit's director, Melissa Conner. "We started when a group of people came together in Holland wanting to serve people with disabilities through the unique interaction and movement with horses."

The organization's original name was A Touch of Hope and Healing. The nonprofit leased space at Rusty Spur's Equestrian Center, but the limited footprint couldn't keep up with Renew's long waiting list.

"We were growing and growing," Conner said. "We started serving schools. We had a waiting list. We knew we needed to expand into a fully accessible equestrian property of our own. And so, the board of directors started looking for a permanent facility."

That campaign began in 2018 with a capital fundraiser called "Ride With Renew." In September 2018, Renew purchased the 20-acre property at 5080 146th Ave. and began work on an indoor, heated facility where services could be offered year-round.

"We completed that first phase," Conner said. "We received our occupancy in March 2020, just before everything closed down."

Since then, business has moved more slowly than anticipated.

"We work with people who are vulnerable," Conner said. "Many of them have compromised immune systems, so we've been very cautious as we've reopened. We started serving people in our new location last summer, but at first, it was limited to riders who didn't need much volunteer support — so we could keep that distance."

But on Thursday, Aug. 26, Renew finally hosted its ribbon cutting ceremony.

"We're really celebrating the 12 years of history that have gotten us to this point," Conner said. "We have a lot of ideas about how to welcome people of all abilities to enjoy this property with us."

The nonprofit has started phase two of its capital fundraiser, which aims to build a new barn for horses connected to the indoor arena.

"The current barn is built for hogs," Conner said. "It's an older structure, and the ceiling is lower than we'd like. We're just so grateful to be able to operate, but right now, our students can't enter the barn. We'd like to have somewhere fully accessible where they can learn alongside the horses."

Renew also envisions an accessible deck and garden area.

"But in the meantime," Conner said, "We want to let people know that we're looking for volunteers. Ninety percent of the work done here is done by volunteers from the community. It's a great place for anybody interested in learning about horses to come and pitch in."

— Contact reporter Cassandra Lybrink at cassandra.lybrink@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Instagram @BizHolland.

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