(5th Post) Pony Paradise
Angola, IN is rich in farmlands, industries, and history. However, I came up here to visit my brother Jim and his daughter Allison and her partner Randy.
Allison owns and operates the Summit Equestrian Center in Fort Wayne, about 20 minutes from where I was staying. The center is a remarkable place for the horses she has rescued, who then become a resource for people and veterans to come and also find help. It is a nontraditional therapy that is successfully helping people with PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, Anxiety, Depression, Adjustment Trauma, Family Stress, Low motivation, and Grief and loss.
I had the opportunity to help Allison at the barns to prepare the center for an open house on Friday 15th to meet the mustangs she rescued. Now you would think these wild horses would be hard to deal with and challenging to have around people. Quite the opposite. They came to Allison untamed, worn, and uncared for, and in a short time they became healthy and very trusting of people.
The open house showcased the mustangs and how they will become useful resources for the center in helping people. It was a great turn out for the event and there were even some Summit followers from Mason, MI who came down. (My home town.)
The following day was the Trails to Zero ride. Allison and her veterans rode her horses downtown Fort Wayne to bring awareness to veterans’ suicide rate. Brave Hearts joined Allison’s Carvery and had an additional 13 riders join the trail.
The 20-mile journey ended at the Veteran’s Shrine just outside of Fort Wayne. A beautiful park with a museum, Vietnam wall, and many other monuments for servicemen and service branches. Still under construction is a chapel, which will be a beautiful addition.
My brother Jim and I followed the trailers back to the farm to bring the horses home. I loved how the other animals welcomed their friends home!
An exhausting weekend for the Summit crew and vets, but one that was rewarding for so many.
The Summit Equestrian Center offers free service for our veterans, service members and their families. If you know someone who could benefit from the center’s services, click here for more information or to schedule an appointment.
The center is a 501(c (3) nonprofit organization, if you would like to donate to help the center click here.
They also have their 5th annual Stock the Barn fundraiser on Nov 10, 2023, click on their Facebook page here for updates.
