The Human
Lexie Kerr, LCSW
Lexie graduated with her BS in Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences from the U of A in Fayetteville. She majored in Animal Science and minored in Equine Science. Lexie has been in the equine-assisted services industry since 2010 where she has worked in various positions including volunteer coordinator, therapeutic riding instructor, and director of operations. Lexie co-founded a non-profit in Northwest Arkansas that is still in operation.
Lexie recognized the need for more mental health services, and graduated with her master’s degree in social work in 2020. She is trained in EMDR and is certified in Equilateral®: Equine-Assisted EMDR. Lexie also holds certifications as an equine-assisted psychotherapist through O.K. Corral and a CTRI (Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor) through PATH International.
Lexie is a contributing professional to the Intro to Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies course at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
When she’s not with the horses, Lexie enjoys spending time with her friends and family, swimming, kayaking, fishing, and singing karaoke.
The Horses
Sessions at Stable Steps include opportunities for you and the horses to get to know each other. Each horse has a unique personality and their rich histories contribute to the strengths they bring into sessions.
In Memory
Anyone who loves horses will tell you that the lessons learned with horses will stick with you forever. They shape us to our core. We would be remiss to not acknowledge the horses that helped us make it this far.
Hank
There’s something special about a girl’s first horse.
Hank was a 21 year old American Paint gelding. He was a halter horse stud in Louisiana before moving to Arkansas after the death of his owner. He passed through a few more owners doing various jobs before he was gelded and trained for mounted shooting. While he had the right temperament for the job, he was “too slow”. Hank was deemed to be “worthless” and eventually landed in a pasture in Mulberry.
Lexie met Hank when her family purchased property close to Hank’s pasture. They got to know each other over the next few months and Lexie offered to purchase Hank from his owners. And that’s how Lexie bought her first horse!
Lexie knew Hank wasn’t in the best health, and she bought him with the intention of letting him live out his days in peace. But Hank made it very clear that he wasn’t done yet! With a little TLC, Hank’s personality began to flourish. His final job was as a therapeutic riding horse in Northwest Arkansas, where he provided love and kindness to hundreds of children and adults. He attended public events in support of children in foster care, he was an ambassador for senior horses and their variety of uses, and he was one of the first horses to attend the NWA Pride Parade in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Hank was a shining example of resiliency and how one person’s “worthless” is another person’s “priceless”. He paved the way for Stable Steps and we are forever changed by his unconditional love.
Photo credit: Mariah Farmer Photography
Lux
You can’t teach natural instincts.
Lux was an 11 year old Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred/Morgan cross. Lexie received a phone call that a friend was leaving for Vet school and couldn’t take Lux with her. Lux was halter broke, but that was about it. Lexie went to visit him and was instantly drawn to his kind eyes and amazing soul. He was confident, playful, and brilliant!
Lux had a knack for knowing exactly how humans were feeling. Oftentimes, he knew before they ever knew themselves and he would shift his own demeanor to “match the energy” of those around him. This made him a phenomenal partner for equine-assisted services. He also had a tendency to “protect” which made him the ultimate co-facilitator for clients who needed extra emotional support. Lux would sometimes refuse to leave someone’s side, even going so far as ignoring other horses and people.
Lux was the most forgiving horse. He provided individuals the opportunity to learn horsemanship skills without ever holding a grudge. He was the ideal partner for teens and adults to learn new relationship skills including building trust, repairing ruptures, and setting and maintaining boundaries.
While we had a very short time with Lux, the lessons that we learned from him were invaluable. He was a prime example of how a horse’s natural instincts can provide powerful healing. We are eternally grateful for Lux’s kindness and playfulness.
Photo credit: Mariah Farmer Photography
