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Welcome to Indiana Horses Helping Humans!
We’re so glad you’re here!
Come on in! I’d love to introduce you to our horses, share a little about what makes Indiana Horses Helping Humans so special, and show you how these incredible animals help people discover connection, confidence, trust, and peace.
Let’s explore together!
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A Note From Our Founder
My heart in creating Indiana Horses Helping Humans is to meet people in the places life has left them standing alone—through illness, grief, trauma, or circumstances they never chose. Wherever that place is, the horses and I will meet you there.
How Horses Helping Humans Can Help You
A safe, structured environment where honest equine feedback supports self-awareness and everyday life skills.
Indiana Horses Helping Humans helps individuals better understand their emotions, communication styles, and personal boundaries through meaningful interaction with horses.
Horses respond honestly to human body language and emotional energy. In a guided, respectful environment, participants gain real-time insight into their own behavior, skills that naturally transfer into everyday life.
All sessions are:
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Ground-based (no riding)
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Educational, not therapy
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Respect-centered for humans and horses
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Designed with safety as the foundation
What We Offer
Indiana Horses Helping Humans operates under the mentorship and professional guidance of Sue Spence, founder of Horses Helping Humans Australia.
Horses Helping Humans brings more than 25 years of experience in Equine Assisted Learning. Our programs focus on:
• Emotional regulation
• Communication skills
• Confidence and self-awareness
• Leadership and boundaries
Our sessions follow a structured, ethical approach built around safety, respect, and learning.
Your Horses Helping Humans Team
Get to Know Us
Meet Laura
Founder & President, Program Facilitator
Laura is a pediatric registered nurse of over 20 years, an Air Force Medic veteran, and a Certified Equine-Assisted Learning Instructor.
Her background uniquely combines medical-grade safety awareness, trauma-informed care, and ethical horsemanship. Laura brings a calm, non-judgmental approach to helping people experience communication without fear, replacing it with clarity, trust, and confidence.
Meet Amy
Amy Whitney is a Certified Equine-Assisted Communication Coach specializing in body positioning, nervous-system awareness, and anxiety regulation. With a Bachelor of Science in Biology, she blends evidence-informed practices with the intuitive presence of horses to help clients reconnect, regulate, and communicate with greater confidence.
As a mother of three and dedicated mentor to youth, she is passionate about helping individuals re-engage with themselves and the world around them.
Meet Rebecca
Rebecca Redfern
Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning
Rebecca integrates nervous system regulation and polyvagal awareness with lifelong experience in horsemanship through Equine Assisted Learning. Her equine career began with equestrian studies at Findlay University and has continued through decades of horse training and instruction. A trauma-informed yoga instructor, her work draws on practices that support awareness of breath, posture, and body language, helping individuals understand how the body experiences safety and connection. Through work with horses, participants develop a deeper connection with the animals and with their self.
Meet Sue Spence
Horses Helping Humans Founder & Program Developer. Sue is the heart and soul behind Horses Helping Humans, a program that combines her deep love for horses and her passion for helping others.
With over 25 years of experience in Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) and a lifetime of Equestrian experience, Sue has dedicated her life to creating a safe and supportive environment where people of all ages and backgrounds can experience the life-changing benefits of EAL
Indiana Horses Helping Humans is officially a nonprofit organization!
EIN: 43-2289053
We have submitted our application for 501(c)(3) status with the IRS. The application is currently PENDING.
Board of Directors
Board members:
Laura Fleckenstein — President & Founder
Terry Fleckenstein — Treasurer
Amy Lyn Whitney — Director
Kellyann Harmon — Director
Sue Spence — Director
Each of Our Horses has a Story to Tell
Get to Know Them
At Indiana Horses Helping Humans, our horses are more than partners — they are teachers, guides, and gentle mirrors. Each one brings a unique personality, history, and gift to our Equine Assisted Learning program.
Our herd is carefully chosen and supported with safety, trust, and emotional connection at the center of all we do. Through non-mounted groundwork, they offer:
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Calm leadership and grounding energy
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Gentle connection for clients of all ages
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Inspiration through their healing journeys
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Honest responses that strengthen communication and confidence
From our steady alpha to our courageous rescues, every horse plays a vital role in helping students, veterans, and community members grow, regulate emotions, and discover their inner strength.
We invite you to meet them— their stories, their personalities, and the special ways they touch the hearts of everyone who meets them.
Meet DAKOTA
He is the alpha and protector of our herd.
Steady, confident, and highly intuitive, he constantly watches over every horse (and every human) in his care.
Known for being “bulletproof,” Dakota offers calm leadership in all EAL sessions.
Dakota once protected Laura during an unexpected accident in the pasture, standing over her until help arrived. His instinctive loyalty and grounding presence make him a favorite among clients seeking confidence, trust, and emotional regulation.
Meet JASMINE
She was one of our first HHH horses who, unfortunately, suffered a significant loss shortly after her arrival.
She and her companion came to us as a team. However, he was not well and passed away shortly after arriving. The loss deeply affected her, reminding us how strongly horses — like humans — feel connection and grief.
With time and the support of a new herd, Jasmine rediscovered her confidence and sense of belonging.
Jasmine's gentle sensitivity creates a safe space for those navigating loss, change, and anxiety. Through her journey, she shows us that healing happens in connection, and resilience grows when we are supported.
Meet CHAMPION
HE came to us as a rescue through Horse Plus Humane Society, pulled from the slaughter pipeline.
Malnourished, scarred, and unable to make eye contact, he carried the weight of his past.
Today, he has transformed into a beautiful, loving, and deeply trusting young horse who thrives in his Equine Assisted Learning work.
His kindness and resilience inspire clients as he shows what healing, safety, and connection can look like.
Meet AUGUSTUS
We found this amazing boy just prior to him going to auction.
He arrived scared, unsure, and not yet aware of his own size — a true gentle giant in the making.
Today, Augustus is blossoming into one of the sweetest, most affectionate boys in the herd.
He loves connecting with his humans, soaking up attention, and—most of all—eating.
He is eager to learn his certification tasks, especially when food is involved, and shows tremendous promise as a future EAL partner.
14 year old, American Saddlebred Horse
15 year old, Morgan
6 year old, Quarter Horse
3 year old, Percheron
