A Little Horse Making a Big Difference Combating the Opioid Crisis.
Community Risk Reduction, Opioid Focus
The City of Cayce received South Carolina Opioid Recovery Funds (SCORF). City management decided to utilize the funds to hire a Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Manager through Cayce Fire Department. This position would focus on drug prevention messaging, overdose data, supporting individuals in recovery. The overall goal of the position was reduce the occurrence of overdoses and loss of life.
Cayce Fire Department hired Lindsay McDade as the new CRR Manager. McDade started her career in the fire service in 2014 and was quite familiar with running overdose calls and the need for more community outreach and engagement.
It was very slow going for McDade and the state of the CRR programs. The fire service typically educates on fire safety, smoke alarms, and fire escape planning, not addiction or drugs. It was very hard for McDade to get any community engagement with the drug awareness messaging.
Our Equine programs are 100% funded by grants and donations. Non- Profit Hoof Beat Ranch steps in to bridge the gap of funding and program needs in partnership with Cayce Fire Department.
Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI)
A mentor of McDade suggested she train her mini horse Muffin to be a registered therapy horse through therapy animal organization Pet Partners. Muffin’s main job was was helping the wild horses McDade was training to know they were safe and ok and could trust people. Now, Muffin would start her training to be a therapy horse for people.
McDade first was hesitant to train Muffin to be a therapy horse. One of the equine requirements is to be reliably potty trained. How do you potty train a horse? And meet all the other equine requirements?
After much thought and prayer, McDade decided to go for it and see what happened. She pitched her idea to the City which gave permission for this new innovative idea, Animal Assisted Interventions with Muffin the Therapy Horse. After many hours of training Muffin and McDade passed the team evaluation with Pet Partners in the winter of 2024 with the highest score. McDade and Muffin were an official therapy team! The Muffin Cares Program was born.
Muffin has a Message
In the fire service there is core messaging and resources for fire safety messaging. For example NFPA 2025 Campaign “Charge into Fire Safety” about lithium ion battery safety. The drug prevention messaging tailored for fire departments was non-existing.
McDade worked with Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council (LRADAC) to develop core messaging for the community based on overdose data, drug trends, and associated risks. The Attorney General’s Office in partnership with the local human trafficking task force (which McDade was a member of) helped with the graphic design of the outreach materials.
The “Muffin has a Message” cards were completed. Muffin helps raise awareness about substance misuse, dangers of fake prescription pills, proper medication disposal, and standing up to peer pressure. She also helps to start the conversation on human trafficking awarenss.
Muffin Paves the Way
Muffin and McDade visited all over the community. They went to the airport, recovery groups, overdose awareness day, school groups, first responder agencies, community events, hospitals, 5K races, and much more.
McDade went from getting very little engagement to now having more requests than she can fill. This led to McDade getting Mila the mini pony. Mila came from a neglect situation and it took over a year to get her healthy and to pass the therapy horse test.
People wanted more time with Muffin, so the Therapeutic Equine Activities (TEA) program was established 2025. McDade incorporated her other horses and donkey into the TEA program. The TEA program is an equine assisted learning program focused on teaching mindfulness and the engagement of the “Rest and Digest” system. The TEA program is offered to those in recovery, first responders, and those wanting to improve mental wellness.
Looking Forward
Hoof Beat Ranch (501c 3 nonprofit) was a dream McDade had long before she ever had Muffin or any horses for that matter. McDade wanted to make horses accessible and available for all. Hoof Beat Ranch’s mission is to bring healing, hope, and recovery through the horse and human partnership.
With the tremendous growth of Muffin the Therapy Horse, Hoof Beat Ranch works in partnership with City of Cayce (through Cayce Fire Department) to implement and fund the different horse programs. The growth of the equine programs brings the need for additional staff and resources. Hoof Beat Ranch helps bridge that gap to bring the highest level of animal assisted interventions to the community.
Our equine programs are funded by donations and grants to service the community at no cost. Please consider donating, sponsoring a horse, buying a t shirt, or getting the word out. If you know of a grant or other funding source we should apply for, please contact us and let us know.
