CALIFORNIA -- To sum it up, you might say that the Always & Forever Equine Rescue & Equine Therapy organization is people helping horses helping people.
And this week they're asking for a little help from the community so that the cycle can continue.
Based in Exeter, the nonprofit organization rescues abused or neglected horses and uses them as a means of therapy for veterans returning from combat and troubled teens.
Jess M. Ahumada, Jr. started the operation in memory of his son, who died in 2009. Ahumada said he was a lover of animals.
Ahumada, who works in several capacities with area veterans groups and Native American organizations, began collecting horses two years ago. So far, 56 have been rescued. Most are from Tulare and Kings Counties, but others come from as far as Fresno and Kern Counties.
One of the more recent horses came from a piece of property in Lindcove where authorities are investigating a double homicide. Some horses arrive in poor physical condition as a result of neglect and others arrive after owners are taken to prison or deported, Ahumada said.
Of the 56 that have come through Always & Forever, most have been adopted by new owners.
The stalls in Exeter house nine horses today, four of which are used for therapy.
Since the group moved to Exeter from its first location in Tulare six months ago, Ahumada estimates 55 people — a combination of veterans and teens — have benefited from spending time with the animals.
Grace Homes, a Visalia-based group home where teens receive mental health services, behavioral addiction counseling, spiritual counseling, domestic violence counseling and other related services, is one organization that uses horses as a component in their recovery programs.
Teens from Grace Homes make frequent visits.
Their role is simple. They feed the horses, brush them, spray them down on hot days and spend time with them.
"The horses calm the kids down," Ahumada said. "And they work as an incentive for good behavior."
Danielle, whose surname is being withheld because of her age, is one of the kids who is helped by horses. She says she enjoys the responsibility of caring for them.
"I've never worked with horses before. Doing this has taught me a lot," she said. "[The best part is] Jess trusting me to take care of them."
But taking care of horses isn't cheap. High feed prices — at least partially attributable to the drought — makes it worse. Always & Forever operates entirely on donations and generous lines of credit from local businesses.
For this reason the organization is hosting a benefit dinner and dance Friday at the Elks Lodge, 3100 W. Main St., in Visalia.
Tickets are $25 per person or $250 for a table of eight. Rib eye steak is on the menu and guests are invited to dance afterward. A DJ will provide a variety of music, Ahumada said.
Tickets can be purchased at the Elks Lodge.
Those who cannot attend the dinner are welcome to come and volunteer with the horses. Debbie McConnell, 52, of Tulare, has been helping out around the stalls since March.
"When I went to the [Tulare location] I just fell in love with it," she said. "You come out here, your endorphins get going and you're just happy for a while. I spend all of my free time with the horses."
For more information about the event or if you're interested in volunteering, call Ahumada at 736-6049.
(Visalia Times Delta - Aug 17, 2014)
