By Steffen Klenk
Every day, Dennis Township resident Abby Revoir tends to the dozens of horses in her care. Her two donkeys, Cindy and Lucy, bray loudly for attention as she approaches their pen. Abby is the founder of Starfish Equine Rescue, a non-profit organization that has been rescuing horses since 2016.
Revior attended Wildwood Catholic High School and began riding horses competitively at the age of 14. After researching the horse slaughter industry, she began devoting her life to helping animals in need. After going to college for her Bachelor’s Degree in Equine Studies, Revoir returned to the area. “I rented a barn and that’s when I started my business.”
That business, Star Hollow Stables, specializes in horse shows, boarding, lessons and summer camps. A short time later, she began saving horses one at a time. What started with one horse grew into two, and then came an outpouring of love and support from the community. “People started to catch on and wanted to help.” From there, Starfish Equine Rescue was born. The name of her organization is based from The Starfish Story, a poem by Loren Eisley. The poem emphasizes the impact of making a difference in one’s life.
In 2018, Abby was introduced to Kim Fenton. A South Jersey native, Fenton is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She works for the Egg Harbor Township School District, as a specialist for individuals on the Autism spectrum and kids with emotional disabilities. Last year, she and Revoir launched Project Stride, a pro bono program that utilizes rescue horses and therapeutic riding to provide coping skills for children and adults with generalized anxiety.
The groundwork for the Project Stride had been in the works for some time. After much consideration, the equine assisted learning program was launched on August 28th; a day that has a lot of significant in Fenton’s life, the anniversary of her mom’s passing. It offered a way for Fenton to turn that into something positive. However, the pandemic and ongoing restrictions also played a huge role. “With the idea of (schools) not being open last September and a lot of uncertainty, I had noticed that people were looking for an outlet.”
Within a safe, socially distant environment, each rider has been able to connect during a time when it has been much needed. And with a little help from their equine friends, the experience has also opened up new discussions. “We just use the atmosphere to open up really large conversations about communication about how the world was changing and how we can adjust to those changes,” describes Fenton.
When the COVID-19 pandemic took its hold on South Jersey one year ago, many had felt anxious, stressed about the ongoing events and weary of losing loved ones. Thanks to the help of Kim Fenton, Abby Revoir, and the gracious volunteers that donate their time, these caring individuals are making a difference in our world, one horse at a time. “To be able to give back and open that up to people outside of the farm, we help the horses and then the horses help all of us too. It’s a full circle,” Revoir says.
Learn more about this awe-inspiring program by visiting stridecmc.org, or follow Project STRIDE on Facebook. You can also visit Starfish Equine Rescue online for additional information about the rescue horses on-site.
Steffen Klenk is a multimedia journalist. He resides in Ocean City and enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life.
