A man with a beard wearing a green baseball cap, sunglasses, and a grey T-shirt standing next to a brown and white horse with a black mane, outdoors with trees and a wooden fence in the background.

Horses for Heroes

Horses for Heroes is our therapeutic riding program for veterans and first responders. Through the generous financial support of our program advocates, we’re able to offer this Horses for Heroes to veterans and first responders free of cost.

What You’ll Learn

Participants learn to groom, tack, lead, and ride alongside other program participants of similar skill level. This program is designed to foster healing, resilience, and renewed purpose through the powerful horse-human connection. These sessions provide a calm, supportive environment where participants can build trust and confidence through horsemanship. Our trained instructors and skilled horses work together to help those who have served rediscover balance both in and out of the saddle

A man with a gray baseball cap and sunglasses on top patted a brown horse on its head outdoors during daytime, with blurred trees and a wooden fence in the background.
“Horses pick up on our body language. If we come in stressed and restless, the horses sense that. We really want to be present in the moment rather than bringing in all those stressors.”
A police officer in uniform standing with a brown horse inside a barn.

Bits & Pieces and the Chicago PD Mounted Unit

Bits & Pieces is proud to partner with the Chicago Police Department Mounted Unit to offer retired equine officers a meaningful second act. These exceptional horses, once dedicated to serving the public with calm strength and steady courage, now bring those same qualities to our therapeutic riding programs. Their disciplined training and gentle temperaments make them ideal partners for riders seeking healing, confidence, and connection. By welcoming these retired service horses into our herd, we not only honor their years of service but also give them a new purpose: helping individuals thrive through the healing power of horsemanship.

“When you gain a horse’s confidence, you really feel good about yourself, you have accomplished something”
Two men riding horses inside a wooden indoor riding arena. The man in the foreground is on a light-colored horse with a white mane, wearing a white t-shirt and a black helmet. The man in the background is on a darker horse, wearing a gray shirt and black helmet.
A police officer standing next to a brown horse with a white face marking, in front of a police trailer with 'CHICAGO POLICE' written on it, on a sunny day with blue sky and trees in the background.
A woman in a pink shirt standing in a horse stable, facing a large brown and white horse with a halter, inside a barn with open stalls and tools hanging on the wall.
“I’m able to say things to these horses that I probably wouldn’t say to another human being. Horses are listening by their body language.”

Request Information

Want to learn more? Contact us to tour the facility, meet the herd, or observe a class. Whatever you’re looking for, we’re here to help.