SWARTZ, La. (RFD-TV) — Horses have long been celebrated for their gentle nature, but at Bright Star Ranch in Swartz, Louisiana, they are doing more than carrying riders — they’re helping people carry heavy burdens, both mental and physical.
Bright Star Ranch’s Equine Therapy Center is home to Sofie, a miniature horse who works with clients like Kathy, who comes to Bright Star once a week.
“You want to get this part on her foot. Don’t get on your knees, though,” Kathy said during a session with the horses.
“She loves it. She might take a little nap, you’ve lulled her to sleep,” she added.
“We work with people who have physical, social, and emotional needs,” said Debbie Bright Chunn, the owner of Bright Star Ranch, explaining the program’s purpose.
Kathy participates in what’s called ‘ground work,’ which doesn’t involve riding but focuses on interacting with the horses through grooming and leading.
“I just feel like it’s wonderful,” she said. “It’s just something I need to do and what I want to do.”
Debbie emphasized the calming effect of the horses: “It’s also that they’re very calming. They sense someone’s anxiety, and they are not judgmental. They don’t look at a person to say there’s something wrong with you.”
Susan Harris, another participant, comes to Bright Star once a week. Harris suffered a stroke in November 2024 and was previously a volunteer at a similar equine facility in Missouri. Now living in Monroe, she discovered Bright Star Ranch through her former facility.
“What we’re going to do is have her walk some, and she’ll let me know if I do anything wrong. Are you ready? Okay, let’s go make him move,” she said during a therapy session.
“And when I had a stroke, I thought I’d never get on a horse again because I couldn’t use my left side to pull myself up. These folks are wonderful, just wonderful,” Harris added.
Chunn said the biggest reward of the program is seeing the smiles it brings. “One thing we see is that most of the smiles when somebody comes here and they’re upset and they don’t think that they could ever do anything again, but they get out here. They start smiling, and that’s the biggest thing,” she said.
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