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🐴Antoinette Essa surprises horse whisperer: ‘Thank you so much’

Posted at 12:47 PM, Dec 07, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-07 12:48:36-05

POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. -- Antoinette Essa recently surprised a man known as a horse whisperer for his therapeutic work with rescue horses for the CBS 6 Month of Giving.

Nathaniel White Feather rescues horses from slaughterhouses and kill pens and rehabilitates the animals at a farm in Powhatan. He does this through the White Feather Trail Rides and Literacy Program, where kids at risk get to ride for free each time an adult pays for a trail ride.

"Children between ages 7-17 are asked to read 10 books as their personal investment," White Feather said. "When they arrive on the ranch the kids then offer a drawing, book report or oral telling of what they read and learned in those 10 books. There is no cost to the child or parent because another community member has paid it forward."

Antoinette caught up with White Feather and yoga instructor Nitika Achalam at True Grit Yoga Studio, who partnered to provide therapeutic support to both animals and humans, as they prep for their next horse fundraiser.

“We wanted to support your fundraising efforts to buy feed and hay for the horses,” Essa said. “We thought this would be a nice thing to do. Of course, you’ve already paid it forward, that’s what we ask you do.”

“Awesome! Thank you so much,” White Feather said.

White Feather and Achalam said CBS 6's donation will help "feed the horses more hay over the coming winter months which will keep them healthy and warm."

Click the links to learn more about White Feather Trail Rides andTrue Grit Yoga.

The CBS 6 Month of Giving is made possible with help from our friends at Loyalty Automotive. Look for new Month of Giving segments each day on CBS 6 News.