Horses and kids get second
By Dwight Otwell Editor

John Bourscheid/Sentinel Photo Dana Luther is with one of her rescued horses, Spiffy.

What happens when you put a formerly abused horse and a special needs child together?

It can result in a life transforming interaction for the child. And it's not bad for the horse either.

Andrews area residents Dana and Don Luther and Ron Lasater have a dream. They are hard at work to turn the dream into reality. They are working toward building a large facility to allow handicapped and other special needs children to ride, pet and take care of horses, many of them rescued from terrible fates.

The Luthers own and operate Horseshoe Creek Riding Stables outside of Andrews. They officially began operating Equine Second Chance, a horse rehabilitation program, in January. Dana initially purchased 11 horses that needed help. Slowly, other horses who needed rescuing, began to filter in.

"I want to give every horse a second chance," Dana said. There are 42 horses on the horse farm and 18 or 19 of them are rescue horses, Ron said. Some have been donated from the Humane Society. Some have been brought to Second Chance by people who can no longer take care of their horses. Dana purchased some just to get them out of bad situations.

Niki was so malnourished that when he was brought in, you could put your hands between each rib, Ron said. Since being at Second Chance, he has gained about 150 pounds. Niki is 25-years-old and is not for riding, but he loves to be petted.

"When Niki was brought here, he had a look of a horse with no hope. Within three days, after getting food, loving and petting, he began to change," Dana said.

Dante is a rescued stallion who didn't like men.

"Dante was confiscated. He was so frightened that he was extremely dangerous," Dana said. "If a man came around, Dante would pin his ears back and charge. Now, he rides well and he is gentle and will go to a man."

Rescue horses are taken to the veterinarian. They are seen by a farrier and they are placed in the pasture with either a large or small herd, depending on the horse. The horses are rehabilitated to get the horses ready for adoption.

The Parelli method of training horses is used by the Luthers and Lasater. Ron said this method teaches the person to be the alpha horse so that the horse looks to the person as his protector.

"I train my horse on the Parelli method," Ron said. "It teaches you to be one with your horse.

Every herd of horses in the wild has a leader, Ron said. Horses have a great sense of smell and they can smell that people are meat eaters and therefore a predator.

"But you have to teach them that although you may eat meat, it is not going to be them," Ron said.

Dana got the idea to connect special needs kids and horses when she had some of her horses at the John C. Campbell festival and two autistic boys and a handicapped girl rode some of her horses.

"The joy on their faces," Dana exclaimed. "The horses have a lot of love to give kids. It gives the kids confidence. There is something special between a special needs child and a horse."

The Luthers and Lasater will use hippo therapy for special needs kids. A certified therapist will teach riding and horse care. Hippo means teaching motor functions and motor controls, Ron said.

In the back pasture, stables and an enclosed riding area will be constructed. Special needs kids will ride in the round pen, which will be covered for year-round riding. The estimated basic cost of the facility is $550,000, Dana said. This means a lot of fund raising, Dana said.

"This is not a money making proposition," Dana said of Second Chance and the initial efforts to team special needs children with horses. Money from the riding stables trail rides goes toward the venture.

Donations are already coming in and more are sought. Also, it is hoped that grants can be obtained to help fund the program.

"I am being led more and more away from the riding stables and toward the rescue of horses and the therapy for kids," Dana said.

Upcoming events include a haunted hayride for Halloween.

Don Luther has been going to the Wagon Train trek since the very first one when he was 10-years-old. Dana has been riding horses since she was three, which means 54 years of close connections to horses.

"I have always worked hard to be a horse advocate," Dana said. "You can break a horse or a child's spirit. But I want a horse to be glad to see me. We teach people that they and their horse have a partnership."

The facility must be constructed before they can advertise for a hippo therapy center therapist.

Ron invites people to come to the stables and see the horses for themselves. Anyone who wants to be a volunteer, to walk horses or groom and pet them, is welcome. A person can sponsor a horse. They don't have to own it. They can just come out and play with it.

"Before you adopt a horse, you must realize that it is a seven-day a week responsibility," said Dana. "After I adopt out a horse, the people have two weeks to bring it back for any reason."

For information about Equine Second Chance or to donate, go to equinesecondchance. org or call (828) 321-2376.