Wednesday, June 26, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Local artist contributes to Healing Reins Horses have been discov- ered to have a very special gift. They can help people who are physically and emo- tionally injured to heal. There are some things that only a horse can do. If you have lost the use of your legs, you may be fitted with prosthetic replacements, but as good as they can be, there is always discomfort when you wear them. A horse gives you legs that let you fly over the ground. You can find a freedom with a horse that is beyond anything you imagined when you were first injured. If you are emotionally scarred by war or abuse, you9ll never be able to fully function in society until you are able to overcome the deep, often hidden, fear that can choke your social adjust- ment. A horse will help you overcome that fear as no other counselor or program can do. In Colorado, a prison has been using violent inmates to gentle wild American horses. The result of this collabora- tion between the BLM and the prison system has pro- duced the most successful inmate rehabilitation program in the country. Healing Reins, in Bend, is a non-profit organization which offers horse therapy to the public. This grow- ing industry is a natural for Central Oregon, and Healing Reins has enjoyed a success- ful 20 years serving the com- munity. As a non-profit, they depend upon community sup- port. This year they decided to invite local artists to submit a painting, which will be sold, with the proceeds supporting their horse therapy program. Sisters artist Jean Russell Nave decided to join the proj- ect. Nave grew up with horses and had a dream about a piece of art she has painted and is offering to the program. When Jean was young, her family was dysfunctional and her horse was her way to escape the chaos. She would canter across the fields and dream that her little mare, Ginger, could fly. Her painting is titled,