In November of 2013 I was able to perform massage therapy on this rescue paint horse mare named Mailea at the Healing Horses facility on Kauai. Her story told to me by Heather Phelps director of Healing Horses was that Mailea, now in her twenties, was found standing in a field and she was just skin and bones. Local young girls went out of their way to find the owner and ask if they could have Mailea to rehabilitate her. They kept her for a few months at their home hidden away from sight for fear they themselves would be reported for abuse, she was just that emaciated. They fed her pounds and pounds of quality food a day until she slowly gained her weight back. They then donated her to Healing Hands as a therapy horse. When I had the pleasure of working with Mailea she was being slowly brought back to work each day with light riders and only for limited time to build back the muscle required to carry riders. For a horse who had endured so much neglect she was very open to massage. Therapy horses are one of my interests due to the positive impact they are have healing of people from traumatic backgrounds as well as the help they provide to children with emotional and developmental disabilities. Thank you to Heather of Healing Horses Therapeutic Riding for all that you do. It was a honor to work with your great horses for the week I was on Kauai.
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