JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, Washington, D.C. –
A woman steps onto the winding dirt path in rural Maryland, bordered with sprawling green grass stretching towards a worn, wooden fence. She steps reluctant and slow, lips tightly pursed and wringing hands, a slight tremble in her fingers as she makes her way closer to the railing. Behind its top board stand three tall figures silhouetted by a baby blue sky. Next to the railing is a man with a kind smile; he offers a wave.
Many retired service members struggle with finding a way to lead a purposeful life after dedicating years to military service. Retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Fredrick Edison discovered his way to find purpose while continuing to support the military community.
Edison is now the deputy director for the Military Personnel Flight with the U.S Air Force’s 11th Force Support Squadron at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. He also operates a nonprofit, family-run organization, offering free horseback riding sessions in the evenings and on weekends. His desire to help the military community was born in the Air Force, which leaves a lasting impact on those who experience his ranch.
For Edison, creating a life in the civilian world that mirrors the fulfillment of their military service is a driving force.
“I define opportunity as when one's preparation intersects with God's timing. This is my opportunity to use my gift,” said Edison.
The responsibility of military service often leaves service members drowning in stress. Edison’s gift for horseback riding addresses that exact problem.
“As Airmen, we deal with a high level of stress and responsibility and Mr. Edison provides an experience that offers a unique way to decompress,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Karla Monroy, who serves as the noncommissioned officer in charge of The U.S. Air Force Band Commander’s Support Staff.
Monroy shared that she has participated in Edison’s horseback riding sessions for more than three years and that her experience has resulted in better management of her mental health, better focus on her workload, increased resilience and getting her to step outside of her comfort zone.
“He does a great job of creating a calm, safe space,” said Monroy. “His horseback riding sessions remind me of the importance of patience, presence, and mutual respect with the horses.”
Freddy’s Heavenly Gaits is managed and led by Edison and his daughters, aiming to give people the opportunity to experience horseback riding in a quiet, relaxed setting.
A desire to help those in uniform has its roots in his childhood and the Air Force.
Edison grew up on a farm around horses in Hickory, Mississippi and joined the Air Force in September 1984.
“I started in electronic maintenance, then retrained to become a chaplain assistant,” Edison said of his military career. “After completing several deployment tours, I was… selected to serve as the Air National Guard chaplain assistant career field manager.”
He went on to finish out his 30-year career in the Air Force Reserve.
“The promotion that meant the most to me in my service was when I put on master sergeant,” he said. “All of my mentors had been master sergeants, so it felt like I had finally reached their level. But I always made a point to treat everyone around me with respect and treat them as people of value, regardless of their rank.”
When his time came to retire, Edison felt good about the decision. He felt he had left a legacy that he could be proud of in his service of helping others. He knew he would pursue a career that kept him close to military culture.
Edison wanted to find a way to give back to people in a way that felt meaningful to him.
“I grew up on a farm with horses and knew that I wanted a space for my family horses here,” he said. “I was finally able to purchase a ranch in Waldorf (Maryland) and enjoy the fact that my horses and I were finally under one roof.”
Edison knew he wanted to expose people to the experience of being around horses because that was something that always brought him joy and peace throughout his life.
“I didn’t want anyone to miss out on the joy of horseback riding just because they couldn’t afford it,” he added.
Edison houses three horses named Strawberry Sundae, Princess Sandy and Stella Rosa with ages that range between 11 and 23 years old. Each horse offers a unique riding experience, but they are all gentle with riders.
“My philosophy is that when people engage with horses, they feel better. And we love helping people,” he said. “The Airmen I have worked with have also told me their mental health has improved as a result.”
Edison’s vision brought to life has not only had an impact on the Airmen he works with, but also the civilian workforce at JBAB and beyond.
“My family and I visited Freddy’s Heavenly Gaits as first-time horseback riders eight months ago and the experience positively affected my mental health by helping me to overcome my fear of riding a horse,” said Jasmine McKinney, a defense enrollment eligibility reporting system technician with the 11th FSS.
“In March 2023, I unexpectedly lost my mother to breast cancer. My family and I have found grieving to be challenging at times, but visiting Mr. Freddy’s horses helped us to begin to find our smiles again,” McKinney continued.
Edison has managed to build not only a safe space for others to explore the experience of horseback riding, but he has also managed to build community among JBAB members.
“This is the ministry that God has given me. Through the horses, I feel that I have been enabled to help people overcome their fears, build self-confidence, and expose people to the peace that comes from communing with nature,” Edison shared.
Edison has managed to bridge the gap between duty and passion by finding equilibrium in his continued pursuit of military service, along with helping others to achieve a calmer state of mind through horseback riding.
She is nervous but ready to face her fear; he is patient and ready to help. They walk through the enclosure and Edison guides her onto the auburn horse, whose ears pique forward with intrigue, standing beneath her with quiet patience. She takes a deep breath to calm her pounding heart, Edison giving her calm words of reassurance all the while. As she settles onto the horse, her grip loosens on the reins and she feels the first stirrings of a bridge between fear and trust, with Edison guiding the transition one careful step at a time.