Sponsored by the Benson Equestrian Center 

This article was originally printed in the July/August 2025 issue of ‘hood Magazine. To see this article in print, and to read the rest of the issue, check out our digital issue.

Nestled just outside the hustle of Sioux Falls, the Benson Equestrian Center is more than a place to ride horses—it’s a space where hearts are healed, confidence is rebuilt, and families reconnect with what really matters. For owner Laura Benson, the dream of starting a horse-centered youth and family program came after a successful career in business.  

“I spent a decade building a very successful business,” Laura says. “But there’s just a different level of fulfillment you get when you’re one-on-one with people, helping and serving and working with animals. Even when there’s work to do at the barn, it doesn’t feel like work.” 

Creating Purpose

That sense of peace and purpose is what Laura wanted to create for other families—especially kids. In today’s fast-paced world, filled with pressure to perform and an overabundance of screens, it’s easy for kids to lose touch with themselves and the natural world around them. At Benson Equestrian Center, the goal is to replace that pressure with presence. 

Laura knows firsthand the impact horses can have—because she watched them help her own daughter heal. 

Shortly after the family purchased the property that would become the Benson Equestrian Center, Laura’s daughter Charlie was diagnosed with Perthes disease—a rare childhood hip condition that causes the hip bone to weaken and fracture easily. “She couldn’t run or jump. Even riding hurt too much,” Laura shares. “For almost two years, she couldn’t do the things the other kids were doing.” 

It was a difficult season, but Charlie found comfort from being with her horse. Being at the barn, where presence matters more than perfection, was grounding. When Charlie was finally able to return to horseback riding, something in her shifted. “The first time I saw her back on a horse, I saw her confidence return,” Laura says.  

Kids Don’t have to Perform

It’s that kind of healing and growth that Laura wants to offer to other children and families. At Benson Equestrian Center, kids don’t have to perform. They don’t have to be the best or meet anyone’s expectations. They just get to be. 

“They’re good enough exactly the way they are,” Laura says. “And they can learn confidence with an animal who loves them unconditionally.” 

The center runs a variety of programs, including camps, ranch experiences, and birthday parties. Some of these programs are intentionally faith-based, while others focus simply on providing a peaceful, supportive environment. But no matter the format, all sessions are screen-free.  

“There are so many kids who are stuck behind screens,” Laura says. “And I want to be a sliver of hope—an alternative where they can trade screens for saddles, and where they can just be kids again.” 

The impact isn’t just for kids, either. Laura is also launching faith-based women’s retreats at the center, designed to help moms and women step away from the pressure of everyday life and reconnect with peace. Also based at the Benson Equestrain Center is HorsePower, a local non-profit that uses horses for therapy. The work HorsePower does points back to the incredible healing power of horses.  

At Benson Equestrian Center, horses aren’t just animals. They’re partners in healing, in learning, and in rediscovering joy. Sometimes, the most meaningful growth begins in the saddle, and at the Benson Equestrian Center, there’s plenty of room to ride. 

To learn more about the Benson Equestrian Center, check us out online at bensonequestriancenter.com 

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