Dementia often narrows a family's world. At It Takes a Herd, we work every day to help expand it again. Through connection, camaraderie, and community, care partners and people living with dementia discover they are not alone. What researchers are starting to measure is what participants have been experiencing all along. After participating in ITAH, care partners describe feeling less alone. They talk about reconnecting with their loved one in new ways. They share how educati

The Chinese zodiac follows a twelve‑year cycle, with each year represented by an animal that carries symbolic meaning across generations. Rooted in the lunar calendar and long‑held cultural tradition, the zodiac reflects themes that people often use as a lens for the year ahead—like resilience, community, and momentum. This year marks the Year of the Horse, and within the 60-year elemental cycle, it is the Year of the Fire Horse, a pairing associated with bold energy and purp

September 2025 It’s one of the first questions we’re asked. Why horses? It’s a fair question. When most people think about dementia support, they imagine support groups or clinical environments. Horses don’t immediately come to mind. And yet — horses make profound sense. At It Takes a Herd, we use equine-assisted learning as an educational and experiential approach to support care partners and people living with dementia. This is not therapeutic riding. It is not performan