National Day of the Horse is celebrated in the United States every December 13 but one of our Chatfield Edge scholars likely celebrates horses every day of the year. Meet Anna Robertson, an Equine Studies major at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY, who fell in love with horses at the age of four and may someday go on to veterinary school.

“As someone who is shy, I gravitate towards animals because with them, I don’t have to figure out what to say,” she reflected just a few weeks before heading off to her first year at Asbury. “When I am in the presence of a horse, it can be intimidating, but when they become comfortable with me, they give me confidence that I can handle them.”

Growing up in Milford, Ohio as the youngest of four children, Anna was homeschooled during high school and later attended Chatfield College for two and a half years. When she graduates from Asbury, hopefully in 2026, she will be the first in her family to graduate from a traditional four-year university.

As a teenager, Anna volunteered for five years at Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship, an organization committed to improving the lives of individuals impacted by disabilities and unique challenges through equine assisted services. She started as a side walker, holding the hands of children with special needs, and eventually advanced to leading the horses around the arena. She knows that her work helped children with physical disabilities grow stronger and build muscles while engaging both sides of their brains and helping their neurons fire more accurately.

“I also loved seeing the way horses could bring children out of their shells. Some were so scared at the beginning and didn’t talk much. Then, a few sessions later, they were smiling and excited.”

Anna has taken on the financial burden of paying for school herself and, while she receives some scholarship support from Asbury University, she is grateful for the assistance from The Chatfield Edge. Through the Chatfield Scholars pillar of support, she is the recipient of the BASF, Dr. Mary Lois Jung, and Marge and Charles J. Schott scholarships.  She acknowledged that Chatfield’s services extend beyond scholarships. “I appreciate having support to figure out the whole education world that can sometimes be confusing.”

To learn more about how you can support students like Anna through financial contributions or by joining our corps of volunteer mentors, go to chatfieldedge.org.