|
 |
|||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Ribbon-Cutting at TAPS! - Sunday, February 01, 2009
Horses have an empathy and connection to people. Working with horses, either by riding or on the ground, is a healing process. Throwaway Ponies (TaPs for short) motto is “Helping Horses, Healing Hearts.” Not only do the women and children benefit, so do the horses. About half the horses at TaPs are retired or rescued horses. Many are old and lame. But these horses still provide comfort and education to the women and children who come here. TaPs has an entirely volunteer staff. The youngest volunteer is Nicole Tompkins, age 10. She and her mother, Catherine, help the children learn about horses. Mary Bander and Manny Melendez, both from Rockwall High School, spend 10 -15 hours a week caring for and working the horses as well as helping with the kids. Locke Lansford and his daughter, Jessica help with the lessons and with upkeep around the barn. Karen Bander is a Registered Nurse, trained as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) for Rockwall County. Her vision for Throwaway Ponies is to help assaulted or abused women heal. “Horses empower women. Controlling a 1000 pound animal helps a woman realize she can regain control of her life.” Bander said. Children from Jonathan’s Place, an emergency shelter in Garland, come four times a month. For more than a decade, Jonathan’s Place has been taking care of the Dallas area’s youngest victims of abuse. Most of the children have never touched a horse or goat (yes, goats help too). They enjoy grooming and riding the horses. Dr. Bander also presented Rep. Laubenberg with a cowboy hat, making her an honorary wrangler. |
 |
 |
|
Copyright 2009 -- Throwaway Ponies -- Rockwall, Texas
| Site Map |