Deaf Teen Pursues Dream to Be a Professional Horseman

Athien Hernandez California School for the Deaf Sally Zarate

By Joel Brussels , Parent Herald Oct 14, 08:04 pm

A 15-year-old deaf boy in the city of Perris is pursuing his dream of becoming a professional horseman, despite the unique communication challenges that impaired hearing poses.

Athien Hernandez is learning the equestrian sport of reining, which traces its roots in the Old West. The age-old sport has evolved over the years, with many cowboys now competing in the confines of a show arena.

The teenager and his instructor, Luis Torres, who is not deaf, have somehow communicated with each other despite the latter not speaking sign language. Torres explained to KTLA how they overcame the problem of using conventional verbal cues to communicate with the horse.

Hernandez experiences discrimination from a coach

Torres said that for most of his students, he teaches them that a cluck or a kiss, a verbal cue, sends a horse forward. He explained that with Athien, they don't have that, so he has to rely on his body, to lean forward and allow the horse to feel that.

With his mom, Sally Zarate, translating, the teen said he has been training every week for seven months now. Hernandez, who attends the California School for the Deaf in Riverside, said in sign language that his goal is to join competitions. He added that he wants to keep practicing as he is hungry for it.

Zarate said that finding a coach for her deaf son was not necessarily easy. She said they found a woman who gave them about five minutes of her time and put Hernandez on a horse.

She then said that she couldn't do it unless Hernandez could fix his ears or the mom could teach him how to hear her. Zarate explained to her son what had happened, and he was heartbroken. She said it was the first time her son experienced discrimination.

GoFundMe campaign set up for Hernandez

That did not stop the 15-year-old from pursuing his dream. Hernandez and his parents, Kyle and Sally, later found Torres to be his trainer. Torres said that having a horse teaches responsibility and an understanding of almost all humankind.

When asked why he loves the sport, Hernandez signed that horses are his favorite. He added they are fun and enjoys it when he gets on them. He noted that caring about the horses feels good, and his heart belongs to them.

According to Hernandez, his biggest goal is to have his ranch in the future. He wants to have his horses and teach other people as well. Hernandez signed that he did not want to reject anybody just because they were hearing impaired.

Hernandez's family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help the teenager attend two training events in the coming months.