There is a quiet kind of magic at Renaissance Healing and Learning Center (RHLC) in Cotati, reflected in the story of a beautiful thoroughbred named Allie. Once shy, abandoned and severely underweight at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, she was unexpectedly destined to become one of RHLC’s most influential therapy horses.
At 5 years old, Allie arrived in a fragile condition, withdrawn and cautious around everyone. She hardly resembled the confident, intuitive therapy horse she would later become. Yet Fran Block, a physical therapist with deep sensitivity to the emotional lives of horses, saw something extraordinary in her. No one could have predicted this vulnerable mare would be named Therapy Horse of the Year and provide life-changing experiences to children and adults with neurological, physical, emotional, and a myriad of other challenges. Allie’s transformation remains one of RHLC’s most meaningful stories and a reminder of the profound healing horses can offer.
Block had spent about 15 years in traditional physical therapy when she realized her lifelong pull toward horses could become part of her clinical work. She had not grown up around them, but as an adult rider she felt an immediate connection, and discovering Equine Assisted Therapy changed the course of her career. After extensive training, research and mentorship, she opened RHLC in 1998 to create a place where horses and humans could experience moments of change often difficult to reach in a standard clinic. Allie came to RHLC soon after, helping turn that vision of healing and connection into reality…