(This article ran in the "Noble Endeavors" column of Emily Cooper's, but that column is now known as "Quiet Dignity." Editor's note.)
Our story begins in 1982 with a gelding that has
been scheduled to go to the race tracks. His
sire is Charge A Little, a grandson of Jet Deck,
and his dam is Forever Surprise out of Forever Dixie.*
Charge a Surprise goes to the tracks, achieves his AA rating
along with a Racing ROM. Then along came Chuck
Mintzlaff from Hutchins, Texas, looking for those special
horses for special kids. Finding "Boss" to be special, Chuck
and "Boss" got together. (*Ed. Note: For you foundation
pedigree enthusiasts, he goes to Leo twice and Poco Bueno.)
Now Boss is the chief kisser for the special kids that
come to Chuck's Ranch. He shares duties with "Rebel, a
Standardbred-Quarter Horse cross stallion, Maidie, a Shetland
cross 13 hand hostess that begs for attention and although
horribly sway-backed can still get the best out of the kids,
Nickie, a grade Quarter Horse mare of Poco Bueno breeding
who is the herd mother taking care of any babies that need
help, human or otherwise, Able, a Standardbred-Arabian cross
gelding, and Sundance, a very
conceited Appaloosa gelding, These horses are certified "Delta
Society" horses and are prepared to
handle some very unusual children.
These kids are the cast-offs that have
just gotten into the "system" due to
chronic abuse and are only there for 30
days before they are placed into a
foster home. They come from a
protective center operated by Fort
Worth Social Services and the Courts.
They are introduced to the
horses through "hugs and kisses,"
which is a form of special attention
given to the children by these horses.
They meet the "wild mustang" in
Rebel and he is presented in a non-confrontational manner that shows
how the "rebel can be proven to be
gentle" through leg and body signals as
he is ridden at liberty. Maidie, emcee
of the farm sand, literally becomes a
pest for attention, since she cannot be
ridden because of her "handicap, but is
still of worth to have around and has a
purpose."
The children are encouraged to give the horses treats
(whole wheat bread) and to groom them and talk to them and
relate to these horses that have come there because they are
considered misfits, too. The children learn responsibility from
which ever horse they pick out for themselves. Not only do
they begin to learn good horsemanship but they begin to feel
good about themselves, also, and understand that they have a
worth, too.
All of the horses are of some color of bay and have a
certain amount of conformity. Each halter has the horse's
name on it so that the child always gets the same horse. These
horses have become "heart menders" and have done more to
help these deeply injured children than any human could hope
to.
Chuck is helped by volunteers that must pass a rigid
program before actually working with the horses and the kids.
His three grown children used to contribute their time, but
Continued on Page 16, along with pictures
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