Metro Pulse/Gamut/Hope Ranch

Horse Doctors
The steeds act as treatment providers

Horses are being used more and more often to help disabled children. The Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding program of Knoxville lends horse training to people of all ages with a variety of disabilities. The horses themselves provide physical or emotional therapy to their "patients."

STAR's organizers tell of a child with autism who began the program with a vocabulary of only seven words. One horse named Bucky brought the child out of her shell, and she found much more to say. When she first arrived, the autistic child sat on the floor of the stall in her own world, but Bucky nudged her until she would play with him.

People with physical disabilities, too, can benefit from riding because it strengthens almost all the muscle groups. Children with ADHD receive therapy because they have to focus on what they are doing with the horse, but at the same time they get the exercise they need to expend their built-up energy.

Grooming and tacking the horses strengthens motor skills, and those activities are just as important to the therapy process as riding. STAR is approved by the Handicapped Association, which has strict safety requirements. Riding is not just for fun or for competitions. It's therapeutic.

STAR's program director, Lynn Petr, says the program has served 95-to-100 people so far in 2003, "and about half are children 18 and under." She says the most frequent disabilities she sees in program participants are autism and delayed development.

When one joins the program, "It completely depends on the individual, but usually we see improvements right away," Petr says.

She says no one has been seriously hurt while participating in STAR. Right now, the program costs only $15 a lesson. "But that is about to change," she says. We're behind the times, and plus we're moving to a new facility in Farragut, and we have to pay the bills."

Currently on Yarnell Road, STAR is the only accredited therapeutic center in the state of Tennessee. Not only does the facility provide therapy, but its riders compete in shows across Tennessee and Georgia. Such competitions bring riders from all areas of the country.

More information on the program is available on STAR's website.

The eternal search for a stable environment

by Alicia Carroll

It's one of the eternal verities of childhood that little boys and little girls alike harbor romantic images of horses. Girls have fantasies of finding princes on horseback, of mystical creatures taking them far away from the real world. Boys fantasize about cowboys and rodeos. Horses are creatures of fancy to kids of both sexes.

As a girl, I had My Little Ponies, Breyer horses (life-like figurines), and a plethora of horse books. I saw every movie from The Black Stallion to The Last Unicorn, and I asked my parents for a horse every year. The fascination with horses occurred with most of my girlfriends as well.

Then the desire slowly started to fizzle. I got more interested in art, Beck, and boys. After years of never getting a horse, most of us switched our attention to other things, although we probably kept at least a couple of those old horse toys around somewhere.

Sometimes I still wonder why this equine fascination is so common among children. Recently, I explored the phenomenon more extensively when I visited Hope Ranch, a stable off Strawberry Plains Pike that caters to many horse-obsessed youngsters.

Hope Ranch was created by Doug and Portia Mohney, and it's a product of their own obsession with horses. As I head into the shadows of the Hope Ranch barn east of Knoxville, I remember my former preoccupation with the animals, and it occurs to me that I might compare my own horse-dreams with the those of the children I'm about to meet, kids who have actually had their horse fantasies fulfilled.

I'm greeted by Portia Mohney and Jocelyn Williams, the ranch's certified trainer. Right away I can sense their genuine enthusiasm for the animals in their care. They remind me of myself when I was younger, only they're much more knowledgeable. Their obsessions are grounded in the reality of the horse world.

Right off the bat, they introduce me to Daniel Vankirk, who tells me he's been riding since he was 4 years old (he's 9 now.) "I want to be a vet," he says. I assume he means a veterinarian; he's already a veteran, at least when it comes to riding horses.

I ask Vankirk whether he owns horse books, stuffed animals, and movies like I did when I was a child. He does, and he also owns a real horse, although it lives in New York with his mother right now. When he can ride well enough, he says it will come to live with him here in Tennessee. For now, he pays the regular $30 a lesson to ride one of the ranch's mounts.

Mohney's son Weston is anxious for me to ask him questions, too, so I ask him why he loves horses. All he can do is shrug his shoulders, so I ask whether he owns any horse toys or stuffed animals.

"Yeah, and I have stuffed dogs, too," he answers. "I want to live in Texas, because they have horses there."

I'm a little confused by his last remark, so I ask him, "Why Texas? There are horses right here."

"You get to be a cowboy in Texas though," he replies. Which only makes sense.

So why do horses hold such appeal for children like young Mohney and Vankirk? Some speculate that the answer lies in the animal's huge eyes, which are so naturally attractive to humans. Williams notes that a horse's eyes have enormous depth; they seem full of emotion. She also notes how soothing it is to both rider and horse to rub the animal's velvety muzzle. The fact that horses are by nature enormous, wild creatures, yet so completely tamable, is another reason why they are so beloved.

As I ponder the creatures' allure, Williams insists that I must meet Samantha Davis. Davis is 13, and she rides horses like she is a part of them; she makes it look easy. She's been riding since she was 6, and like me, had always wanted a horse. A couple of years ago, her family started looking to buy one, and now they own three of the animals. Davis is the first in her family to start participating in the horse culture, but she's getting her little sister interested as well. And Davis has already won several jumping competitions with her horse, Breeze.

Which points to one of the unfortunate realities of horse-fancy: Money is usually the factor that separates those who fantasize about horses from those who actually own them. Boarding a horse at Hope Ranch costs $285 a month, including food and worming. And that's not very steep compared to other stables' fees, which can range from $450 to $1,000 a month—more than a month's rent for some people. Never mind the fact that a new horse with the right papers can cost as much as a new car.

At one point in my visit, Mohney compares the personalities of horses to those of big dogs. I can't help but think that, yeah, maybe there's some truth in that, except that my dog doesn't weigh over 1,000 pounds. If my dog gets excited and steps on my foot, it's not going to fracture in several places.

Which nods at yet another one of the practical considerations of owning a horse, as opposed to simply thinking about owning one. Safety is a big concern in the horse community, but accidents still happen, even to the most careful.

Even a deft rider like Davis has had a few bad experiences. "One time I fell off, and my horse grazed his hoof across my forehead, and I had to get stitches," she says, although she admits she wasn't wearing her helmet when it happened.

Ultimately, though, she seems to take such misadventures in stride (pun intended.) She isn't easily intimidated. "If I fall off, I get up and get back on," she says.

Williams doesn't want anything like Davis' unprotected spill happening at Hope Ranch; every one of her riders is required to wear a helmet. That's not to say Williams is cautious to a fault. When I ask at what age it's permissible for a wannabe rider to saddle up at Hope, she answers that, "If they can fit into the smallest-size helmet, then I believe they can get on a horse."

As a case in point, she notes that the youngest rider at Hope, little Delaney Doggett, is only 3 years old. Although she looks comical standing next to her horse holding the reins, Doggett looks confident and comfortable atop the animal's back. Doggett mainly practices keeping her balance and holding the reins correctly as Williams leads her around the arena. But for a few minutes, the youngster can actually take the reins by herself. She can't quite make the clicking sound that signals the horse to start moving, so Williams does it for her.

As Doggett rides, she's constantly smiling; she seems soothed. She offers convincing proof that owning a horse is more than just a childhood lark. In truth, horse-owners reap real personal, emotional rewards; riding can be therapeutic in many ways to many people.

There are plenty of things to consider before acting on your own horse fancy. If you're absolutely sure you love horses, and you know you can afford the expense, by all means go for it. But one of the lessons I learned at Hope Ranch is that horses are not children's toys, like the stuffed animals and games I still have in my room back home. Owning a horse involves a lot of time and money, and the animals require plenty of love and attention. If you're uncertain about making the necessary commitment, may I suggest a dog or cat? If not that, I hear fish are really soothing.