UPDATE: Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch gets a heaping helping hand

UPDATE:

Upon reading this Woodlands Online article about the Montgomery County 4-H Horsemanship Club lending a hand to help the Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch, a Good Samaritan contacted the ranch and is donating equipment, hay, buildings, and more. We'll continue to follow this story and provide future updates.



ORIGINAL STORY:

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- A ranch can’t function without ranch hands, and Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch is thankful for every helping hand it can get as well as donations. Among those lending a hand - Equine Ambassador, Olivia Hubert, and her Montgomery County 4-H Horsemanship Club, who have taken a personal interest in PCI Ranch, devoting considerable time and energy to the non-profit organization throughout the past month.

After hearing a presentation about the benefits of equine therapy from Sondra Himmer, PCIR Vice President of Development and Communication, the 4-H Club members were so inspired by the work of Inspiration Ranch that they rallied to their cause. Himmer explained equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT), a process that involves pairing horses to individuals with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other special needs, but that the ranch also has needs.

The Montgomery County 4-H Horsemanship Club members fully understand the costs associated with raising livestock, so they started with a fundraiser at Conroe Tractor Supply. The club members set up a display about PCI Ranch, distributed informative materials about the ranch’s mission and therapies, and requested donations. In addition to monetary donations, feed and other essentials were donated by customers.

“We had between 15 and 20 bags of feed donated, in addition to cash,” said PCIR President, M.G. Tindall. “The kids then scheduled a work day at the ranch.”

On March 14, club members spent the day laying grass, planting flowers, and setting up therapeutic stations along the therapy trail.

“They also put out buckets along the trail with sensory objects in them, for our riders who come for therapy,” added Tindall.

In general, they were ranch hands for the day, doing various other tasks, but they wanted to do more. They voted to sponsor a horse for a month; a major undertaking for a young group. The maintenance and upkeep for one horse is approximately $300 a month, and Tindall says the 4-H Club has already paid for it. Deciding what horse to adopt however, was a major undertaking. The 4-H Club had the opportunity to meet the stable of nine horses that perform the essential therapy work. They heard about each horse’s history, they deliberated about each horse, and then put it to a vote. The winner was “Frito,” a retired hunter/jumper thoroughbred with a gentle disposition. When asked why they chose “Frito,” the club members explained that he was the oldest, and they thought he needed a little more help from them.

Adopt-an-animal programs have become hugely successful fundraising projects for nonprofit organizations like zoos, wildlife rehabilitation sanctuaries, but especially PCI Ranch. Horses are called ‘hay burners’ for a reason, they like to eat. But in addition to feed, there’s the need for equipment, and veterinary care. If interested in adopting a horse at PCIR, select one by going to Meet the Horses. For those who think they have what it takes to be a ranch hand, the ranch is conveniently located in the heart of The Woodlands at 25902 Glen Loch Drive. For opportunities to lend a hand, or for more information about the equine-assisted activities and therapies provided by Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch, visit the website link provided. There’s even a donation page for handouts.