Founder’s Day of Caring: What is Hoofprints in the Sand?

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – On Friday, the News 2 team spent the day giving back to a local charity as a thank-you to our community for trusting and sharing your stories with us. For 2024, the team gathered in Berkeley County at Hoofprints in the Sand.

What is Hoofprints in the Sand?

It’s an equestrian therapy facility in Berkeley County with the mission of helping veterans utilizing the assistance of some four-legged friends.

“The man you see standing in front of you now is completely different than the man who showed up here the first day, completely different. I don’t even remember that guy,” said Keith Coffey, a Marine Corps veteran.

Coffey is a firm believer in equine therapy. He says it has transformed his life.

Horses healing hearts is what founder Sarah Lustig says happens every day at Hoofprints in the Sand, the equine therapy facility that serves veterans who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries. The program offers unique treatments to help veterans who have tried everything else.

“When these guys get out of their cars, they do not even know how to talk, they don’t want to speak, they are nervous to even come, so their skillset for life has been lost because of the war and the history that they bring to the table, they want to get there lives back they want to learn how to connect,” said Lustig.

That connection between man and beast is the foundation of the program. Dave Chapman, an Air Force veteran, explains this barn was the sanctuary he came to when traditional treatments were not working.

“I hadn’t been around horses in probably 25 years, but what they are offering here is something that the VA and traditional medicine really can’t; it’s about practicing awareness, and mindfulness, and self-regulation, and the horse is a beautiful partner, to help us achieve that goal,” Chapman said.

This was a unique program with a worthy cause that offered the News 2 team the chance to give back.

“You guys have enriched and completed our therapeutic garden, which we will now open up to patients this week. You have fixed and mended our boards to protect our partners, our horses, that actually provide, help us provide multi-modality, and we have a tack room that has been freshly organized, so…we are ready for more patients,” said Lustig.

The team at Hoofprints in the Sand is looking ahead to a bright future.

“You’ve enriched this facility…and we can count on two…thank you so much for being here,” Lustig said.

To learn more about Hoofprints in the Sand and how to volunteer, visit the organization’s website here.