I first met Lori Tuttle by chance — is anything actually by chance — at a craft vendor fair on Highway 68. She had a lovely stall of repurposed goods with a cowboy touch that she had lovingly restored. I was selling my books. We started up a conversation. Come to find out that she was running the very program I had been curious about when I first went to Rancho Cielo to attend the SCAR (South County Animal Rescue) dogs in their graduation event for the Unchained dog-training program. A coincidence? I like to think not.
As the founder of SCAR back in January 2016, I’m always curious to explore other animal charities and see how they operate. I pursued an interview with Lori at Hope, Horses & Kids at their rural setting on the outskirts of Salinas next to the considerable Rancho Cielo campus.
I knew as soon as I arrived that this was a unique place where learning and healing would develop and flourish. Studies have proven that working with horses helps develop social competency and reduce stress and anxiety. The partnership with Rancho Cielo brings professionally facilitated equine-assisted learning activities to the campus, encouraging the Rancho students to develop life skills.
A special needs child had arrived for her first horse encounter. This was a private session for Aria and her eyes lit up as she touched a horse’s neck for the very first time, feeling the soft furry warmth beneath her fingertips. “Gentle, gentle,” coached the volunteer. The horse barely blinked. “All the horses have a job and a purpose,” explained Lori. “It’s important that they love their job.”
The students from the Rancho Cielo Campus up the hill are booked in to have multiple weekly sessions with the horses, though the two charities remain separate. “The Rancho kids must start from the ground up,” said Lori. “They learn to read the horse, then halter, then lead, then groom and then tack. It takes a long time before they can ride. Some of them never do.” Not surprisingly, several horses onsite are well-suited to the teen temperament. We met Rohan, a handsome, retired police horse from the Gilroy Police Department. “Rohan has a law-enforcement badge. He was first on scene at that awful shooting at the Gilroy Garlic festival,” described Lori. “He’s great with the teens.” Rohan nuzzled Lori with great adoration and obviously didn’t want her to leave.
As we explored the various areas of the campus from the goats to the donkeys, horses, mini horses, cows, sheep and one resident Giant Tortoise, Lori told me about her love of horses. “I have loved horses for as long as I can remember, and I don’t know why. We lived in Pacific Grove and there was a little boarding stable that offered beach trail rides. It just went on from there. I remember BEGGING my parents for a pony — it worked. The story is that they bought me a pony, figuring it would satisfy my urge, but all that did was fuel it.”
And here at Hope, Horses & Kids you can see that passion in action. All the animals adore Lori. They turn towards her for love and cuddles when she approaches them. Each has their story, and she is happy to tell it. Mostly retired, the residents still have jobs to do. “Duncan is our golden boy, 23 years old and so intuitive,” she explained. “Stewie was rescued from Iceland. Georgina is the naughty mini horse, Dutch and Crunch are the goats, Honey is a ‘relational horse,’ Nakoma is a spicy old lady, Ari was a hunter-jumper from Belgium, Ben a retired jumper (‘so needy and also relational!’), Millie and Billie are our cow and calf; Glee is our mellow yellow.” Lori knows and loves them all.
“We have the luxury of room to offer different experiences,” she said. Around her, the volunteers are busy grooming, bathing or mucking. It’s a hive of activity. Lori has years of experience with equine therapy, but “everything I did before was preparing for this,” she commented. “Riding isn’t the focus here, it’s the bonus. We work side-by-side with the Rancho Cielo youth campus to provide therapy and enrichment programs for the school. We assist in a leadership curriculum, teaching the students how to set boundaries and establish life skills. The first equine program I started was with kids from Juvenile Hall. With good work, good things happen. You see that a lot here. It’s amazing to see the human-equine bond in action.”
Lori explained that the horse therapy program is funded by grants, donations and events with some private lessons thrown in there additionally. “The universe aligns to keep us going,” she said with a smile. “We are working on the construction of a south-facing Yurt with a deck that we can use for reading, relaxation, studies and perhaps even rent out for retreats or groups.” Lori is always thinking ahead to help more animals and more young people. “No one gets turned away,” she said. “If they need our help, we are here.”
The Horse Powered Reading program got my attention. It is a science-based experiential learning program that integrates social-emotional learning with academics. Lori relates the story of the 10-year-old boy who was struggling with reading and doing poorly in school. After a few sessions of the program, his mother said he was starting to read at home. “But the coolest thing was that after his sessions, he would go up into the barn, sit with our old horse Chloe and just read to her.” Lori smiled like the Animal and Human Champion that she is. As a lifelong reader and writer, I so loved that story.
Offering private lessons, teen leadership programs, the Horse Powered Reading program and Equine Assisted Learning sessions, as well as programs for the mentally or physically challenged, Hope, Horses & Kids is a one-stop shop for equine therapy, among other things. If you think a young person you know might benefit from their programs, go to their website hopehorseskids.org for more information.
Rancho Cielo’s mission is to invest in “all young people facing challenges for success through diploma education, vocational training, counseling and life skills development in a safe and affirming environment.” Visit their website ranchocieloyc.org for more information.
