Aaron is a 29-year old young man with autism spectrum disorder who has been a client in the Therapeutic Riding program for 3 ½ years.

Aaron showed a keen interest in riding and horse care, so his cousin Lara, one of our Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors, began giving him riding lessons. Aaron’s father drove him to lessons each week and watched him take to riding “like a duck to water.” His father said that riding brought him out of his shell and that he really didn’t have a direction in life until he came to Special Equestrians.

Aaron wanted to learn to jump and learn other skills, so he asked to switch to his current therapeutic riding instructor Janice, Special Equestrian’s executive director and a seasoned show jumper. Janice noted that Aaron has progressed faster than any other student at the barn.

Aaron trains in classical dressage and show jumping and has competed the last two years in the Therapeutic Riders Division of the Devon Horse Show. Aaron won The Stephanie Bennett Trophy at the 2025 show riding our Belgian Warmblood Steven after placing second in the prestigious competition the previous year.

Riding and caring for horses has motivated Aaron to become more confident and independent. He got his driver’s license and now works part-time at Special Equestrians and another barn. He manages a team of Special Equestrians volunteers on Tuesday nights, and assists with the schooling of our therapy horses.

Aaron also took another big step in his life: moving out of his childhood home and into an apartment closer to both barns.