🐴 Giddy'up, Philly

Walking down the streets of Philadelphia, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary to see someone on horseback trotting down the avenue. (You read that right, horseback.🐎🐎)

One of these modern-day cowboys might be Ellis Ferrell, founder and president of Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, a non-profit with a heart for both horses and inner-city youth. 

🏇 Horse riding, a history... Ellis is 83 years old, and has proudly run the club for over forty years. The idea stems from the long history of urban black cowboys, the first of which popped up after the Civil War (since becoming a cowboy was one of the only employment options for freed slaves).

• These days, the FSURC is known for giving impoverished Philadelphia youth the "chance to learn to ride and care for horses whilst teaching life skills and promoting academic excellence."
• More than anything, the kids involved have a greater sense of purpose and community.

💬 What he's saying: I want to give these kids something to do and keep them off the streets,” Ellis told Positive News. “If they got nothing to do, they might get into trouble.”

• "I'm 81 years old now, and I'm still going," he also said. "The horses keep me going."