Where Horses Heal Humans
Lisa Merritt spent years as a successful interior designer in Los Angeles, building a life that looked perfect on paper. But each morning before work, she felt the call of something deeper.
“I came from a very humble background in Florida,” she says. “I worked my way up and became what most people would consider affluent. But I was unhappy with what I was doing. It wasn’t fulfilling my soul.”
She found peace in the early morning hours, driving through rush-hour traffic to ride her beloved Friesian horse, Hunter. When Lisa first met him in early 2016, he was fearful and unrideable. Hunter was no ordinary horse - a purebred Friesian with royal lineage dating back to the 1500s who had been abandoned after his owner fell on hard times.
A friend at the barn asked if she would try to help. “I swung my leg over him and immediately knew he was dangerous,” Lisa recalls. “But I wanted to learn. I believed in him.”
Some dressage riders at the barn laughed at her decision. “They said, ‘How can you ride this horse? He has a swayback.’” Lisa remembers. “But I didn’t care. I had always dreamed of having a dressage horse,” she continues. “He was trained for 15 years by Guenter Seidel (a world-renowned dressage master). Hunter was truly priceless. What more could I ask for?”
It took over a year of training for Lisa and Hunter to build a bond rooted in patience and trust. “Every morning at dawn, we would gallop along trails beside 500-foot cliffs. Riding him was like being Wonder Woman.”
Then in June 2016, a wildfire threatened Hunter’s boarding facility. The ranch housed 75 horses, and time was running out. “I’ll never forget that feeling – rushing through traffic, terrified he might die,” she says. When she arrived, owners and strangers worked quickly to load the trailers and save the animals. But Hunter refused to load for anyone. He waited for Lisa.
Seeing everyone come together and treat her horse as if he were their own changed everything. “The equestrian world is small. We look out for each other. In that moment, I realized this is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” she says. “I knew I could make a difference in people’s lives while living my passion for horses.”
Inspired by Hunter and her growing connection to the equestrian community, Lisa founded Loyal Friesians Horse Rescue, Inc. later that year. She sold everything she owned and purchased a ranch outside of Los Angeles where she created a horse rescue sanctuary. Operating on faith rather than traditional business plans, she watched as unexpected donations appeared - $10,000 checks and $25,000 contributions that seemed to arrive exactly when needed.
After Hunter passed away in 2021, Lisa felt lost. “He gave me the seven greatest years of my life,” she says. Lisa dreamed of having more horses, but she didn’t know how to move forward with her sanctuary without Hunter, her partner and rock. Then the Fenway Foundation called about a Friesian that was about to be euthanized after arriving from the Netherlands. “I fell to the ground.” This experience marked a turning point in her rescue work.
Today, she still runs Loyal Friesians Horse Rescue, soon to be renamed The House of Hunter. This registered 501(c)(3) non-profit’s mission is to save the lives of all horse breeds that are unwanted, abused or neglected and to rescue those from conditions where their owners are unable to provide for their needs.
Her rescue transforms lives through youth programs like Boy Scout Troop 48. “At first, the boys didn’t want to shovel manure,” Lisa laughs. “By the end of the day, they were competing over who could do it better. Seeing their transformation brought tears to my eyes.”
Despite working seven days a week with no vacations, Lisa carries on. “I walk out my door and see something I’ve created. These creatures are so magnificent, and they depend on me.”
The greatest lesson her horses teach is simple: “They live in the now. They teach us that we’re never victims. We always have a choice in how we see our circumstances.”
About Lisa Merritt
Lisa Merritt left her design career to follow her true calling of rescuing horses in need. Through Loyal Friesians, she inspires others to live with courage, compassion, and purpose. In recognition of her work, we are proud to present Lisa with Logix’s HumanKind Honor.
Website address: www.loyalfriesians.org
Meet the Horses
Lisa offers fine art portrait photography sessions at her ranch with her rescue horses. Guests receive professional photos capturing their time with the horses, with all session donations supporting The House of Hunter rescue facility.
Portrait photography: www.lisafara.org
Individuals featured in HumanKind stories receive a $500 cash award as a token of appreciation for their selfless contributions. To learn more or to nominate a Logix member, please visit https://info.logixbanking.com/humankind.
