In 2022, Frank Taylor, co-owner of Taylor Made Farm, a farm in Lexington, Kentucky for elite racehorses, pioneered the idea of opening the farm to men in need of substance use recovery to start their journey to long-term recovery by learning to take care of the farm’s million-dollar horses. He partnered with Christian Countzler, an Army veteran, to open Stable Recovery, a substance use disorder recovery program that combines peer recovery and 12-step program participation with horsemanship. Frank Taylor and Christian Countzler are themselves both in long-time recovery.

Men in need of substance use disorder recovery services are generally accepted at Stable Recovery after they have completed 30 days of treatment elsewhere. They are placed in program housing and work with the horses on a daily basis. The Stable Recovery program is peer-focused, with residents benefiting from the shared experiences and recovery journeys of fellow residents.

Participation in the Stable Recovery program includes participation in the farm’s School of Horsemanship. Residents work with the horses and develop skills that they can take with them upon leaving the program. Residents feed and groom the horses, administer medications and learn their uses, assist with hoof care, clean and re-bed stalls, observe veterinary visits, and learn about the horse industry.

Based on four pillars of recovery – accountability, structure, discipline, and responsibility – the program is divided into three “phases.” For the first 30 days in the program – the “red phase” – the residents learn the program rules, begin adhering to a schedule, and are required to attend a daily 12-step program. The red phase establishes a structured and disciplined routine that embraces the fundamentals of sobriety. During the “yellow phase” – days 31 to 90 – program participants learn horsemanship skills and develop life skills, confidence, and self-esteem, all of which they will take with them upon leaving the program. Finally, during days 91 to 365 – the “green phase” – the focus is on transitioning to independence and learning how to maintain recovery outside of the program. Residents graduate from the School of Horsemanship and obtain employment at one of the program’s many partners in the horse industry.

As of May 2025, approximately 110 men have graduated from the Stable Recovery program and 60 men were in residence participating in the program. Among the program’s partners is another horse farm which is creating a similar program for women. For more information on Stable Recovery, logon to: https://www.stablerecovery.net/.