Over the past 35 years, Larry and Janet Buck have brought chiropractic care to a lot of people, particularly in the field of sports injuries.
They’ve also helped thousands of animals. They spent 11 years traveling the high school rodeo circuit, offering adjustments to contestants and their horses.
Whether it’s human, horse or other, “there’s no greater joy than providing that relief,” Larry said.
Their business, Midwest Chiropractic, celebrated its 35th anniversary on Friday. The couple took time to reflect on what they’ve learned and how their business has changed over the years.
SOMETIME around 2005, the Bucks attended a rodeo in Eureka.
They watched a teenager get bucked off a horse and land in the dirt, head first.
“Every kid that came off landed like that. Just like a lawn dart,” Larry said.
“God pricked our hearts. He said, ‘You need to be there to help those kids,’” Janet said.
They had talked about going to Oklahoma to work on horses and rodeo contestants. They could have made a lot of money, they thought.
Instead, they turned it into a ministry of sorts.
They bought a trailer and equipment to travel from rodeo to rodeo on weekends, offering free chiropractic care to high school rodeo contestants. They did charge parents and others, which provided just enough income to pay their expenses for those trips.
They became affiliated with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and passed out religious pamphlets to those they helped.
Larry also worked on horses and other farm animals, a practice he had started years earlier. Often, owners of working and show animals would ask for his help to provide relief and get the best performance.
He worked on his first horse in 1991 or 1992. A patient had a quarter horse with an Impressive bloodline, and it was having a hard time.
“It’s neat to see the outcome before and after,” Larry said. “You take a horse that might be unruly or aggressive and not disciplined. When you get done, they give a big sigh and it’s a different horse. It’s calmed down because it’s not hurting.”
Janet added: “You see the expression on their face. It’s like someone who has a headache.”
