Our Clinicians and Staff

I can not thank the staff at Hold Your Horses enough! ... She is relaxed, happy & an attentive child when she is with you—she so looks forward to her riding time. Thank you!!!! Brenda, Client Parent

Janet Weisberg, MS OTR/L HPCS

Executive Director, Occupational Therapist

Molly DePrekel MA, LP

Adolescent & Adult Animal Assisted Therapy

Sheryl Butler MA, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Rachel Waddell

Barn Manager

Ruth Rovner

Office Manager, Horse Handler, Chief Complaint Officer

Sky Ann Benedict

Horse Handler Extraordinaire

Julie Tarshish

Communications Manager

Julie Tarshish started with HYH as a volunteer on the development committee before transitioning to her role as communications manager. She is also the proud mother of two of HYH’s clients. Julie graduated from Metropolitan State University with a BA in Social Sciences. A Minnesota native with twelve years’ experience working in the nonprofit sector, her background also includes working with children with special needs. …

Barbara Guy, MA LMFT

Therapist

Barbara is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She holds a masters degree from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Barbara works with individuals, couples, and families to address a variety of concerns including anxiety, depression, grief and loss, and relationship challenges. She works primarily in a community mental health clinic setting. She is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and …

Angie Garrison

Assistant Barn Manager

How to find us.

(763) 498-0007‬

5265 Woodland Trail
Greenfield, MN 55357

Hours: 7am - 7pm

info@holdyourhorses.org

Hold Your Horses is a MN non- profit improving quality of life for children with disabilities through individualized equine assisted therapies.

Hold Your Horses

5265 Woodland Trail, Loretto, MN 55357, USA

Janet began her work in equine assisted therapy 25 years ago but according to parental lore, her interest in horses developed shortly after birth (and since she is older than 20 you do the math). Some time later, she completed her masters degree in Occupational Therapy at Rush University in Chicago, IL. Discovering that her years of horse experience dovetailed smoothly into the practice of Occupational Therapy she began working with programs in New York, Illinois and Minnesota. Continuing to grow in her practice, Janet founded Hold Your Horses in August 2006 and in 2011, along with her staff team and board of directors, has guided HYH to a nonprofit entity and purchase of their own farm in Greenfield, MN. Janet is dedicated to supporting professionalism in the Equine Assisted Therapy field. She has served on the board for the American Hippotherapy Association, is past editor of HIPPOTHERAPY magazine and frequently serves PATH International through committee and task force work.

Molly DePrekel currently practices at the Midwest Center for Trauma and Emotional Healing and Hold Your Horses. She specializes in adolescents, families and young women and uses the unique relationship people have with animals to assist her in therapy with clients for the past 20 years. She has practiced in hospitals, educational settings, mental health facilities, correctional sites, and outreach centers. She holds a certification in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for the treatment of trauma and developmental wounds. Sensorimotor work involves the practice of somatic (body) work with clients. Molly is the past President of the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association (EFMHA) and is an EPONA approved instructor and has taught and facilitated workshops and trainings around the world. Currently Molly serves on the Certification Board for Equine Interaction Professionals, which promotes the concept of voluntary certification by examination for those who incorporate equines into their mental health or education practice. Molly lives in Minneapolis with her dog, Willow and her Morgan horse Whisper.

Sheryl graduated from Georgetown University and got her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Saint Catherine University. Sheryl currently works as an occupational therapist in Wayzata schools in K-12. Sheryl specializes in sensory processing disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and trauma. Prior to joining Wayzata schools, Sheryl worked at Saint David’s Family and Child Development Center in Minnetonka as an Occupational Therapist. There she worked in outpatient therapies, Autism Day Treatment and a community-based setting identifying and treating at risk preschoolers. “I am beyond thrilled to finally be able to bring together all of the things I am most passionate about in life; horses, occupational therapy and sensory processing disorder. Sheryl lives in Plymouth, Minnesota with her three children, Shadow, the wonder cat and Lacey, her emotional support dog in training. Sheryl’s horse obsession began at age 7 when her mother volunteered her to take riding lessons with a neighborhood friend – she has been in love ever since.

Rachel brings a lifetime of experience riding and working with horses to HYH. Her history includes instruction for young riders, competing across disciplines, and working with children in a therapy barn setting. Rachel worked her way up through the levels of Pony Club passing the rigorous testing in all areas of horse care and is excited to lead the team in excellent care and conditioning of the HYH herd. In her spare time Rachel runs her own western apparel business and is trying her hand at raising chickens.

Ruth joined Hold Your Horses when it opened in 2006, serving as a Horse Handler for client sessions. In the fall of 2016, Ruth added the role of Office Manager. She has worked with adaptive riding programs as both volunteer and staff since 1997 and loves working with horses and interacting with clients. As a Horse Handler, Ruth finds working with the varying personalities and quirks of the horses both fun and challenging. As Office Manager she enjoys interacting with the client families as well as supporting the HYH staff. Her carpentry talents can be spotted in all corners of the farm and are appreciated everyday by the HYH team.

Sky came to HYH in 2016 after working at Leatherdale Farms in Medina, MN. She is always on the move! You can find her horse handling for hippotherapy sessions, assisting in our mental health groups and caring for our herd of therapy horses. She is also our chief cleaner and organizer keeping our barn clean, safe and tidy. Sky has a smile that will instantly brighten your day and brings a little sunshine to the barn year round!

Julie Tarshish started with HYH as a volunteer on the development committee before transitioning to her role as communications manager. She is also the proud mother of one of HYH’s clients. Julie graduated from Metropolitan State University with a BA in Social Sciences. A Minnesota native with twelve years’ experience working in the nonprofit sector, her background also includes working with children with special needs. In her free time she loves going on adventures with her husband, Ethan and twin boys Charlie and Oscar. She enjoys Krav Maga, cross stitch, and all things vintage.

Barbara is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She holds a masters degree from St. Mary's University of Minnesota. Barbara works with individuals, couples, and families to address a variety of concerns including anxiety, depression, grief and loss, and relationship challenges. She works primarily in a community mental health clinic setting. She is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and Sue Johnson's Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. For the past two years Barbara has had the honor of volunteering with Hold Your Horses and mentoring with psychologist Molly DePrekel in her group for adolescent girls. She is thrilled to now be on staff offering equine assisted counseling to the clients of this incredible organization.

Angie is an avid horse woman with more than 20 years of experience riding and working horses across disciplines. She has a background in veterinary medicine and also runs her own family farm. She is a life-long animal lover and feels great joy and happiness seeing the connection between client and horse. She is a hardworking team member at HYH who handles horses during client sessions and works alongside our Barn Manager to keep our horses conditioned and make sure our barn stays looking great.