Elizabeth Hill: Solution-Oriented Attorney and Equestrian Rescue Provider

Stall after stall is filled with beautiful horses that are gently poking their long noses between the bars, looking for a simple rub or touch. All are searching for affection previously denied them, sometimes in cruel and heartless ways. But now they’re part of Changing Leads Equine Rescue, providing them with love, food and a place to run free.

Changing Leads Equine Rescue provides for horses in the Kansas City area that have been abused, neglected and/or abandoned. The rescue ranch offers these animals a safe and peaceful environment. At the same time, children and families experience the pleasure of equine activities. But most importantly, they’re learning about the responsibility of maintaining and caring for a horse during its rehabilitative process. In addition, Changing Leads Equine Rescue provides an adoptive network service, uniting each rescued horse with a qualified adoptive family. At their forever homes, these horses continue to receive the care, love and support needed to complete their healing.

Taking on the reins of this organization is Elizabeth Hill, who also practices law at The Hill Law Firm, P.C., located in Overland Park, Kansas, and North of the River, in Kansas City, Missouri. Changing Leads Equine Rescue is housed on her property along with Woodson Hill Equestrian Center. “I love what I do as an attorney, but my barn is my end of the day and weekend,” shared Elizabeth. “When I was kid, horses were my world; I loved them. As an adult, to be able to provide a facility and an avenue for kids to learn how to ride and enjoy horses makes me incredibly happy.”

In 2008, Elizabeth took over the leadership of Changing Leads Equine Rescue from a couple in her church. To better guide the organization, she moved it to her home at Woodson Hill Equestrian Center. Since then, the program has grown and expanded its horizons.
Changing Leads Equine Rescue has about 50 active volunteers, 10 board members and no paid employees. Each year Changing Leads volunteers organize and run a five-horse-show series called The Fuzzy Horse Show during the winter months. The name comes from the fuzzy coats the horses naturally take on to keep out the winter cold. The Fuzzy Horse Shows raise most of the nonprofit’s operating budget. It’s also an incredible opportunity for riders to gain experience during the winter months when riding can be limited. The Fuzzy Horse Shows are held at Lone Wolf Ranch in Cleveland, Missouri, and are scheduled every year in October, November, March, April and May. Dates and times are listed on the Changing Leads Equine Rescue website.

Elizabeth will continue to guide Changing Leads Equine Rescue as long as she owns the property. She admits it’s not easy, but it’s worth it to her and many others, especially the horses. “The goal for Changing Leads is to continue to be a viable operation,” Hill said. “It’s difficult in the current economy to run a successful non-profit. We are one of the few horse rescues still in this area because funding is always a challenge. Taking care of horses is expensive.”

When it comes to her work as an attorney, Elizabeth has just as much passion. In her practice, she focuses on divorce mediation, collaborative mediation and collaborative divorce, which are solution oriented. “Professionally, my work is very fulfilling for me. It’s an opportunity to help people when they are in a very difficult phase of their life,” commented Elizabeth. “I like to think that I offer compassion and understanding to them.”

Throughout the entire process, Elizabeth is keenly focused on helping couples transition and restructure their family with dignity and respect for one another. They’ll learn to work in an environment that resolves disputes in a healthy way while promoting cooperation, thoughtfulness, solutions and respect.

“The goal is to help a couple work through their divorce in a way that is respectful, thoughtful and kind to one another,” noted Elizabeth. “The children are always at the forefront of our discussions. We look for ways to work through the divorce so the couple maintains a healthy relationship in which they can successfully co-parent their children. In addition, there must be a distribution of their marital estate that’s acceptable to them.”

Whether it’s at her law practice or in a horse stable, Elizabeth is focused on helping those in need, animals and humans alike, through some difficult challenges. She considers her professional work and volunteer efforts at Changing Leads Equine Rescue a way to help others while helping herself.

“I have a very blessed life. I have my health. I have a career. I have a beautiful family,” Elizabeth shared. “I see my life as a blessing, not, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve got all this stuff to do.’ When you look at it that way, there isn’t much to complain about.” ■

To learn more about Changing Leads, visit changingleadsequinerescue.org. To learn more about The Hill Law Firm, visit HillLawFirm.com.