THE POWER OF THE HERD –
A Nonprofit Where Healing Is Heralded
At a quiet farm in Delray Beach healing often begins without words. A veteran pauses at the pasture gate. A child watches a horse shift its gaze. Nothing is forced. Nothing is rushed. In those moments of stillness something changes.
That change is at the heart of the HERD Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to providing equine-assisted services for veterans, active service members, and their families. Rhonda Fritzshall co-founded it with her collaborator, Nongae Johnson in 2018.
The name HERD reflects a core belief they share. “Horses have survived for millions of years because they are safer, stronger, and more resilient together. People are no different.”
HERD is not simply an equine-assisted therapy program. It is a philosophy, a community, and a reminder that people heal best when they are not alone. “Connection, community, and belonging are not luxuries, they are essential to healing,” adds Rhonda.
Since its founding, the HERD Foundation has become a vital resource in South Florida, providing equine-assisted services to military veterans, active service members, and their families. In a county with more than 70,000 vet-erans there are only a handful of programs serving military families. HERD fills that critical gap.
Working in partnership with Mission United, United Way, and the West Palm Beach VA, HERD offers trauma equine-assisted services that address PTSD, isolation, reintegration challenges, and suicide prevention. Funding comes from grants, donations and fundraising.
But HERD’s impact goes far beyond numbers or programs. What makes it unique is how they approach the healing process.
“There’s no judgment here. The horses don’t care about your rank, your diagnosis or your past. They respond to who you are in the moment,” said Rhonda.
All of this work happens on the ground, not in a saddle. Clients lead, groom, observe, and move with the horses. This leads to a regulation of emotions, boundary setting, and clear communication.
“Horses provide immediate, honest feedback without criticism or an agenda. While talk therapy emphasizes insight, this practice with a 1,000-pound accountability partner, has zero interest in your excuses,” said Rhonda.
Over time, participants often experience profound shifts: calmer nervous systems, renewed confidence, healthier communication, and a sense of awareness that helps with their relationships and daily lives.
The understanding that healing is experiential, relational and deeply human did not come by accident. It is the result of Rhonda’s lifetime mission of creating safe spaces for others.
Long before HERD existed, she was doing this work in classrooms, treatment centers, and family programs throughout Delray Beach.
She has been part of the community for over 30 years and is a longtime member of Unity of Delray Beach, where her professional journey began.
Originally trained as a Certified Montessori teacher, Rhonda worked in early childhood education. There she created environments where children felt secure enough to learn and grow. Her empathy and instinct to protect the vulnerable was evident even back then.
That instinct reared its head 30 years ago when she noticed a request in a Unity church bulletin. Wayside House, Delray Beach’s residential treatment program for women, was seeking volunteers to care for children while mothers attended aftercare groups.
Recognizing her gift for working with children and families impacted by addiction, the Wayside House invited her to join the team. She became a residential therapist intern and began formal training at the Hanley Center Foundation. There she studied addiction counseling and earned her Certified Addictions Professional credentials.
One of the most formative influences of her career was Jerry Moe, the pioneer who created the Children’s Prevention Program at the Betty Ford Center. Trained by Moe, Rhonda became certified to facilitate children’s prevention programming and launched the first children’s prevention program at Wayside House.
For over three decades Rhonda has facilitated parenting education (and prevention programming) that helps mothers heal so they can return home and repair relationships with their children.
“Many of those kids are now adults with families of their own. Some are still connected to me and to each other. That tells you healing is real and that relationships matter.”
Horses have also played a pivotal role in Rhonda’s life as well. Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Virginia, she had a horse from an early age. That love of horses has been a mainstay in Rhonda’s life since then.
In 2002 she began studying equine therapy and was drawn to the way horses mirror human emotions and behavior. In 2013, she founded Equine Assisted Healing, a for-profit equine-assisted services practice based at Johnson’s Folly in Delray Beach.
Through Equine Assisted Healing, Rhonda offers Team Building to corporations, sports teams and other groups.
The personal thread connecting much of her work is also tied to military service. Her father, a Korean War Purple Heart veteran, was shot and injured in combat. Like many veterans of his generation, he spoke little about the war until the last years of his life. Caring for him through dementia and laying him to rest at Arlington National Cemetery profoundly shaped Rhonda’s understanding of service, sacrifice and legacy.
“I didn’t realize how much his military service affected our family until the end. That experience deepened my respect for veterans and strengthened my commitment to serve them.”
Through HERD Rhonda has done just that.
She works with veterans who have experienced combat trauma, lost limbs, or struggled to find belonging after service. She has also worked with Green Berets, active-duty members and families with invisible wounds.
What they often rediscover (at the farm) is connection to themselves, to others and to a higher sense of purpose.
HERD’s mission also includes non-military children and families through the program called, Heart of the Herd. This brings equine-assisted services to those navigating life transitions, grief, divorce or relationship challenges.
Equine Assisted Healing also offers team-building programs for businesses and community organizations. They support improved communication, trust and leadership skills.
Community engagement is central to HERD’s identity as well. Signature events (from The Chamber’s Do Good Delray) include the fall “Farm Festival” and the spring “Graze with the Herd” dinner. For those events, the farm turns into a fun-filled utopia with laughter, music, and shared purpose.
“Being able to support other organizations and grow together really matters. We are stronger when we support each other’s missions.”
Those who work alongside Rhonda see her as a grounded, heart-led leader who is direct, compassionate and deeply committed.
“Rhonda and her HERD Foundation team are amazing,” said Lynn Van Lenten, Program Director of the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce. “They have created a unique opportunity for veterans and children to interact with their horses in a magical way that results in healing and hope. Delray is incredibly fortunate to have this program.”
Despite her demanding schedule, Rhonda remains anchored by family. She is a wife, a proud mother of two daughters, and a stepmom to two. “My children keep me grounded and remind me to slow down. This spring, my husband and I will become grandparents.”
When asked what brings her the greatest joy, Rhonda doesn’t hesitate.
“I love witnessing the moment someone realizes they are not alone. Often, it happens with a horse nearby.”
At the HERD Foundation that moment happens every day. And, in a world that often pulls people apart, Rhonda Fritzshall continues to build a place where healing happens as an act of togetherness and understanding.
We applaud her.
If someone wants or needs the service contact info below:
HerdFoundation.org
Rhonda@Herdfoundation.com
(844) 469 – 4373
