Post by BROOK HAVEN RANCH on Jul 8, 2012 1:24:57 GMT -5
{ LETTING KIDS AND HORSES SAVE EACH OTHER SINCE 1998 }
Brook Haven Ranch opened in 1962, owned by Richard and Mary Beth Brook. Instead of breeding horses, however, the two of them set out to rescue horses of all breeds who had been abused, neglected or abandoned by their owners. Over time, they found that their oldest son, Charlie, had a talent for the horses, and he was jokingly referred to as "the Horse Whisperer," in large part in reference to the book by Nicholas Evans.
The talent was real, however, and as Charlie grew older, the family began to take in horses who had been hurt in other ways. One had been hit by a truck, another attacked by a mountain lion. Horses that were believed to not have any hope of ever being normal again began to thrive under Charlie's constant care and supervision.
When Charlie was in his mid thirties, he married Jeanine Walker, a social worker from Kentucky who worked as a counselor with teenagers in crisis situations. Richard and MaryBeth retired, leaving the Ranch to Charlie, and moved to Hawaii. In their absence, the ranch was to change significantly as Jeanine opened up the ranch to the possibility of healing not only horses, but the teenagers she'd worked with in Kentucky as well.
It was a risky venture, begun as a summer camp in June of 1998. The camp nearly failed in its first year, but the second year was better, as Jeanine had promised that it would be. Charlie was able to focus on the horses, and with a new staff behind her, Jeanine focused on the teenagers.
After five years of summer camps, Jeanine and Charlie decided to expand their services. Buildings were put up, and teachers were hired. Their summer camp went from a camp to a year-round boarding school for teenagers with troubled pasts.
Some of these teens have suffered various forms of abuse. Others have been found to be abusive toward others, or to be bullies. Some are drug users or addicted to the internet and pornography. There are even students who have experienced serious physical or emotional trauma, or who suffer with mental illnesses who have been sent here.
The students help work with the horses, learning how they are trained, vetted and healed, and in so doing, they have a unique opportunity to heal themselves as well as the animals with which they work.