PHOENIX — A Valley woman is turning her love of horses into a life-changing experience for people of all ages.
Terra Schaad, the owner of Hunkapi, an organization that specializes in equine therapy, has always had a special connection to horses.
"They're just majestic," she explains. "When you see them, people have this sense of being scared because of their size, but the word I hear the most is 'freedom.' That's what they represented to me."
Twenty years ago, she founded Hunkapi, a word from the Lakota tribe, which means, "we are all related."
"A lot of people who come here have lives that are really unfortunate, and with histories that have been harmful to their spirit and their souls. And the strength you feel when you're with them can be really liberating," she said.
Not only is it liberating, but Terra says it's also healing. Trauma, addiction, autism - all are things Terra says equine therapy can help heal.
All around us in the Valley, people go above and beyond to help make our community even better. We want to know who they are! Nominate someone today and tell us why they should be one of Nick's Heroes. They could win a $500 gift card from our friends at Valley Toyota Dealers.
