Helping Hands Blog

If you had told me years ago that horses would change my life, I probably would’ve laughed. Not because I didn’t believe in their beauty or strength, but because I simply didn’t know. I didn’t know how deeply they could heal. I didn’t know how much they could teach. And I definitely didn’t know how much I had to learn about trust, presence, and letting go.

When you meet Cory Merritt, you’ll notice something immediately—his quiet strength. It’s not the kind of loud or boastful strength you hear about in movies. It’s the kind that’s earned through decades of service, shaped by saltwater, sacrifice, and a deep commitment to something bigger than yourself.

When people ask why we chose Franklin, North Carolina as the home for the Special Liberty Project, the answer always comes back to one word: magic. On our very first night in these mountains, our then-10-year-old daughter watched fireflies flicker across the horse pasture and whispered, “This place is magical, Mommy.”