Mary Elena Moran has been professionally training horses for the last 20 years and specializes in police horse training and the transformation of rescued horses. A member of the NY State Police for 14 years and a mounted police officer for 10 years, she has also developed Superhero Rescue Horses, a program where rescued horses who were once slated for slaughter are rehabilitated and trained to be police horses — who are community ambassadors of the ultimate rescue transformation. This is a platform to show the making of — and then highlight rescued horses in therapy and service careers. In transforming these rescued horses, she has learned that the greatest gifts from the horse have been life lessons in leadership, confidence, kindness, and self-awareness.

“To believe in a person allows them to believe in themselves, and to believe in a horse, holds that very same power.” Mary Elena states, “I like to consider myself a cheerleader for the horse and have made confidence-building the foundation of my horse training program. The compassionate treatment of human beings and horses are closely paralleled. I see the potential in a being that most would consider unworthy of their effort. In horses and in people, it is
the size of their heart which determines how far they will go, regardless of their physical or mental characteristics. The greatest accomplishments in my riding career have not been gained through the numerous blue ribbons and trophies, it has been in the winning of hearts, the gaining of trust and confidence of my equine partners, and the ability to prove the infinite worth of a soul that was discarded by my fellow man. After seeing the transformation, will others then believe, open their hearts with more acceptance and love, curiosity for why things are going wrong and develop relentless dedication to solve the puzzle so that there can be harmony in the partnership? I hope to inspire it to be so.”
Proving the value of a life is a big part of her purpose and it continues to light the way even in the darkness she sees this vision clearly.

Mary Elena is a nationally recognized mounted police instructor who clinics all over the east coast and teaches approximately 50 different agencies each year through various training events and private workshops. She is on the board of two horse rescues and consults in training matters, as well as a board member for the North American Police Equestrian Council.

Mary Elena holds a master’s degree in criminal justice – Police Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, is a Level 3 Harmony Horsemanship Certified Instructor, a Level 1 practitioner of Equine Facilitated Learning modalities: Natural Lifemanship with a Trauma Focus and Equine Experiential Education. She completing her certification with the Equine Assisted Learning Academy.  And she is also a Surefoot Equine practitioner and an Animal Reiki Practitioner.

Mary Elena’s competition experience is in western dressage, dressage, side-saddle, cowboy mounted shooting, jumpers, hunters, and western trail. She specializes in classical in hand dressage work, mounted police instruction, obstacle training, positive reinforcement, liberty, bridle-less, and groundwork.