COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – Blair Barone, a licensed clinical psychologist, founded The Lucky Horse Sanctuary, about 12 years ago, in Broward County, to help heal both animals and humans from trauma.
Barone traded her office in Boca Raton for a sanctuary in Coconut Creek to focus on animal-assisted therapy practices.
“Horses are great communicators, they’re great at setting boundaries, and they’re great at communicating our needs,” Barone said.
At her office, Barone was only able to work with dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits. Now she has three acres with dozens of animals.
“When I started bringing clients out to the barn, that I had been seeing in my office, I instantly noticed a whole shift in their demeanor,” Barone said.
Barone also works to rescue the animals. Aside from horses, the sanctuary is also home to about 70 animals including a donkey named Jules, pigs named Oaks and Simon, five alpacas, a group of sheep, and a goat.
“You do get to a deeper place with people because of the effect animals have on us physically, psychologically, neurologically, spiritually, and even our behavior,” Barone said.
The sanctuary became a nonprofit organization in 2021 and runs several programs. For more information about how to participate in the programs or support the sanctuary, visit this page.
