ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Thursday, April 17, 2008

LIN RICE
ThisWeek Staff Writer

A charity ride to save abused horses that began with a group of Westerville bikers has begun to captivate the rest of central Ohio.

In its third year, the annual Horsepower for Horses charity event has grown to include more than twice its original force of 40 bikers.

"This year, we're shooting for at least 100 and we have 40 registered so far," said coordinator Michael Ross.

After securing corporate sponsorship from A.D. Farrow Harley Davidson, the starting location of the rally has moved from Westerville to the A.D. Farrow Co. location at 491 W. Broad St. in Columbus. Bikers and supporters will gather at 9 a.m. April 26 for registration, with the ride scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m.

Ross and others organized the fundraiser two years ago after his daughter, Lauren Myers, told him about the Last Chance Corral in Athens, Ohio. The Last Chance Corral is a nonprofit organization that takes in unwanted and infirm horses and nurses them back to health. The corral develops an individual diet, treatment regimen and a training program for each horse, according to the corral's Web site.

Myers, who now serves on the corral's board of directors, said working regularly with young, mistreated horses is an intensive process.

"Someone's with these horses 24-7," he said. "When we started working with them, we were told to expect a 50-percent loss, but last year, of the 207 horses and foals we adopted, we only lost seven."

Currently, the corral is home to about 15 horses and 30 foals, most of which stay for three to four weeks, she said. After that, they are either adopted or sent to other rescue farms.

A strong following of dedicated individuals has taken part in the Horsepower for Horses rally since its inception, according to committee member Alan Smith.

"We had one lady show up last year with a broken leg, worried that she wouldn't be able to come along," Smith said. "But all the guys just picked her right up and carried her up the hill to the corral."

After touring the corral in Athens, the rally will return to central Ohio for prize drawings and a party at Whiskey Dick's, 2690 E. Dublin Granville Road, Columbus.

Pre-registration and additional information are available online at http://www.horsepowerforhorses.com or by calling (614) 657-2766.

<center>lrice@thisweeknews.com