About TROT
“My actions have been guided by the belief that God has blessed me with a fabulous space in which to conduct my dream of providing a safe and enjoyable haven for those in need. It is my highest honor to serve children and families of all backgrounds with the same loving grace that has so freely been given to me.”
~ Cynthia MacFarlan
Our Story
Cynthia MacFarlan, founder and Director of TROT explains. “It has long been my dream to pair my love of animals with my experience as a speech therapist. For over three decades I’ve enjoyed helping people of all ages with a variety of communication disorders. In 2013, I knew the time was right to carve that dream into a reality. With the support of many talented, powerful, and dynamic women TROT was born. It is now a vessel for God’s love and hope to shine through to bring healing, self-fulfillment and joy to all those involved.”
Meet Our Benefactor
We are forever grateful to our benefactor Dr. Lawrence DuBose, a retired civil engineer and Purple Heart war veteran, who has had a heart for horses ever since he rode Button on his uncle’s farm in Southern Texas.
His illustrious career took him around the world to over 31 countries and ultimately to Illinois, where he built a successful engineering business, Testing Services Corporation.
Dr. DuBose has written 16 books filled with poetry, family tales, adventures, engineering work, and BEES during his retirement. His beekeeping hobby started at age 12 and has grown to the point of producing all the honey for Kline Creek Farm in Illinois for the past 35 years. He donates his entire production to the farm.
He also built Wanda’s Honey House to educate the public about our most precious and endangered pollinator. Wanda’s Honey House informs all of us and honors a remarkable woman that I had the privilege of knowing and working with in the late 90s.
My relationship with the DuBose family began when I assisted Wanda in her rehabilitation after an aneurysm. Dr. DuBose never gave up on his wife and they enjoyed another 10 wonderful years together after her setback. Even after her passing, we continued to correspond and Dr. DuBose was always on my list when visiting Chicago, my hometown.
When I told him about my dream of starting TROT, he was most encouraging and supportive of the idea. On the day of my first brainstorming Soiree, with friends and family, I received a sizeable check from Dr. DuBose to get started. He is our pioneer Platinum sponsor!
The recognition that this endeavor was not only able to move forward, but that it was blessed and necessary, gave me the courage to start building the dream into a reality. Dr. DuBose has inspired me by his example of hard work, perseverance, generosity, and the desire to leave a positive mark in the world.
Our Mission
To foster a community that promotes the physical, emotional, and social well-being of individuals of all ages and abilities through the transformative power of animal-assisted therapies and activities.
Our Vision
to have a sustainable equine center that serves an inclusive community that Empowers, Engages and Educates to impact lives and make a difference.
Our Values
At TROT, we value HEARTS to guide our mission
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Harmony - We develop harmony through the Horse and Human interaction which creates inner peace, balance,
and inspiration.
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Excellence - We are committed to providing exceptional services and continual learning for our board, staff, equines, volunteers, and families.
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Acceptance - We respect the dignity of every person, regardless of ability, socioeconomic status, race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion or creed.
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Relationship - We believe in cultivating a synergistic environment where amazing things happen when partnerships in the community come together for a common cause.
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Therapeutic growth - We acknowledge the profound influence of the environment as well as how the movement of a horse can positively affect individuals with various needs.
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Serving - We are committed to supporting both children and adults who come to TROT, encouraging volunteerism, and caring for the animals to contribute to the betterment of our community.
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