"Feature Friday- Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch"

Howdy Folks,

I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing Troy Meeder co-founder of Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch for a story to be published in my Heartbeats column, in the September issue of Trail Blazer Magazine. Crystal Peaks is a faith based organization located on a tiny ranch near Bend Oregon where discarded but rescued horses help to give troubled youths a new start on life.

 Founded in 1995 by Kim and Troy Meeder, there have been tens of thousands of young lives touched and changed by the gentle ministry. With the help of rescued horses, kind hearts of volunteers and God's love the youths who visit the ranch experience one on one sessions at no charge. The only commitment is that they want to be there.

Over 5,000 visitors a year come for healing. That number includes all family members and that's important for one of the pillars at Crystal Peaks is strengthening the family. Sessions vary from one time visits to children being involved with the ranch for years, and everything in between. Seventy percent come more than once. Most of the youths come often, come for years, as often as they can be fit into the program. The staff is allowed to set up forty percent of their sessions for youths they want to mentor, who need the time, the continued guidance.

When Kim published her first book, "Hope Rising," and Kim and Troy had their first interview with founder of Focus on the Family, Dr. James Dobson's show, Family Talk in 2004, people far and wide began contacting them, explaining that they've always wanted to do something like Crystal Peaks to help horses and children. Knowing that God was leading the way, in 2006 they held their first Empowerment clinic, a 4 day clinic teaching what they had learned about starting and running a faith based healing center. Kim and Troy assumed that clinic would be a onetime thing. Shocked by the demand they have held 2 clinics a year ever since and over 2,000 people have attended.

The Empowerment clinics help folks create Similar Ministries of their own to help young folks find firm footing. There are currently 156 Similar Ministries throughout the United States & internationally, including Australia, Canada, England, Honduras, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Romania & Slovakia. Crystal Peaks continues to receive applications from new locations each month.

To learn more about Crystal Peaks, or to inquire about starting a healing place visit their website http://www.crystalpeaksyouthranch.org/ .

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"Feature Friday- Beauty's Haven Farm and Equine Rescue"

Howdy Folks,

The mission of Beauty Haven Farm and Equine Rescue (BHFER) is to help the horses in most need of help. "We don't try to bring in the easily adopted horses. We focus on those most people would give up on. They are the ones who call out to us for help." Founder, Theresa Batchelor explained. They also network with other rescue organizations and individuals offering guidance and support. "Anything we can do to help horses in need and those trying to help." One way they conduct outreach is by maintaining a Facebook page and a daily blog. "With this effort it is my hope that by sharing our stories of recovery and rehabilitation and placement we can encourage others not to give up."

Beauty's Haven Farm is named for the Arabian mare who helped heal Theresa after surgery to remove a tumor from her spinal column left her quadriplegic and was told she'd never walk again. But with much determination, physical therapy, and faith, she did regain use of her limbs. However, Theresa has no feeling or proprioception below her neck - she is what is called an "incomplete quadriplegic." 

Theresa & Beauty

While she was recovering, and longing to ride again, Theresa had received word a mare had been seized by the county. That mare, who at that time was in terrible condition, physically and mentally, was Beauty. Together they started on a journey of healing each other. Beauty understood Theresa was different and made every effort to work through her own issues to understand and learn Theresa's verbal requests, as the normal physical training and body language were things Theresa could not offer. Horse and human melded, and became a solid team. Theresa knows it was a blessing that Beauty chose her to be her person.

It was that process of healing together that caused Theresa to want to do just as much as she possibly could to save as many horses as possible. So in 2006 ,with much support from her husband, Bob, and their children, Theresa founded (BHFER) a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to help as many equine friends as possible when they are in need.

Loving life again

On average BHFER rescues and helps thirty-five to fifty horses begin new lives each year. With a friendly and vigorous adoption program they have a very successful placement record. BHFER is blessed with a solid and growing team of volunteers who work tirelessly to help the horses recover and thrive. And many of the volunteers are being healed by the horses they are caring for.

While there is no formal program in place to offer equine assisted therapy to individuals, plenty of it happens here. Some volunteers are teens who need a solid anchor to realize the beauty in life, and from the recovering horses they learn about trust, respect and honesty. Some battle with PTSD, or physical issues of their own. "We see every day the healing the horses give to the volunteers. As the horses heal they give back to the people, strength, love and connection. Horses give so much and ask for so little. It truly is horses and humans beginning new lives together." Theresa explained.

Exercising horses and having fun too!

Watch for my HeartBeats column in the July issue of Trail Blazer to read more of the wonderful story of Beauty's Haven Farm and Equine Rescue.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

Visit Beauty Haven's Farm Facebook Page here – https://www.facebook.com/bhfer.tb

Their web site – Here -http://www.bhfer.org/oldsite/index.cfm

Trail Blazer web site - http://www.trailblazermagazine.us/

"Feature Friday-Friends of Sound Horses- FOSH"

Howdy Folks,

I had the pleasure of interviewing the President of Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH), Teresa Bippen this week for a story that will appear in the June issue of Trail Blazer and knew I had to feature them here today. FOSH was founded by Cherie Beatty with a vision to end "soring" in the Tennessee Walking Horse world. Soring is a horrible practice that employs such despicable techniques as smearing chemicals on horses' legs so heavy flopping chains wrapped on their legs will hurt when they rub the tender, chemically sored skin above the hoof causing them to fling their leg high to relieve the pain with each exaggerated step. Other techniques include shoeing with nails up into the foot causing terrible pain and forcing the horse to try to carry itself more on the back legs. There are other, and just as gruesome techniques, but that's the general idea of the "soring" style, or insanity, of training.

Cheri had a vision of not only fighting to end soring, but to open new venues for Tennessee Walking Horse owners to showcase their horses. Creating FOSH would make possible both those dreams. FOSH has come a long way in shining the light on the horrible soring practice by keeping pressure on legislatures to pass bills to protect the horses and informing the public. Much has been accomplished on that front, but sadly much is still needed. (At the most revered, Tennessee Walking Horse show, the "National Celebration" in Shelbyville, TN, this past August, the USDA swabbed 190 horses and 145 tested positive (76%) for foreign substances including caustic agents and numbing substances.) One way of informing the public has been FOSH's creation of a website that provides 57 year's worth of history on soring including thousands of violations and violaters http://www.stopsoring.com/

 The second and third approaches to helping horses is that FOSH employs education, and creating fun. In the show venue their rule book and judges have been used nationwide for owners of all gaited horses to show sound horses. FOSH defines a sound horse as "one that has not been sored." FOSH will only support flat shod or barefoot horses and will never endorse any event that allows any artificial means to modify the natural gait of the horse.

First Gaited Dressage Competition-1986 Red Deer, Alberta Canada-TWH Shaker's Royal and Diane Sept

FOSH is the fastest growing gaited horse organization in the country and has become an umbrella group for all gaited breeds. Showcasing the agility, naturally beautiful gaits, fun and greatness of all the gaited breeds is their mission. They've created the "Gaited Sport Horse Program" with opportunities for owners of all gaited breeds to compete, play and learn. Check out the "The Gaited Sport Horse Program," here http://www.foshgaitedsporthorse.com/  ... You'll find the "Gaited Distance Program," and their "Equine Agility Program." And the "Gaited Dressage" program which FOSH has been on the forefront of promoting. In fact they've developed and written a non-specific gaited breed Dressage Test that makes it possible for riders and owners of any gaited breed to join in the fun, excitement and rewards of Dressage.

 Visit the FOSH website  http://www.fosh.info/index.html to learn how you can help them help.

Be sure to watch for my full article in the June issue of Trail Blazer http://www.trailblazermagazine.us/ to learn even more about FOSH whose motto is, "The Horse Comes First."

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"Feature Friday- Katie Holme and Healing Horses"

Howdy Folks,

Eighteen years ago Katie Holme suffered a horrible incident that left her suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For years she endured the devastating life changing effects and trauma while pursuing conventional therapies and treatments. Relief and comfort remained out of reach. Katie even sought out untraditional therapies with little results.

Her struggle for peace continued when a horse named Chief came into her life. Katie had heard Chief had been abused and neglected, and something inside her demanded she rescue him. It was while healing Chief that Katie began to heal herself. Even though weak, tired and confused, Chief carried Katie to a place of peace and harmony with the world. She began to heal and find strength and then a focus. Chief helped her understand that he, and other horses like him, could help heal other people like herself. Traumatized, wounded, neglected horses could help heal traumatized, wounded, neglected humans. Through Chief, Katie knew that to be true. What could she do with that knowledge?

Katie and Chief

Katie set about finding a way to use the truths Chief had given her. With her heart full of hope, and Chief's encouragement, she founded "Healing Horses," a non-profit organization in Fort Mill, South Carolina with a mission to "rescue, rehabilitate and offer sanctuary to horses who are victims of trauma or abuse, and to leading people with troubled hearts and spirits to a pathway of healing through the Horse."

At Healing Horses the rescue and rehabilitation is done with the horse's perspective as the guiding light. Each horse is guided gently back to health, physically and mentally using the, “The Healing Wheel” – The 7-step program formulated by Katie. 1) Rescue. 2) Evaluation. 3) Plan of Care. 4) Intensive care. 5) Re-education and Training. 6) Reconnection with people. 7) A New Start!

Relaxing with Katie and other Healing Horse family members is important during the healing process.

"Humans Healing Horses and Horses Healing Humans" is the motto at Healing Horses. After they've gone through the healing process the rescued horses in turn offer their love, strength and guidance to healing those humans who have been hurt and need healing of their own. Their program "Healing Hearts With Healing Horses" is a specialized healing program using the horse as guide and teacher. Since each person is different and faces his/her own unique challenges, the program is tailored to meet each individuals needs.

A "New Start"

A "New Start" is given both the horse and the human at this little piece of heaven called "Healing Horses." Thank you Chief for giving Katie her New Start! And thank you Katie for passing it on!

Healing Horses also offer horses with love to give for adoption. Visit their website http://www.healinghorses.us/site/ to learn more about them, and how you might be able help them help.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry