Inside the equine program at Wateree Prison in Sumter County | News

And they convey a sense of hope that is crucial for prisoners after their release, the professor said.

Chris Griffin spent about four years in Wateree. The 40-year-old has loved animals since he was a child and wanted to get involved with Second Chances after hearing that others had found careers in the horse industry after being released from prison.

“I thought it was a wise decision,” he said. “I'm glad I did it.”

Griffin was certified through Groom Elite, a riding course offered at each of TRF's Second Chances stables, where he learned about saddling and horse biology, as well as basic first aid.

Inmates at Wateree have access to instructional videos and books, as well as a life-sized plastic horse covered with a blanket depicting its anatomy, to help them study for Groom Elite certification.

Of the roughly 20 men at Wateree who have participated in Second Chances over the past five years, 15 have received their grooming certificate, an SCDC spokeswoman said. The inmates are not paid for their work but can have time credited toward their sentence.

Griffin knew he wanted to continue working with horses after he left the SCDC in 2014. He started out mucking out stables. Within three months, the stable's trainer promoted him to groom. He traveled to various horse shows, working 15-hour days as he prepared the animals for competition.

Today, Griffin is the farm manager of a 40-acre dressage stable near Athens, Georgia. He has no plans to leave the industry anytime soon—he has found his calling, thanks in part to the Second Chances program.

“It can change you from the inside out if you let it,” Griffin said.

Budget constraints

Hill acknowledged that programs like Second Chances are not a magic solution to all the problems that landed someone in prison. They are also expensive to operate, present certain security issues and require the buy-in of multiple stakeholders.

All 50 states have a prison animal program. But Hill knows of no correctional agency that makes room for it in its annual budget. Partners like TRF have to cover most of the costs.