Transforming Lives: The Healing Power of Horses at Manna’s Hana
Four horses, one pony, and a commitment to bettering the lives of underserved children across the Upper Cumberland, this is Manna’s Hana.
“We started in 2011 with two students, one horse, and three team members. My vision was to have special needs children come here and actually learn to ride a horse. This is not a pony ride. These children actually learn to handle a 1000-lb horse,” owner Bobbie Abell stated. “Our main focus here is special needs. When people hear “special needs,” they think of Down’s syndrome, spina bifida, or autism, but it also includes children who have experienced a loss in their lives or have been in the foster care system. We try to meet those needs as well and the biggest teachers are the horses. They meet the kids where they’re at and respond to their needs. I get asked, ‘What does HANA stand for?’ God named our riding center when he woke me up at 3am said, ‘Helping Achieve Needed Agility.’”
The unique bond formed between children and horse found at Manna’s Hana is often like the sword in the stone choosing Arthur. The horse takes the lead, with remarkable results.
Bobbie said, “Horses will usually choose the child. We try to keep that horse with that child, but we also want them to be comfortable with all the horses. One student has been here since the beginning. We had her paired with a Tennessee walker and she had ridden her before but was not thrilled. We have another horse called Hawk and we paired her with him. She immediately talked confidently to him and told him how good and sweet he was. What was actually happening was she was feeling confident in herself and bonded with that horse. She will be riding him this fall.”
Bobbie and the volunteers at Manna’s Hana place an emphasis on providing students with a safe space to learn. While there, the children have autonomy and access to vetted training. The unique blend of zeal, security, encouragement, healing, and expertise offered through the program contributes heavily to its organic growth.
“The children need a neutral place where they go in and we concentrate on what they can do with the horses. When they go through the gate into our pasture, they’re there to learn to ride and care for a horse. The parents get a respite as we work with the children.” Bobbie continued, “Most students come to us through word of mouth. One parent will tell another parent, “My child is riding.” They invite them to a horse show or lesson. We’ve had several physical therapists refer to us too which is awesome. We’re also certified through a wonderful organization called PATH which has very strict standards concerning special needs qualifications. There are only five locations in the state that are currently PATH certified.”
Within five minutes of hearing Bobbie’s voice for the first time, her love for children who need it the most was undeniable. Through her leadership and the work of amazing volunteers, lives are being permanently changed at Manna’s Hana.
“Our volunteers get so much joy watching the transformation in the student from being unsure, or even unwilling to touch the horses to learning to groom and ride them. Horses unlock something inside these children.” She continued, “We had an open house where one of our (mostly nonverbal) students came up to her mom and said, ‘May I have another cookie please?’ Her mother started crying because that was her first full sentence. This is a 10-year-old who just told her dad ‘I Love you’ for the first time this past Father’s Day. Working with the horses unlocked something in her.
Manna’s Hana currently has 27 students.
Think about it. 27 kids bonding with horses, learning about themselves, and gaining independence right here in our community.
We can’t think of anything more beautiful.
It’s a joy to celebrate Bobbie, her team, and this amazing organization in Cookeville Lifestyle Magazine.
To learn more about volunteering, donating, or recommending a child to Manna’s Hana, visit www.mannahana.org.
– by Andrew Buckner, photos by Ben Weaver
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