Lufkin student helping rehabilitated horse to learn to trust again

LUFKIN, Texas ( KETK ) – A 15-year-old Lufkin high school freshman recently attended the Angelina County Fair with Jem, a rehabilitated 18-year-old gelding, who she’s trying to get to trust again.

“This horse could not do any of this before, and look what he can do now,” said Brianna Rohweder, a freshman with the Lufkin High School FFA and 4-H Horse Club.

This isn’t just a show for Jem it’s also a test.

“For Jem, his is mainly for exposure to get him ready for state show, get him used to all the random animals that are going to be there,” said Rohweder.

She said getting Jem ready hasn’t been easy, because other animals terrify him.

“So it came with a lot of desensitization, there was a lot of getting giant pinwheels spinning them next to him, making random noises with tarps, throwing soccer balls at him,” said Rohweder.

Now he is ready to hit the ring but helping animals like Jem wasn’t the only challenge for FFA students this year.

“The feed is going up pretty bad this year, I think a bag of sumo, which is a supplement that’s used on multiple pigs, is around 80 bucks now and it used to be 50,” said Barrett Youngblood, a freshman with Central FFA.

Rohweder said she has faced the same issues when it comes to hay, but she isn’t letting it stop her from doing what she loves.

“I like to come out here and meet new people, show the horses to the little kids, let them get their own little enjoyment out of it,” said Rohweder.

She added that she wishes more students would come out and show animals.

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