I watched this movie on YouTube yesterday.
‘Adeline’ movie tells the story of heroic horse
ALEXANDRIA — When iconic Newark coach Ruth Sunkle was lending her wisdom to Kathryn King, it was back in the late 1970s and early 80s.
Since reconnecting about 10 years ago, however, it has been King doing the mentoring. Along with a little help from their friends.
The “friends” in this case are horses, specifically, the healing Nokota therapy equines King has at her Valhalla Hill Farm near Alexandria. One of those horses, Leoti, starred in the recently-released independent movie “Adeline,” about a heroic medicine horse that saved 12 lives during a tornado at Serendipity Stables above Marysville in Union County. While Sunkle’s horse, Daisy, is not a Nokota, she also has a prominent role in the film, most of which was shot on King’s farm and in Licking County.
“Adeline” tells the true story of the healing horse and her owner who bought Serendipity Stables near West Mansfield in Union County, and immediately had an impact. Adeline provided successful therapy for a local boy with autism and soon, people with other disabilities came to be healed.
King’s Nokota horse, Leoti, played Adeline, while Sunkle’s Palomino, Daisy, played Yankee, which was bought as a companion for Adeline. The movie really hits home for King, who has worked with horses and people since the 1980s, with it eventually evolving into the healing horses.
“This movie is really about my life,” King said. “I want to be able to share how serendipitously divine this has been.”
In 1996, King hooked up with Licking County Juvenile Court to provide therapy through horses, for mild autism, eating disorders, sexual abuse and anger issues. Then, she met Leo Kuntz, who breeded Nokota therapy horses in North and South Dakota with history dating back to the Battle of Little Big Horn. He gifted her with Odin, originally from Iceland, who recently died at age 36. The rest is history, as she purchased Valhalla Hill Farm 12 years ago, using wood from the land to help build the house.
“When he (Kuntz) died (in 2018), I wanted to carry on his dream, of making these horses, therapy horses,” King said. “Not all horses are medicine horses. It takes me a minimum of seven months, to see what the horse has to offer.”
“I didn’t buy my first horse until I was 60, and she’s a mentor for my horse,” Sunkle said. “She’s a great mentor. I’ve found out why communicating with horses is so important. You are listening to the horse.”
“You learn a lot about language, watching these horses,” King said. “They have so much to teach humans. Communicating, being authentic, not taking on any hate or jealousy. They’re what’s pure, honest and true.”
King operates her farm on historic ground, formerly home of the Shawnee and Hopewell. “There are some bizarre artifacts here,” she said. “In 1760, there was a battle between the Iroquois and Shawnee. What better place to bring people for healing?”
A 91-year-old man from Missouri came to Valhalla for five days for healing, after losing his wife. He heard about it on Facebook. The farm hosts authors of horse books, and artists wanting to teach how to draw horses. There are yoga and meditation sessions, owing to the spiritual nature of the place. But the healing sessions remain the focal point (website www.medicinehorsepreservation.love, e-mail vhfequine@gmail.com or call 740-973-4889).
Looks like a good movie, I’ll have to check it out, thanks.
Do you remember that Don Imus had a ranch where he would teach youth who had cancer how to care for a horse and much more.
This movie reminded me of that.
The Imus Ranch was a working cattle ranch of nearly 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) located in Ribera, New Mexico, 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Santa Fe.[1] Between 1998–2014, it was the site of a non-profit charitable program for seriously ill children, founded by long-time radio personality Don Imus and his wife, Deirdre. The charitable organization sought to ensure the continuity of the lives of children afflicted with cancer or serious blood diseases.[1] The charity’s goal was to provide children ages 10–17 with an experience of living life on a functioning cattle ranch free of charge, to build up the child’s self-confidence and sense of accomplishment, in the company of similar children facing serious illness.[2] In later years, it also opened to siblings of SIDS victims. It was incorporated in New York State and registered as a non-profit organization under subsection 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. It closed following the 2014 season.
For seven days, the children were expected to perform chores and tasks as if they were cowboys, such as caring for horses, in order to gain self-esteem. The ranch operated all year but hosted children only when school was not in session, in eight one-week sessions. Nearly half the children were from minority groups; 10% were black.[7]
During a typical day, the children performed chores beginning early in the morning, such as feeding the various ranch animals, watering plants, gathering eggs, and saddling horses for a two-hour ride led by the Imuses. Recreation included swimming, board games, and pool. In a concession to the serious health needs of the campers, the ranch also had qualified personnel present to treat medical needs.[2]
During the summer months, Imus broadcast his nationally syndicated radio program, Imus in the Morning, from a studio at the ranch. Occasionally, children attending the ranch appeared on the program along with his wife, Deirdre, and son, Wyatt.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imus_Ranch
Very nice, Rusty!
So much to learn from these amazing animals, as your description so aptly explains.
Thx!!
I LOVED it!
Thank you for sharing it with us, Sis!
So, what time do we leave?
(and don’t forget your neck brace this time!)