Second chances for senior horses and some awesome kids

The Whole Horse Place multiplies second chances

The ask was pretty simple. The Whole Horse Place in Port Orchard, Washington needed help feeding their horses. They wrote, “We are seeking a grant to help cover one month of our feed costs to ensure our programs remain affordable for families who otherwise could not participate.”

Tina Meekins explained how their organization rescues senior horses and matches them with people in need.

The horses get a second chance at life and purpose. The program teaches responsibility, confidence, self-respect, resilience, and emotional honesty through horse care, hard work, and education.

Together with the horses, they serve a diverse population of low-income families, foster children, children with adverse childhood experiences, and other youth. Our main service is our horse experience program, which is a customized half-day session of daily horse care based on the horses’ and participants’ needs.

The pictures tell the story!

Thank you to The Whole Horse Place for sending us these incredible images of their good work in action.

What impact does your work have on your community?

Our program serves a diverse population of low-income families, foster children, children from addiction, and other youth who have few affordable recreational and educational opportunities in our area. We provide participants with a safe and supportive environment where they can learn about horse care, develop important life skills, and bond with the horses and each other.

In addition to providing a unique opportunity for participants, our program rescues senior horses from neglect, abandonment, and euthanasia, giving them a second chance at life. Senior horses benefit from gentle exercise, grooming, and stimulation, and at our facility they can enjoy a peaceful retirement without being overworked or forgotten. As beloved members of our community, the senior horses inspire people of all ages to learn about horse care, respect, and compassion.

We are not a riding facility, but instead focus on teaching the whole horse experience. A typical day might start with grooming, personal time with the horse, chores, tacking up and riding, horsemanship classes, and learning the participant’s needs and the needs of the horse.

Riding is not the sole focus of the experience. They work hard doing chores. They learn how to be a partner and a leader of their horse, follow all safety rules, and use common sense. They learn how a horse thinks and how to apply that knowledge to their own situations and lives. They learn all aspects of horse care from giving immunizations and taking rectal temperatures, to cleaning diarrhea off rumps.

The youth benefit by learning good life skills, including conflict resolution, empowerment, respect, empathy, and having a can-do attitude. The rescued senior horses benefit by having a job and a purpose, and by getting light exercise and all the doting and love an old horse can handle.

We also believe “give help and give hope” for people who feel “less than.” The horses inspire them to accept, and to try again.

How did the grant from Just One More Help your organization?

Your grant met the horses needs, so people were able to attend more often.

Wow! Just Wow!

We want to tell you the story of one of our participants. She recently moved to Colorado to live with her mother and sent us a text saying that the horse we gave her saved her life. She did not commit suicide; her horse gave her a second chance. We knew she was struggling but we did not know she was contemplating suicide. The horse we gave her while she was here gave her a sense of worth. Thank you, Just One More, because YOU saved this kid’s life. Thank you. This young woman is now a youth leader in an organization that works with other youth preventing suicide.

Keep up your incredible work, The Whole Horse Place!

Are you looking for a second chance?

Do you know someone who deserves a second chance? Check out our grant opportunities.