Assurance Home helps kids help others
Sara K. Norris, Record Staff Writer
Roswell Daily Record

The Assurance Home, with help from a few wild mustangs, is teaching kids to help others.

According to Ron Malone of the Assurance Home, for 23 years they have given adolescents who have been abandoned, neglected, abused and even homeless a place to belong. They provide a home environment and counseling sessions for the kids to help them lead normal lives. Malone said, “This is the most successful program around.” They offer many different activities for the kids to take part in. Art therapy, a ropes course and the Mustang Project are only some of the things offered to the kids.

The Mustang Project has been going on at the Assurance Home for about two or three years now according to Lee Kyser, director of the program.The Bureau of Land Management has a program with Cañon City Prison in Colorado. Wild mustangs are taken from their herd in order to control the population. Inmates are then involved in breaking these wild mustangs to tame them.

A group from the Assurance Home then travels to Colorado and picks out a mustang to bring back to Roswell. The kids then work with the horses and train them to be used by the handicapped as part of therapy.According to Kyser, they make the horses “bomb proof.”

They use garbage bags, balls, wheelchairs and other things to get the horse accustomed to loud noises and movements that would normally make them nervous.After the horse is properly trained, they send it to handicapped riding therapy programs all over the nation.

The horses are taught to respond to the person leading them and not to the person riding. The horse is taught not to respond to people who are rough with it or are spastic while riding Kyser said.“They are really safe when they go to the next program,” added Kyser.This program is greatly beneficial to the youths at the Assurance Home also.

Tika, who lives at the Assurance Home said, “It is enjoyable to get to know the horses, and (when you are riding) you can’t focus on yourself.” Tika had never ridden a horse before she came to the Assurance Home and now she has been riding for two years.

According to Kyser, horses are honest. The kids have to be aware of the horse’s feelings and they have to respond to that. The kids have to learn to be gentle and calm. It teaches them control and that transfers to their everyday life.“We have seen a lot of good from this program,” said Kyser.

There is a person leading the horse and a rider and the kids trade off positions. It teaches the kids trust because they have to trust the horse and the person leading it. Kyser said,“It has been great for the kids to relate to the horses.”Robert, who is new to the Assurance Home said,“When I come out with a bad attitude, the horses can change my mind, and I think it is really cool because the horses were wild.”

According to Kyser, he and the kids are all sad to see the horses go off to new programs, but it also makes them feel good.“We know the horses are going on to do good for other people,” added Kyser.

(Read more about the Mustang Project here)