Programs With a Purpose
Two very different types — one focused on horses, the other on humans — share a commond bond: rehabilitation
By Nancy Hartney

Therapeutic riding programs and horse rescue or rehabilitation programs are quite different. Yet they share a common helping thread between horse and human.
Consider the case of 8-year-old Jeff (not his real name), who was abused to the point he had stopped talking. During his first riding lesson at STARS, "He got with the horses and began talking," says Annetta Tinsman, director of STARS, which is based in Hackett. Although he had been silent for a year, Jeff began talking with his special-education teacher, the riding instructor, classmates and, of course, the horses.
"He has really opened up; it was very dramatic," Tinsman adds.
Or take the case of Brighty and Bunny, the burros. Bunny, rescued from neglect, was pasture-bred before her arrival at Tiny Timbers Horse Rescue in Pea Ridge. She subsequently delivered premature twin donkeys. One was stillborn. The surviving twin, Brighty, was unable to stand or nurse for days after her birth, and teetered on the brink of death. Bottle-feeding every two hours and living inside a house with "her" family saved Brighty, now gleefully romping around the Tiny Timbers yard.

Therapeutic Riding Programs
There’s no shortage of success stories in the therapeutic programs. Debbie Studyvin, operations director of The Rocky Creek Horses Help facility in Rogers, smiles as she tells of a wheelchair-bound young woman who improved her sitting balance, trunk strength and self-image through her riding. Studyvin beams when describing the summer-camp plans for hearing-impaired students with three days of riding and camping.
"Some of these youngsters have never had a chance to sleep away from home or do independent things with friends," Studyvin says. Dayla Gwin bubbles describing the Special Olympics equestrian team training at Laz Rockn’ G in Crossett.
Therapeutic riding programs, an umbrella term for riding activities designed for individuals with a disability, frequently use the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) model. Most NARHA programs integrate techniques from the fields of medicine, education and sports. The program may also focus on a specialty. Hippotherapy uses the movement of the horse as a treatment tool to support and improve damaged muscle and nerve function. Physical therapists, occupational therapists or speech-language pathologists may recommend hippotherapy as one component in a therapy plan. Specific riding skills are generally not taught and are not an issue, although some individuals may acquire riding skills during treatment. Equine-facilitated mental-health activities, also under the therapy umbrella, use horses toward improved emotional and mental health for troubled teens or children.
Under the NARHA therapy model, instructors earn certification after completing a training program and comprehensive evaluation. Riding centers are certified under a separate process. The certification process provides access to insurance coverage and can support the program’s application for non-profit 501-(c) 3 status. NARHA programs are independent, but all must comply with set safety standards and guidelines. A physician’s release or prescription and parental permission are standard requirements. Access to the latest rehabilitation research and the professional services of the national organization are also available. Therapeutic riding programs, regardless of their certification stage, are heavily dependent on volunteers, donations and grants.
Other state riding programs — too numerous for this article — offer riding activities for disabled youngsters on an informal and local basis. The quality, structure and size of the programs vary. They are decentralized and do not use the NARHA model but offer equestrian activities that may benefit special-needs children.

Horse Rescue Efforts
The stories from therapeutic riding programs are heartwarming. Equally heartwarming are the tales of horses rescued. Asam, a gray Arabian so badly foundered his entire hoof disintegrated at the coronary band, is an example. Two years of intense veterinary and farrier care at the Tiny Timbers Horse Rescue resulted in Asam, with new hooves, spending his days walking around a shady paddock, visiting with horse buddies and generally taking life easy. Well-fed, he is gradually regaining the 200 pounds he lost during convalescence.
Mini-horses, cute and appealing to adults and children alike, are often found in back yards or empty pastures forgotten and neglected. Show Pop, affectionately called Nettie, a 14 year-old Thoroughbred mare, raced for two years and served as a broodmare for eight. She is being rehabilitated for a third career by ReRun, a thoroughbred rescue program.
The standard model for horse rescue programs is that of the humane society shelter program. Horses, donkeys, mules and other equine are removed from neglectful, abusive or cruel environments through voluntary surrender by the owner or through legal action. Rescued animals are rehabilitated and, where possible, are placed for adoption.
Humane Enforcement and Legal Protection (HELP), founded in 1984, is one of the oldest equine rescue programs in the state. Established in Tyler, Texas, it is still chartered in Arkansas. The original goal of HELP is to stop animal abuse wherever found.
"Cruelty investigations have to go by the book," says HELP coordinator Jerry Owens. Animal cruelty is often a signpost on the way to other incidents and types for abuse, cruelty and neglect involving children, the elderly or a spouse. In the case of cruelty investigations of the horse (or other animal), there are several options. First, you can work with the owner to correct the situation. If that fails, the owner may be encouraged to sell or release the horse. The final option is to confiscate the horse and file charges against the owner, Owens says.
"Individuals are the key," adds Kay Jordan, Pulaski County Humane Society cruelty investigator. Utility workers, rural mail carriers, meter readers and others in the community often spot injuries or other problems with animals. People need to be aware and look out for animals, she says. Report any suspicious situation involving an animal to some authority — and, then follow up, she suggests.
"The quickest way to get help to horses you suspect of abuse is to ask your Poultry and Livestock Commission EIA inspector to look at the horses and request the current Coggins,” says Betty Jones, president of the Arkansas Horse Council. An EIA inspector can get out to see horses faster and more efficiently than a humane society cruelty investigator. The EIA inspector can alert the Horse Council, law enforcement or local humane society if there is a need, she says.
Hugs for Hooves, a project coordinated by Don and Candice Moore via the Arkansas Chapter of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association, is based on a food bank model. Fliers are placed in local feed stores asking customers to buy an extra bag of feed or bale of hay to donate to the horse food bank. Since horse feed cannot be stored like canned goods in the traditional food bank model, "We ask the store to just keep a running tally of the feed and hay donated during the month. At the end of the month, “we go by the store, check the tally and pick up the feed from fresh stock," says Don Moore, Hugs for Hooves founder. The feed is then delivered to horse rescue facilities or to foster homes caring for rescued horses.
"We can take feed, hay, used tack or services," adds co-founder Candice Moore. "We had a farrier go to one horse rescue up in Cushman and donate a trimming to all the horses there. We can use anything that you need to own a horse, whether it’s halters or medicine. We’ve even had people donate the use of a pasture.”
ReRun, the Thoroughbred rescue program, uses adoption for second careers as its keystone. Only ex-racehorses with the temperament for another career that can be returned to a physically sound condition are accepted. Agencies or individuals, however, may refer cases of abuse or neglect.
Oftentimes, an individual buys a Thoroughbred off the track, "then discovers the horse is not compatible with their riding goals,” says Jennifer Keller of the ReRun Arkansas Chapter. “We welcome donations of these horses rather than sending them to the sale barn.” Horses that may be too slow on the track or have sustained an injury frequently make excellent dressage or hunter-jumper prospects. Broodmares, no longer considered for breeding, become pleasure-riding candidates. Rehabilitation can take as little as four months or up to 12 months. ReRun, a national rescue program, operates chapters in several states.
Thirteen humane societies exist in Arkansas. Although cats and dogs are the primary recipients of services, horses and other livestock are eligible for rescue. The Humane Society of Pulaski County serves the entire state and acts as consultant for other county agencies when dealing with large-animal abuse or neglect. Typically, horses or other animals, when released or confiscated, initially go to individual foster placements. Countless Arkansans open their farms and barns to animals in need of care. Cooperating with their local humane society, they serve the equine community in countless kind ways. As a case is resolved, the animal may be sold, placed in an adoptive home or assumed by the foster caregiver.
Two established, private horse-rescue facilities operate in Arkansas: Ozland Horse Rescue in Cushman and Tiny Timbers Horse Rescue. Ozland partners with the Independence County Humane Society of Batesville to rescue abused, neglected, injured, defective or old horses. They have recently purchased additional land and are in the process of expanding their program. Where possible, the horses are rehabilitated and carefully adopted out to new homes. Donations, especially of hay, are desperately needed. As a private facility, Ozland depends on donations of professional services, money, feed products and veterinary supplies.
Tiny Timbers, a privately owned rescue facility, works with abused, neglected or old horses without regard to breed or medical condition. An average of 44 horses is sheltered at Tiny Timbers year-round with veterinarian and farrier care by area professionals and volunteer staff. Horses, once rehabilitated, are available for adoption to approved owners. Adoption requirements include an adoption fee and co-ownership with Tiny Timbers.
The Arkansas Horse Council endeavors to serve as a voice for the horse community by monitoring industry-related legislative issues. It provides education and research functions, networks with other state equine councils and monitors animal welfare and environmental issues in the state. AHC can assist with information and referral to many Arkansas programs.