The Horses of Storybook Farm

Storybook Farm is Transforming the Lives of Thousands of Children Through the Healing Power and Joy of the Horse

If you think back to the magic you once discovered within the pages of childhood books, it’s almost impossible not to smile. Worn corners, that certain smell of ink on paper and those words that seemed so simple in the moment yet proved to be profound. They were often read by parents and grandparents, cuddled close, and spoken with love. We listened, marveled and pictured ourselves within the pages; browsing the aisles of Corduroy’s department store, lost but unafraid in A.A. Milne’s Hundred Acre Wood and wondering what green eggs and ham really taste like. The stories of far-off places subtly taught invaluable lessons, celebrated friendships and were enveloped in goodness. These were the whimsical escapes that marked many childhoods.

Just outside the charming eastern Alabama college town of Auburn, those stories and others have been brought to life to reshape and brighten the lives of children facing adversity and an array of hardships — from chronic medical conditions to learning disabilities and abuse to autism spectrum disorders. These kids crave consistency, familiar, loving faces, patient souls to help them grow and intuitive and nonjudgmental animals that seem to listen with an irreplaceable thoughtfulness. Children find all of that and more at Storybook Farm. The dream of the ever-imaginative life-long horsewoman Dena Little, founder and CEO, the facility began 21 years ago and has evolved and grown through the love and support of Little, her army of volunteers and a dedicated cadre of donors. This is a special, happy place with a simple mission to help children. “We can’t change the beginning of their stories,” says Little, “but we can change the ending.”

A Story at Every Turn

“We help these children believe in themselves. They learn that when you have a team of people and a support system behind you, and this community that is telling you in all different ways that you can do it ... that’s when you learn you’re valuable, you’re important and you’re precious.” Dena Little Founder and CEO of Storybook Farm

“We help these children believe in themselves. They learn that when you have a team of people and a support system behind you, and this community that is telling you in all different ways that you can do it ... that’s when you learn you’re valuable, you’re important and you’re precious.” Dena Little Founder and CEO of Storybook Farm

Little’s vision was to create a haven for children and their families; a place that allows them to take a deep breath of relief the moment they drive through the gates. The 51-acre property is a beautiful, idyllic escape from the troubles faced by most of the children who visit. Little and her team teach children skills to bolster their confidence, self-esteem and ability to look to a future of joy and happiness rather than the heaviness of the past. “We help these children believe in themselves,” says Little. “They learn that when you have a team of people and a support system behind you, and this community that is telling you in all different ways that you can do it ... that’s when you learn you’re valuable, you’re important and you’re precious.”

As if pulled from the pages of a fairytale, the farm has been designed to infuse the magic of childhood stories into every aspect of life here. With over 30 acres dedicated to the horse and equestrian programs coupled with 20 acres that allow the children to be enveloped in nature, Storybook provides a wonderland of purposeful activities. “We have a lot of paddocks for the horses and three beautiful, big barns, including the 17,000-squarefoot centerpiece of the farm known as the Papa Bear Horse Center,” explains Little. “Everything here is named after places in literature, and all the animals are named after the famous characters we all remember and love, which immediately resonates with the kids. They know Corduroy, the little bear that lost his button, they know ‘Tom Sawyer,’ they’ve read ‘Anne of Green Gables’ and they’ve experienced C.S. Lewis and ‘Narnia.’ ”

The feel of a storybook is all around the children here. Everywhere they turn, they encounter another opportunity for growth disguised as a sweet and classic story. Even the animals’ names reflect the whimsy. “All of our miniature horses that are part of our ‘Short Stories’ program are named after characters in ‘Peter Pan.’ We have Tinkerbell and Tiger Lily and Wendy, Mr. Smee and Captain Hook. It really brings the story to life, and it’s something the kids can so easily relate to,” says Little of the herd of miniature horses whose impact is far bigger than their stature. “We also have learning labs, which is code for ‘classrooms,’ but we certainly don’t call them that,” she says with a wink. “Everything that we do at Storybook is steeped in education and delivered with fun, engagement and happiness.”

Even the farm’s library is included — named for Beverly Cleary’s 1964 classic, “Ribsy.” The children can check out books and immerse themselves in the classics that inspired the farm’s creation. “Literacy is a big component of what we do,” Little says emphatically. Kids read aloud to the dogs and complete STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities with them, all while learning and growing. “Watching a child sit on the ground with a favorite book and start reading out loud to one of our dogs is just beautiful. That builds confidence,” she observes. “So many kids have difficulty getting up in front of peers or teachers to read aloud, and the dogs don’t care if you stumble over words or it takes you a minute to get the thought out. The more they read and dive into these books, everything kind of comes alive for them.

The children also spend their time under the tender mentorship of Little’s dedicated volunteers seen mostly in the way of student interns from Auburn University. “We’re immersed in science everywhere we turn here,” says Little. “To us, it’s so important to continue to enhance the fundamental things that kids are learning in school and to be able to underscore that learning for kids who maybe don’t have the best home environment.” Through nature-based programs, the children can learn in one of the farm’s two expansive gardens; the more tactile Secret Garden filled with herbs, fruits and vegetables or the Rainbow Garden, named after Dorothy’s rainbow garden from “The Wizard of Oz,” and designed to bloom at different times of the year in new color segments. The farm’s nature trail — called the Hundred Acre Wood — is also the pine forest home to the Flat Stanley Discovery Trail and The Fox and the Hound dog park. With winding pathways, the woods call out to be explored. “The kids can read books out there, they can walk the miniature horses or have dogs as their companions, tagging along to the various activity stations,” Little explains.

The Horses of Storybook Farm

The 16-horse herd ranges from Prince Charming, a 17-hand strapping Warmblood, all the way down to Tiger Lily, who stands at 28.5 inches tall.

The 16-horse herd ranges from Prince Charming, a 17-hand strapping Warmblood, all the way down to Tiger Lily, who stands at 28.5 inches tall.

The backbone of Storybook Farm is undoubtedly its herd of horses; the real-life unicorns that teach, love and carry the farm’s most precious cargo: the children. Horses are indeed their own form of magic. Little and her team watch in wonder as these animals help to patiently coax out the joyful innocence from children who have often locked it away.

The 16-horse herd ranges from Prince Charming, a 17-hand strapping Warmblood, all the way down to Tiger Lily, who stands at 28.5 inches tall. In between are other characters vital to the farm, like Jiminy Cricket, Sebastian, Friar Tuck, Winnie the Pooh, Babar, Figaro and Boo Radley, to name a few. “The beauty of the horse is that the playground is leveled,” says Little of the power horses have to change the lives of the children atop them. “The horses absorb and beautifully handle so many of the challenges that the kids are facing, whether it’s developmental and cognitive, or whether it’s a physical problem or emotional pain. Horses just have this way of making connections. They’re talking to us all the time; they just don’t do it with words, which is beautiful for kids because a lot of times these kids have trouble expressing themselves.”

The facility that houses them is equally impressive. The Wardrobe from Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” series is the tack room where children find a beautiful collection of saddles and bridles. Next door is Willy Wonka’s Fantabulous Feed Factory. “In that room, you’ll find all of our Platinum products, feed and things like that,” Little says. “The kids really learn about nutrition in there and about the intentionality behind what we’re feeding the horses, and what we’re eating ourselves. They’re in there digging around, feeling all the different things and smelling it.”

The Next Chapter

The hard truth is that thousands of children have childhoods burdened with struggle, sadness, fear and anxiety. “We see and feel the hopelessness in these kids,” says Little. “Many that we are serving are sick or they’re struggling at home, in school or with relationships. That’s incredibly defining. They’re often sitting at home, they’re insecure and they’re lonely.” Storybook Farm provides a blissful escape, love and support for whatever their challenges may be. “I’ve learned that if a child is dealing with emotional problems at home, it’s affecting what happens to them in school. It affects how they feel about themselves on the inside. These kids become more and more withdrawn, and that’s a sad sight to see because kids should be full of joy and hope and happiness and exuberance.”

Storybook can be transformational. “These kids can come to us so closed off. The way that they open up here through the animals is magic,” she says. “To me, the most tragic and sad part is that we know an unhealthy childhood can shape an adult life forever. If Storybook Farm wasn’t here, and we didn’t do these things that we do with the kids, then their adulthoods could be riddled with the same problems that they’re facing as children.”

The farm stands as a beacon of hope and is the only facility offering these unique services within a 500-mile radius, she says, adding: “We believe every child from every walk of life deserves to have this opportunity to thrive, succeed and experience the joy of childhood.” Those children — nearly 4,000 in 2023 alone — may return for weeks, months or years to come — all entirely free of charge — so they can continue to grow and learn with their Storybook family. “We’re creating these safe and fun learning environments for kids to be empowered, to mature and to begin to succeed in life with more emotional stability than they had before they came here,” she says. “They’re learning about how to care for dogs and horses, and they’re learning about the flowers, the fruit and the trees, all while gathering patience, teamwork, math, science and reading skills delivered with love that will take them forward to more successful and secure futures.”

Storybook Farm changes lives, and while Little and her volunteer-based team are the hands, hearts and boots on the ground, donors continue to provide critical financial resources that keep Storybook Farm alive and thriving. Through their “Bright Futures” campaign, Little and her team are on a mission to raise the necessary funds to serve more children from their lengthy waiting list, growing their programs and capacity to change even more lives. “We’re here to promote the unabashed innocence of childhood that so many of these children don’t have,” Little explains. “We recapture that, and here the kids can just be kids. At Storybook they don’t have cerebral palsy, they don’t have muscular dystrophy or autism, they’re without their loss and their fear. They can just be a child. With that comes the freedom to embrace the good and carry that into adulthood.”

It’s the storybook ending that every child deserves.