Flooding threatens horses, therapy programs at Harmony Farms in Cocoa

Floodwater has inundated Harmony Farms in Cocoa, forcing staff and volunteers to use a boat and donated boots to reach the horses and raising concerns about damage to the farm’s equine therapy program.Executive Director Janine Allen said the property was dry as recently as Sunday before water began to rise slowly across the farm. By the time News 6 visited, water was already reaching the top of a reporter’s boot near the driveway, and parts of the property near the red barn used for equine therapy were under several feet of water.“All of this was dry, you know, into Sunday,” Allen said. “And it started coming up. It’s a slow rise.”Harmony Farms has 12 horses, with the oldest being 31. Allen said the stalls remained dry, and staff still had a small area where the horses could walk and graze. But the unexpected flooding has disrupted therapy sessions for clients who depend on the farm’s programs.“They ride every week. They look forward to this,” Allen said. “It’s for their mental health,