A recently painted mural of Cookie, a rescued horse, adorns the wall of one of the first stables at the Covered Bridge Equestrian Center in Felton. The mural was painted by Theresa Patzke Guiver as a tribute to Felton’s Michelle Lamelin, the founder of Mending Hearts horse rescue, for her work with horses and children.
Lamelin, a graphic designer by trade, cares for six horses, providing food, bedding, medication and insurance as part of her work at the stables. She has developed a heart for older horses, and Mending Hearts is similar to hospice care for horses that may have been abandoned or injured.
“I want to offer a space where they are taken care of and understood for the rest of their days,” Lamelin said.
Part of each horse’s care is to be active. Some of the horses have arthritis from careers doing pony rides or from being treated poorly. Besides taking medication, their daily routines often include a walk or a trot at the stable, as well as a good brushing.
Lamelin teaches horse lessons for children that not only teach riding, but stable care, horse care and a community-minded spirit.
“We’re all about understanding here and really loving the horses,” Lamelin said. “It’s not just about riding.”
Besides horses, Lamelin’s passion is working with children and young adults. She sees the older girls mentor the younger girls as they care for and learn to ride horses.
She’s proud of the youngsters — ages 3 and older — who come to the stable as part of what she’s named her Equine Luv program.
“They learn responsibility, commitment, improving the community and being respectful,” she said. “They go around and pick up poop. Not only our poop, but everybody else’s poop.”
Maddy Morrison, who’s been coming to Lamelin for several months, appreciates the work she does.
“She really, really cares about the girls,” Morrison said. “It’s about the horses, and also about empowering girls.”
Some students go for lessons once a week, others go almost every day. And almost every penny from the lessons is put directly back into caring for the horses Lamelin keeps.
But the horses aren’t the only reason Lamelin does what she does:
“I’ve found that my other passion is getting involved with these kids.”
