Horses Helping Vets and Disabled

We are Lucky Star Horsemanship of Nebraska, a small equine facility located near Seward, Nebraska, where we focus on working with veterans, people with developmental and physical disabilities, and anyone who wants to build their confidence. Ryan (my life partner), Gina (me), and our four horses help students learn equine skills that can be used in their everyday lives.

Students like Tim, an Iraq veteran dealing with PTSD who has been able to learn more about himself and gain confidence in himself. Tim found that he could relax and focus more easily and was able to utilize the skills he learned working with the horses in his everyday life.

Students like Aleah, who is legally blind, hard of hearing and developmentally disabled after surviving a childhood cancer, who was told she would never be able to drive. She has gained the self confidence and discipline necessary to compete in carriage driving competitions and succeed!  Carriage driving has giving Aleah a sense of freedom she never felt she could have.

Students like Abby, who has developmental disabilities, and competed multiple times at Special Olympics, who gained the confidence to compete at a trail ride competition and do well.  The confidence Abby has gained with the horses has empowered her to move into her own place.

Students like Tim, Aleah, and Abby are three reasons for continuing in our mission, TO BUILD CONFIDENCE THROUGH HORSEMANSHIP no matter the cost. Currently, we both work other full time jobs to support Lucky Star Horsemanship. Most of our students are low income and we do not charge any of the costs for taking them to competitions and, on a case by case basis, we do not charge anything for lessons. Our finances have been tapped out and we are facing the very real possibility of no longer being able to continue. We are a small facility and we are needing help to make it through this difficult financial time.  We have taken steps to prevent us from getting here again. I have taken on an additional part-time job with flexible hours and increasing the number of students we serve will prevent us from needing future contributions. However, right now, your contribution, no matter the size, will help us continue to help veterans and disabled, and will defray the costs of:

            Helping students who cannot afford lessons, have   them.
           Taking students and horses to competitions and trail rides,  
           Veterinarian bills,
           Grain and hay,
            Mortgage, and
            Tires for the truck, trailer, and support car for taking students and horse to competitions and trail rides.

Could we use more than the $20,000.00 we are requesting? Absolutely. Our long-term goals are; one of us being able to work with Lucky Star Horsemanship full time, building both an indoor and outdoor arena, converting our old dairy barn to a horse barn with stalls, and purchasing a skid steer and other necessary equipment to continue to successfully give this opportunity to anyone.          

This brings us to our biggest goal in 2018, to expand the number of students we reach. We can only do this with your help. With the riding season just around the corner, time is of the essence. Lessons start in mid March and we would like to be ready for our students!

Thank you so much for your assistance and support!

With your help, we can help so many more!

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