Horse gets second chance

Last August, Sue Coudare experienced a remarkable change in her life when she adopted a special-needs horse. She named him Last Chance. He has a new outlook on life at her Red Rock Ranch in Sisters Country.

Coudare has been involved with horses her whole life. She's passionate about riding and has a natural gift for rehabilitating horses.

"I made money for college by re-training horses with disciplinary problems," she said.

Coudare met Linda Daniel for the first time at a swap meet in late June. They had something exceptional in common: horse rehabilitation.

Daniel founded Paso by Paso, a non-profit Equine Rehabilitation & Education Program in 1999. Their mission is to charitably assist in the recovery of equines and to educate the public about natural methods of good horse husbandry. The rehabilitation includes helping the physically impaired, mentally stressed, and emotionally disturbed horses.

In early June Daniel received a phone call from a friend regarding an 8-year-old registered American Paint Horse Association (APHA) horse who was scheduled to be euthanized in a few days. She was hoping Paso by Paso would take him in.

Daniel had to bring in her committee, as this was a big decision for the non-profit organization; they already had more horses to rehabilitate than usual. They needed support.

She met with the owners and the horse.

"The horse was angry when I said goodbye, his ears were back," recalled Daniel. "They had taken him to a veterinarian, but there was no real confirmation of what his diagnosis was." Daniel sensed that this horse was special, he needed a second chance. The owners would support his rehabilitation. He was at Paso by Paso the next week.

"I took him to Amanda Kremer, an AVCA certified animal chiropractor in Bend," said Daniel. "He was one of the first horses she had worked with. He had nine therapeutic treatments with her. His back had been out of alignment."

Sue Coudare had been looking over the Paso by Paso brochure that Daniel had given her the week before.

"I wanted to see what the organization was all about," recalled Coudare. "So I went over to visit."

Daniel's rehabilitation ranch had quite a few horses, each with their own distinct needs and unique stories.

"I saw this big red American paint horse," Coudare said. "Linda explained that it would be hard to keep him; he was new and the ranch was almost beyond its capacity. I asked if she would take me into consideration to adopt him."

Coudare brought Big Red home knowing that she would follow Daniel's instructions to continue him on his herbal therapy.

"I decided to call him Chance, because this could be his last chance to become a normal horse. As soon as I got him to my ranch I took his shoes off and let him loose," Coudare said, smiling. "He lived in a stall all his life just to look pretty; he didn't get turn-out time to simply be himself."

Coudare also owns Hawk, a gentle 25-year-old gelding that she had since his birth. Chance and Hawk got acquainted and decided they would be buddies.

"Its good therapy for Chance," she said. "It's a windfall for both of them."

Coudare knew that the tendons in Chance's front legs were tight; he was lame in his right foreleg and his spine had been out of alignment. She followed the exercises prescribed by Amanda Kremer that would help him therapeutically.

"I wanted to show him physically and mentally that he's in a good place," said Coudare. "I feel that horses are meant to be your partners; we're a team."

Coudare has been pony exercising Chance. Ponying is leading one horse from the back of the one you are riding; it can be beneficial both mentally and physically and is a safe way to re-condition a previously ill or injured horse.

"I am only half-way through his rehabilitation. I will know more this spring whether or not he can handle a rider again," said Coudare. "I feel that animals need a special job in their life whether it is a dog herding cattle or a horse pulling a buggy, it helps their self-esteem. Whatever comes out of this labor of love I know one thing, he is now happy."

Coudare is now helping Daniel at Paso by Paso rehabilitating horses.

For further information about Paso by Paso visit www.pasobypaso.org or email [email protected]