Kindred Spirits

story by Ciara Bowen, photography by Charissa Greubel

The partnership between horses and humans is one that has existed for years, evolving through the decades as machinery was invented and utilized. But it has always been believed that their influence goes beyond their physical appeal...

23-year-old Cori Abbott can say with absolute certainty that it does.

In August 2016, Abbott completely lost her ability to walk. The once competitive dancer, cheerleader, and overall athlete was a biology major at Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC, and had dreams of becoming a surgeon before her condition left her with no choice but to drop out. She had presented a variety of symptoms for several years, but the cause was, for a while, unknown. She was officially diagnosed with Charcot Marie Tooth Disease (CMT) type 4C—a degenerative nerve disease that most often presents itself in adolescence—in May of 2017. There are five main types of the condition and several sub-types, all of which various therapies are prescribed to help treat symptoms.

After she plateaued with her traditional physical therapy, with the help of her family and guidance of doctors, Abbott turned to Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT). “My physical therapist asked me if I liked horses and if I had I ever ridden one. The answer was an enthusiastic ‘yes’ and ‘yes,’” she said. “I never thought I would be able to ride a horse again or even have a chance.”

A native of Central Florida, Cori grew up around horses and spent a fair amount of time in the saddle; her mom, Jama Abbott, had an OTTB during her teen years as well. After being cleared by doctors, mother and daughter began their search for a horse. On Craigslist, they found a handsome chestnut OTTB in Fort Meade, a small town 10 minutes north from their home in Bowling Green, Florida. Unable to resist, they made a call and set up a date to meet him.

“The first thing I noticed about this horse was his height; he was a tall boy,” Cori said. But the 16.3h tall ex-racehorse stood quietly as three people maneuvered her onto his back. Once atop, she didn’t need any help starting her bond with him. “It was like he wanted me to be up there,” she said.

Lone Soldier, a chestnut gelding foaled in Louisiana in 2007, ran in four races but was unplaced in all of them before his career came to an end. Not much is known about what he endured after the racetrack, just that somewhere down the line he suffered a skull-breaking injury that left him partially blind in one eye.

“The girl that first got him took really good care of him, but he didn’t click with her so she sold him to another girl named Julia. He didn’t click with her either and Julia wanted him to really bond with someone. When she saw us together, she knew we were meant for each other,” Cori said. Deep down, Cori felt the same, but she continued her search to see if there was a ‘more perfect horse.’ There wasn’t.

“When most people think of thoroughbreds, they picture them as high strung horses,” Cori explained. “I felt the same way until I met Cheeto, but he’s not like that at all. He is truly a gently giant and he loves helping me.”

Now affectionately known as Cheeto, the OTTB joined the Abbott family in January 2018. At that time, Cori couldn’t stand or walk, but Cheeto didn’t mind; he walked alongside her in her wheelchair, quietly, never bothered by what she was doing. In the spring, she progressed to standing and would hold onto the gelding’s neck for balance and support. “He would take a step, turn to me and nudge me a little, and when I couldn’t walk anymore, he would just stop and wait for me.” Cori recalled. By summer, she was standing some on her own and could venture to Cheeto’s pasture, where he would greet her, and she would do some of his grooming.

“It’s been really interesting watching the relationship between Cori and Cheeto develop,” Jama said. “He’s become her best friend. And somehow, on a deeper level, he just gets her. There’s a really special bond there.”

After being diagnosed a couple of years ago, unsure of the implications her disease would have on her future, Cori succumbed to depression as CMT wreaked havoc on her body. One night, as she lay in bed with her mother, she opened up about her emotional struggles. “She was emotionally upset,” Jama recalled. “I was trying to tell her that she still had a lot going for her, and she said to me, ‘I did have a lot going for me, but it feels like everything was taken away.’”

Today, her bond with Cheeto has brought hope and joy back into her life. “With Cheeto around, she feels she has a purpose to get out of bed again.” Her mother added. “She started in a wheelchair unable to do much and now she’s riding him and practically does everything on her own.”

Before Cheeto came into her life, Cori hadn’t put much thought into the ability horses have to help people. She has two cats and a Labradoodle, and they help her in a variety of ways, but Cheeto has had the greatest impact on her life. “I think horses can help people with the simplest of anxiety or health issues,” she said. “When I’m around horses, in general, I always feel in my happiest place and push myself my hardest to get better.”

Taking back control of her life, Cori Abbottis no longer allowing CMT to dictate her happiness, and has once again started to dream. With Cheeto by her side and new aspirations in sight, she hopes to inspire people along the way to never give up.

To find out how you can adopt an off-track-thoroughbred in the U.S. visit www.thoroughbredaftercare.org/taa-accredited-organizations