Magical Meadows Looking to Expand
Published: Friday, March 27, 2026
What started in Tammy Stackhouse's driveway as a passion for riding has turned into a safe haven of therapeutic learning for over a hundred disabled youths in Kosciusko County and the surrounding area.
In 2007, Stackhouse worked as a nurse with a side job driving bus for the local school corporation and riding horses in her free time. That began to change after a phone call from the mom of one of her bus students, Cory.
"Why don't you do therapeutic horseback riding?" she asked.
Cory, who was 17 at the time, has autism, and his mom struggled to get him out to the nearest therapeutic riding facility, which was an hour away in South Bend.
Stackhouse had never heard of the concept before.
After doing some research, Stackhouse got certified and opened up Magical Meadows, a therapeutic horseback riding facility at her home in Warsaw. She would teach Cory riding skills with her horse, Magic, and help Cory achieve physical strength, trust and self-confidence, all from her driveway.
Five years later, Magical Meadows grew large enough to opened a permanent facility with one indoor arena and seven total acres. Today, the facility spans across 41 acres, has graduated over 120 special needs individuals, houses 23 horses, and is expanding to include a new arena and a facility for first responders and veterans.
Magical Meadows has several different horse breeds, including Paso Finos, Arabians, Tennessee Walkers, Percherons, a Quarter Horse and a miniature horse. Each horse has a specific purpose. For instance, Tennessee Walkers and Paso Finos walk in a rocking motion, while draft horses move in a more circular motion. These work a person's muscles differently, improving core strength. Draft horses can also hold two people, which is handy when a special needs person needs an assistant to help them stay up safely.
The miniature horse is much less intimidating than the larger horses, helping more tentative clients get comfortable with horses faster. She also serves as the Magic Meadows mascot.
"I've had horses all my life," Stackhouse said. "I knew that when I was having a bad or difficult day that if I went out and spent time with a horse that brought me such peace and comfort. The horse is non-judgmental they just love on us. So, I could see how that could relate to people with different abilities."
In the Kosciusko County school system, several thousand children live with disabilities. As of the most recent census, over 8,000 people under the age of 65 have a disability and over 4,000 veterans live in the area.
"They deserve the same opportunities that you and I have," Stackhouse said.
Those opportunities can be found with the help of therapeutic riding, she said.
"I just want everyone to know how special they are," she said.
The equine assisted learning is a program that will help clients learn focus techniques, emotional regulation, following directions and more.
Stackhouse explained that horses can help regulate people's emotions. In fact, horses can sense a person's heartbeat from 6 feet away, and they respond to this.
"Horses don't tell your secrets," she added, describing the interactions between clients and the horses.
She noted that she has witnessed riders with an emotional disability be able to speak face-to-face with the horse, despite having difficulties doing the same with people.
"EAL will be a great tool for situations like that," she said. "It also gives us the opportunity to partner with corporations to have a team building activities."
The new program will also help Stackhouse and her team build on their program for veterans and first responders.
"The veterans—their invisible wounds of war a lot of times isolates them to where they don't want to be around people," she said.
In the past, Magical Meadows has not always had availability when veterans or first responders request it. To address this, the new facility for the two groups would allow access to horses around the clock for individuals to be able to come groom, walk or ride a horse.
"PTSD doesn't just happen on a Monday," she said. "Hopefully that will begin to allow them that sense of peace and healing."
Magical Meadows will also offer programs to the children of first responders. Anyone with questions about the available program is invited to visit Magical Meadows to find out more.
What started 20 years ago as Stackhouse, her horse and Cory in a driveway is now turning into a year-round safe haven combining agriculture and restoration. Stackhouse is living out her passion for people, and Cory, after graduating from the program, has returned not only to continue riding, but to serve as an instructor.
"I have been blessed beyond measure to be able to do this every day," Stackhouse said. "I get to witness people who are healing."
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