Being around the EPH horses allows the freedom to think about simpler times. In a world that is saturated beyond comprehension with social media, news events, politics, who truly is a friend and not the Facebook kind, and why we do what we do on a daily basis, horses ground us, remind us why humility is such an important virtue and demonstrate their tremendous ability to help us be better humans. These equine partners always offer more than they take.
For those that aren’t aware, it takes passion and dedication to run any non-profit organization. Ask any leader of the 50 plus groups in Box Butte County, that fall under this Internal Revenue Service designation, how difficult it can be at times to simply find enough in the tank to continue running the program of their choice. Many hurdles that suck the joy out of a program include, but aren’t limited to, regulations, hoop jumping, seeking appropriate levels of funding, applying for grants, budgets, government paperwork, tax preparations and business planning. Unfortunately, the original reason(s) these programs bloomed take a back seat to the red tape and financial aspects not always understood by outsiders. Many of these programs began with good intentions and a willingness to develop a resource to better the community in which they are established. East Point Horspice is no exception. However, these hurdles have been lowered because of the horses.
Spending time in the corrals, or out in the pasture among the horses, brings the 90 mile per hour world that wizzes by down to a comfortable slow walking pace. This 2-3 mph vantage point affords a chance for introspection with a good dose of evaluation of one’s life goals, purposes and meaning. It can become an edifice of sorts within which the sermon is proclaimed through the crunching of grass and the occasional cleansing breath from deep inside the horse’s lungs. It can become a spiritual event, believe it or not, just to listen to what the horses have to tell you without the use of your native tongue. The horses make it acceptable to turn off the cell phone, ignore the television and shun the technological world and travel to a simpler place. They offer a subtle reminder that all the human constraints that make doing what is necessary to benefit the horses and the people which they connect with are worth the effort. When a rider who has suffered a stroke uses horseback riding as a form of physical therapy and proclaims that this endeavor brings her progress by increasing her core strength, flexibility, and balance, it takes away some of the sting of the business side of a program. When a young man with autism finds himself unable to regulate his high energy level until he comes in contact with his riding partner and suddenly discovers a calmer, safer demeanor through brushing and feeling the heartbeat of the horse, this relationship adds fuel to the aforementioned tank.
Relationships with the horses are very personal and specific to each individual. Honestly, that is the beauty of being around the horses. They are as unique in their personalities as any human making the bond between them deeper and as relevant as any a person could hope to attain. Every non-profit has a defining purpose and basis for their existence; for EPH it is the horses. Perhaps the horses have a calling for you, too. Contact EPH at (308) 762-3848 or eph@bbc.net for further information.