It pairs horses with people who are dealing with special physical, psychological and behavioral needs. And Tuesday night, 13 News met up with one young rider who's learning to see things differently-- even though he's blind. "Horses are a wonderful, calming creature for children," says Sherry Meier who owns and instructs at Stone Ridge Therapeutic Ranch. 9-year old Marcus Sleep was born premature; he's blind and has other developmental problems. But when he's on a horse, those challenges don't seem so daunting. "The kids do all these activities while the horse is moving, and they're doing exercise and they don't even know it, they're getting therapy, physical, verbal, all of it and just having fun riding a horse," Meier says.

And for the riders, it's not just therapy. "A lot of these kids, this might be the only time they smile today, they may not have had any fun today," says Meier of the riders, "a lot of kids with disabilities, people don't talk to them, how sad is that? Here, they can talk to their horse, they can pet their horse." For Marcus, finding a friend in Prince the horse, means finding out he can do what no one ever thought he would.
"They said he wouldn't live and here he is, doing things normal kids do," says Bob Hauer, Marcus' father. "It just makes you feel so good," Meier says. Sherry says dedicated volunteers are what keep the program running so well. If you want more information on Stone Ridge Therapeutic Ranch, call 785-379-5160 or send an email to horsepowerks@hotmail.com