February 4, 2026 
There’s a saying that goes, “all horses deserve, at least once in their lives, to be loved by a little girl.” What a world we would live in if every little kid could be loved by a horse.
For those of us who are lucky enough to spend our lives around horses, we know the comfort, peace, and care they bring to our lives. Horses give us so much: an athletic endeavor, a best friend, an escape from school or careers.
Horses give us something more intangible, too; they help piece us back together when we aren’t sure if we can do it alone.
For Carrie Kehring, founder and president of #WeRideTogether, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating sexual abuse in sports, her 17.3hh, former grand prix jumper and grand prix dressage horse Agano is all these things and more. When Kehring’s teenage daughter was groomed and abused by her riding coach, it was Agano who helped the Kehring family through.
“He’s taken care of all of us,” Kehring says. “He was my horse when we went through a lot of trauma.”
Twenty-twenty-six may be the Year of the Horse, but at #WeRideTogether it’s the Year of Agano – to celebrate the launch of its new Agano resource.
The Agano stuffed animal from #WeRideTogether is a free resource for healing. And it’s more than just a stuffed horse—Agano is a symbol of comfort, hope, and resilience. Designed to provide solace and support, he serves as a trusted companion on the journey through hard times toward healing and recovery.
“You have this very solid plushie, made from the idea of this wonderful, wonderful animal. It’s a way to put resources in people’s hands and give people something to hold when they need to have hard discussions or feel hard feelings,” says Kehring.
The Agano stuffie comes with resources for child survivors, adult survivors, support people, and professionals. Just a few resources include the Feelings and Emotions Chart (for kid survivors), the Journal Prompts (for adult survivors), and Demystifying Self Care (for support people). Most of the resources were lovingly and carefully crafted by #WeRideTogether’s own Programs and Partnerships Director, Kathryn McClain, MSW, MBA, and Executive Director, Michaela Callie, MBA.
Plus, the Agano stuffie is weighted with flaxseed and can be warmed in the microwave for extra comfort. Agano helps you take the comfort and care of horses to places they normally wouldn’t be able to go—such as your car, your bedroom, or your attorney’s office.
Kehring says Agano “really, truly took care of his person.” In his career, Agano was also trusted to take Carrie’s daughters around a big eq course or a .85. He’d do each job with the utmost care for the rider on his back.
“He’s such a standup guy. And deeply, deeply loved,” says Kehring. He was “so solid” for each rider that when it came time to make a tangible resource for comfort and healing, it just had to be Agano.
The real Agano has a happy retirement with other horses on a farm outside of Lexington, Ky., nowadays, but his legacy has already been extended to hundreds of individuals who have received their own free Agano stuffie from #WeRideTogether, and #WRT is committed to bringing as much of that comfort and care to those who need it—as accessibly and easily as possible.
Agano can be ordered through #WeRideTogether’s website at WeRideTogether.Today/Agano. If you or someone you know has experienced abuse or misconduct, help is available 24/7. For information on confidential helplines, reporting procedures, and mental health resources, visit WeRideTogether.Today/get-help/crisis-resources.
