Chris Anderson: Blind horse gives veterans a clearer vision of hope in Manatee County

Oct. 25--The veterans walked into the barn with blank paper, colored pencils and heads they were trying to clear. The old blind horse with the scar on his hip and the star on his stall awaited their arrival.

There were 10 of them Thursday, vets from Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, all with PTSD. They were attending a horse therapy program at the Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy (SMART) in eastern Manatee County.

One of the assignments of the day was for the vets to look at four separate horses and draw what they saw, the vibe they felt. The horses did not have names on their stalls, only symbols. It was an enlightening exercise in the art of observation.

When they finished, they met under an oak tree to discuss their observations. The horse with the star symbol on his stall was of particular interest. They knew nothing about him, only what they saw. Some noticed his eyes, but not everyone did.

One veteran drew a picture of the horse with a crown and cape and scepter because he appeared "noble, majestic and wise." Another vet was struck by the peaceful and patient nature of the horse, saying to the group, "Me, as a human, I would like to adopt some of these traits."

It was then that they learned some of the backstory. The horse's name is Magic. He is 24 years old, and there is a star on his stable because that's what he is -- a star. But he wasn't always.

The horse was adopted by Jody McBrien when he was 3. He was likely abused, a possible candidate for slaughter, and there was a nasty scar on his hip from when he was stuck in a fence. But there was something special about him, too, so McBrien brought him to her home in Georgia and named him Magic. One day he tossed her, which was unusual, and when she put her hands in front of his eyes she realized he was blind.

She couldn't stand to put him down, so she had his eyes removed and sewn shut. Eventually she moved to the area, taking a job as a professor at USF-Sarasota, and donated Magic to SMART. He has since become a horse the veterans have connected to. He has dealt with an issue and thrived. That means they can too.

"He's an inspiration to them," said Terry Murray, who runs the veterans program at SMART. "He is living his life, living past his limitations, noble and full of wisdom."

Murray, a Navy vet from Sarasota, started the program about a decade ago and has conducted it in six different states. More than 650 veterans have taken part, he said. SMART hosts the program once a month, and VFW Post 24 from Bradenton brings in lunch.

It's not a grade-school field trip, either. The point of the program is to clear the head and pay attention to the feelings of the heart and gut. Murray says he often sees progress at the end of the day. The horses can have that much effect.

And Magic is one of those horses. He used to have a best friend named Mr. K. They looked out for each other. Mr. K was small and was bullied by the other horses. Magic stood up for him. In turn, Mr. K was Magic's eyes, not to mention a comforting body during thunderstorms.

Murray used to bring disabled veterans and their spouses to observe Magic and Mr. K, and the dynamic of caretakers and caregivers.

"There were very powerful connections, and they learned about that dynamic of who is dependent on who and how that dynamic shifts over time," Murray said.

Mr. K passed away a year or so ago, and now Magic has a new friend who looks after him. Her name is Carly. She is 36 years old. But make no mistake, there is only one horse with a star on his stall.

He may be blind, but he gives veterans dealing with some very serious issues a vision that maybe things will be OK after all.

"His disability doesn't diminish his presence," Murray said. "He gives them hope because he can move past his challenges and stand in his own space of power and wisdom."

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