A non-profit south of the border in Detroit is trying to solve two ongoing issues in the city; lack of opportunities for its vulnerable citizens including children, and urban vacant land.
The organization Detroit Horse Power was launched in 2015, starting with two summer camps; since then, Detroit Horse Power has brought over 500 Detroit youth to visit horse barns outside the city for free summer horse camps and an after-school program.
Now, the group has raised $4.3 million toward the $8.1 million cost to open its own facility. According to an Axios news article, the plan is “to break ground within a year on a campus with classrooms, stables, an indoor arena, outdoor riding area and pastures on 14 acres leased from the Detroit Public Schools Community District in the Hope Village neighborhood.”
The benefits of being around horses is well documented as being good for mental health as well as learning valuable life skills. In a statement on the Detroit Horse Power’s website, the new facility, “built on repurposed vacant land, will contribute to the city’s renewal and be a center for community events and equestrian services.”
We can’t think of a better way to use vacant land than to bring horses into the lives of more people. Donations are welcome and you can watch a video about the proposed facility here:
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