COLT for teens combines life lessons with horse skills

Mix horses in Greenacres’ wide spaces with city teenagers and watch an almost magical transformation.

More than a dozen teens visiting Hawk Haven Stables on a recent warm Saturday could be walking the mall. Instead, they’re eagerly mucking stalls and raking hay.

Many are all grins as they surround the horses with brushes to groom them.

“I’ve always wanted to have a horse, and this is the closest I can get,” said 14-year-old Danae Anderson after helping Kimberly McLain, 13, dump a bucket of manure into a tractor. “I live in the city and our yard isn’t even big enough for a big dog.”

Anderson and other Spokane teenagers do these chores in order to be near horses and eventually ride them. They also are part of a larger quest to turn at-risk teens’ lives around with the draw and affection of horses.

A program called Changing Our Lives Together runs about 42 weeks beginning in January with 50 teens who sign a contract to live free of drugs, tobacco, alcohol and violence. While learning equine skills, the teens attend about 20 weekly evening classes at Gonzaga Prep also discussing life skills, substance-abuse prevention and individual problems.

Its all-volunteer staff relies on donations and occasional grants for funding.

COLT director Sara Lesher notes the contrast between the teenagers’ talk around school library tables versus their more carefree banter while at the stables overlooking the Saltese flats.

On a recent Thursday, a few teenagers spoke frankly about three different instances of other kids they saw drunk or on drugs at separate schools. Another tale told of a girl who cut herself.

Another day, a smaller group of the teenagers laughed over chores at the stables while chatting about movies.

“The horses give unconditional love,” said Lesher, describing the program’s equine therapy approach. “In the kids’ lives, there is clutter, chaos and anxiety. You take them out of a chaotic world and put them in this surreal environment where the horses are so gentle.

“The kids are doing simple tasks that are in their control. The horses just come running up to them.”

Lesher said COLT adult volunteers focus on creating a friendly atmosphere that allows kids to talk without criticism or cliquish behavior.

Several teens in the program have dealt with alcoholism, drugs or abuse in the home or bullying and school troubles. COLT gets referrals from Spokane Mental Health, Spokane Public Schools, the District Attorney’s Office and former program members.

“We try to be in constant contact with the kids, mentoring, and we utilize school counselors,” added Lesher, describing how kids who later become COLT junior and senior counselors must keep good grades. “They just need someone to listen.”

She also wants the teens to learn from mistakes around the horses, conquer fears and stretch in taking on more responsibility for horses’ care. While Lesher emphasizes safety, she said she knows the horses at the stable are gentle.

“When I give kids a halter, I give them two tips. I don’t tell them how to approach the horse. I like to make them have to think. One kid, it took him 45 minutes the first time to put a halter on.”

“Later, they know they’ve just approached a 1,200-pound animal without fear.”

Lesher said that feeling transfers over in school, in life, even in handling bullies.

Megan Babcock, 14, is into her third year with COLT and serves as a junior counselor. Previously she faced problems making friends. That’s changed.

“I think I became more comfortable with myself through the program, so I’m more comfortable around people. Horses really help with that because you can be yourself around them,” Babcock said.

“They don’t care how you are, what you’re like. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spilled my guts to horses.”

Babcock’s love of horses also has inspired her in art. She’s done numerous illustrations of horses with colored pencils.

Another COLT junior counselor, Abigail Moody, said she previously dealt with self-esteem and anger problems.

“I had a very short fuse, and now it’s lengthened,” said Moody, 14. “C.B. is the horse I usually work with, and he’s not really stubborn, but he’s a horse and somewhat stubborn, so I have to work with him.

“I can’t blow up. My exercising of caution keeps me in check.”

She has shown C.B. at the fair, a success considering where she started.

“I wasn’t comfortable at first around these huge animals,” she said. “I had to suck it up and kind of trust C.B. He’s easy to trust.”

On a recent weekend, Joe Masterson was coaxing some trust from Icey as he held the horse’s lead rope. While farrier Archie Tobler shaved Icey’s hooves, Masterson gently talked to the animal and minded Tobler’s safety.

“(Horses) can teach you loads,” said Masterson, 14. “If you do something bad to a horse, a horse will forgive you and you can work your way back up.”

He learned that from his first ride.

Lesher talks about Masterson in describing the bond between kids and horses.

“Joe will spend an hour and a half brushing out horses,” he said. “The horses are in heaven.”

COLT leaders have a long-term goal of raising enough donations to help up to 200 teenagers. They also are working on partnerships with organizations such as Morning Star Boys Ranch.