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Winter at Second Chance Ranch, the Home
of Flurry's Hope |
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This
is Preston,
riding Jack, with
Debbie side-walking. |
How Do we Determine if a Horse Should
come to Flurry's Hope?
1. They are blind.
2.
They are below the age of 20
and otherwise healthy.
3.
They are rideable.
4.
Their lives are in danger. |
Why do Horses go Blind?
Horses go blind for many reasons. Here are some of the ones we have
experienced:
1.
Equine uveitis, a recurrent infection often
referred to
as moon blindness.
2.
Traumatic injury to the brain or eye.
3.
Cataracts.
4.
Eyes poked out by sticks, etc.
5.
Born this way. |
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Don't be Afraid of Blind Horses!
Some people are afraid of blind horses because they believe that since
people use sight to maintain balance, horses do the same. In our
experience, blind horses move no differently than sighted horses.
My personal theory is that horses use their vision to scan for prey more
than to balance. People are trying to think about how they would react
to being blind, and they become afraid that blind horses will trip, step
on someone, fall, etc. This has not been our experience at all.
Our blind horses are exceptionally sure-footed, maybe even more so
because they are clearly paying attention to their feet. They may walk
more cautiously than sighted horses – and then again, some don't
even do that. If we can begin to think like horses and not like
people, we will lose our fear of their blindness. One cannot usually
tell from a distance which of our horses are blind and which are not.
They all move the same and interact with each other similarly. |
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These pictures are from the Madison/Mayodan
Christmas Parade in December
2009... What fun!
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The Flurry’s Hope Story
Flurry’s Hope is named after
Flurry, a blind horse that was given to Emilie Storch. This horse
became an excellent mount but died suddenly in May of 2007. Because of
her experience with Flurry, Emilie realized that wonderful horses were
being killed just because they were blind. The blindness did not hinder
their abilities to be ridden and enjoyed. As a matter of fact, it often
made them better horses who did not run away, listened to their riders
and who made deeper emotional connections. Flurry’s Hope began with the
vision to rescue these horses heading to an untimely death and to raise
public awareness of their ability to be excellent horses to ride. By
February 2010, we will have 14 blind horses living here. Many others
have come through our program. |
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Help!!!!
1. Do you have any extra hay?
2.
Can you help clear land?
3.
Do you have extra tack?
4.
Round pen panels?
5.
Help build shelters?
LET US KNOW. . . WE NEED YOU! |
Everyone Needs a Second Chance!
The mission of Flurry’s Hope is to show
the treasure in blind horses and their potential for riding. We
offer help to others in learning how to care for and train their blind
horses.
We are located on 30 beautiful acres at
the corner of Lowe and Sharp Roads in
Madison, NC.
Our ministry is not only
to provide a sanctuary for blind horses but all kinds of second
chances happen here. It seems that the hearts of all who hear about
us resonates to the message that we must provide second chances in life
to everyone. This is how we can see God's redemptive nature at work.
It's never too late for God to redeem our lives. No matter what has
happened... no matter what shape we are in... God can always do
amazing things... better than we thought, hoped or even dreamed!
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Blind
Horses are Outta Sight!
We had cool T-Shirts printed
for our Flurry's Hope fans - you should have at least one! You can now
purchase them right here. Just choose the color you prefer, your
size, and click on the "Buy Now" button. |
Cost is $10, plus $5 for
shipping / taxes. |
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Would you please make a
contribution to help the work with blind horses?
Our work is supported only by donations from caring people like you.
Donations to
Flurry's Hope will help fund further public awareness and help for
blind horses. We are a 501(c)3
organization and your donations are tax deductible. Please send
your donations to:
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570 Lowe Rd
Madison, NC 27025
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You can also click here to make your donation via Secure PayPal. We
appreciate any amount that you can give, and everything you give will go
directly to the work. Our volunteers take no salary, so that you can
make a difference. Thank
you!
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Promise
is
 learning Dressage!
Promise
is learning dressage techniques. Doesn't
she look great? Can you imagine a blind horse completing "horse ballet"? Anything is possible! |
 Welcome
NightRide
We are please to announce our
first corporate sponsor!
This family friendly radio
program hosted by Bruce Hodges at FM 98.1 has become our
sponsor.
Please take the time to check
them out M-F from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Their website is
http://www.nightrideUSA.com -
visit and tell them that "Flurry's Hope" sent you! |
 Hear Dr. Emilie Storch discuss her passion
for horses, especially those who need a second chance. WMAG
interviewed her in October 2009, and she details the start of Flurry's
Hope, among other organizations that help with horses and people in
need. (This is in MP3 format, and will automatically
play when you click on the icon to the left. It may take a minute or so
to download, but it's worth it!) Blind horses are worth saving! At
Flurry's Hope, we have experienced the joy of riding, training, and
playing with these precious animals. They are not helpless - they
are a blessing.
Contact
Dr. Emilie Storch with your
questions, comments, complaints, or encouragement. |
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Want some books about horses and others who deserve second chances? Learn more about this and other books
by following this link to
www.restingplacebooks.com.
Also, please visit other
"horse-friendly"
websites,
like HorseFriendsNC.
We need people who will adopt one of these special animals. We are glad to help with as much information and support
as possible. Please contact Dr.
Emilie Storch for more details.
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Newspaper Articles:
Saved for a Second Chance
In
October 2009, Dr. Emilie Storch and Flurry's Hope were the front page
news for the Madison Messenger. Just click on the
picture of Dr. Storch with Holiday.
In
November 2009, the High Point Enterprise
ran a story on Flurry's Hope. Click on the picture of Flurry to the
right to enjoy the entire article.
In January 2010, the
Greensboro News and Record posted the story "Seeing Past The
Disability." Click on this precious picture of Dr. Storch with
Reggae for the entire article.
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