Meet the Horses
Chief
My name may be Chief, but I am not the head of the herd around here. I like to stand in the background when all the lady horses are around so I don't get in their way. I love my job here at the barn. I get to carry around all the riders who won't like riding on other horses. I feel special when I am chosedn to be ridden by riders and I make sure they feel special also by carrying them around the arena with no problem. I am a big strong man and I feel like I am the Chief of all other horses when I carry my riders. I was donated to the prgram by my loving family that could no longer take care of me. I miss them but I feel right at home here at the barn. I like to hang out with the other boys at the barn when I am not working. My favorite buddies are Dude and Champ. I like telling them stories of all the riders I proudly carry around the arenea. Also, I often get mistaken for Tate cause we are the same color! But I am bigger than Tater.
Tater
My name is Tater and I spend most of my days here at the barn riding awesome kids around. My nice slow walk helps kids feel secure in the saddle while we spend time together. I don't mind to ride around all day or just hang out and be loved on by all the riders here at the barn. I was donated to the program by an awesome loving family that was going to be moving soon and couldn't take me along on their journey. I have found a home and purpose here. Days are just better when I get to see my riders. Also, I don't mind to share the spotlight with Cherry and Ms. A.
Cookie
My name is Cookie and I was named this due to my beautiful coloring which resembles an oreo! My previous owner Kathryn Beane sold me to Stone Creek Equestrian Center where I live and I am used for the program here at Ther-Equine. I love my job here and enjoy carrying around riders in the program. I am so good at my job that some riders can steer me independent of any leader or sidewalker helping them. When I’m not working in enjoy down time in the field with my friends, Cherry and Daisy. Alfalfa is of course my favorite hay and I love the extra apples and treats the riders bring for me. Oh and don’t forget my wonderful slow trot I have! It gives the riders just the right amount of movement they need to feel like they are riding with the wind.
Winston
My name is Winston and I came to live at Stone Creek in October 2015. I have lots of training pulling a cart and wagon and toting tons of kids around on my back. I came from Ohio where I was used on an amish farm and I learned how to be gentle and loving of the rider that I was carrying. I have a faster pace walk that some of my other friends here at Ther-Equine, so I am not used for all the riders here. Sometimes there are riders who need a slower walking horse and then there are those who need more movement and I am the horse for the job. Although I have lots of experience pulling a cart, I don’t pull a cart for the therapy program. This takes special certification by the instructors here to be in compliance with PATH standards, but maybe one day I will be used to pull therapy kids around. Until then I will enjoy being used for riders in the saddle and riders thru the Stone Creek program as well.
Champ
I was one of the first guys here at the barn. I don't carry a lot of riders but I mainly supervise the activity that I see going on in the arena. I like to carry riders when we go on trail rides. One of my jobs here at the barn is to pull the wagonette around with lots of passengers. I take pride when my humans put the harness on me. Not everyone here is able to pull the wagonette and I feel special having been chosen for the job. When I'm not at work I like to hang out with my buddies Dude and Chief. We hang out in the pasture and enjoy running and chasing each other. I usually have to be the leader of the game of chase, but Chief and Dude usually jump in and play also. We are all buddies and just enjoy each others company.
Cherry
Here at the barn I am one of the favorites. You can call me old faithful as I usually get to start each new rider out on their journey here at the program. I enjoy spending time with young riders and carrying them on my back. We walk around the arena and do all kinds of learning activities and games. I enjoy seeing the happiness of riders when they throw balls off my back, or work on their balance as I change my pace to help give them more movement and especially when they ride backwards on me. I even have some riders who like to lay down on my back when they are turned around backwards! But most of all I like to be loved on and petted after a long ride.
Ms. A AKA Amadolla
I know that Cherry thinks she is the favorite here at the barn, but actually I am the favorite. I only know this because we have stalls next to each other and during the night Cherry and I talk about the events of the day. She brags about her adventures in the arena with the riders, but I always out brag her and talk about the awesome riders that I get to carry! Riders who need more movememnt always get to ride on me. I am a spotted walking hrose and I walk a lot faster than Cherry, so the riders get more input from my gait. I love to do a running walk around the arena and let my riders feel the bounce of my gait. I know they love it because I can hear them giggle and laugh. I truly enjoy my job here at the farm. I stand as still as possible when riders brush me or love on me. I have the greatest job in the world.
Charlie
Noah and I are best friends and we hang out when we are not at work. We work a lot but I enjoy my job. I am small and I don't get to carry riders around on my back. I do enjoy lots of loving from teh riders that come. I stand still when being groomed, but I have to dance around a lot when I am getting a bath. My humans don't know it, but I get so excited to have a batht that I can't stand still. My favorite job here is to pull the cart around with lots of riders taking turns. I can walk slow, trot, or even canter when I get super excited. We do all kinds of obstacles in the arena. I take pride in my work here and do the best job that I can. It makes me feel special when I know that I am giving the rider independence because I don't have a side walker often and usually don't need a horse leader.
Noah
Don't be a hater of my beautiful golden mane. I work hard to grow such a beautiful golden head of hair. I don't carry riders around here at the barn because the humans say I am to small, but actually its because I don't want to mess up my hair. I was the first horse here at the barn so I feel honored to be here all the years to watch the barn grow and my humans finally get the therapeutic program started. It has been a dream of hers for a long time. We would sit and talk about all the riders that we would get to work with one day. I told her that I couldn't wait for them to come and love on me. So now, it has finally happened and I couldn't be heappier. I enjoy when riders come out and get to lead me around the arena and groom me. I enjoy hearing all their stories and listen without any judgement. Sometimes they may be sad about their stories, but that's ok. I just nudge them with my head and love on them. That always seems to help. When I'm not helping riders I love to hang out with my best friend Charlie.
Blue
Blue was lovingly donated by Heather Dixon-Fowler and her family in July of 2015. He measures 14.2 and has had many years of experience being a show pony. Here at Ther-Equine he performs many duties like riding children around in a bareback saddle, to standing still while being groomed and loved on to cantering around the arena on our more advanced students in the program at Stone Creek Equestrian Center. Blue’s speciality is safely carrying around riders who are uncertain of getting on a horse for the first time. With his short height it works perfect for the side walkers to assist the rider in learning their balance as they take their first steps to the new experience of therapeutic riding.
Woody
My name is Woody. I came to live at Stone Creek Equestrian Center in August of 2016. I have made friends with Blue since I came to live here at the farm. My new owner, Wendy Bradshaw, brought me here to live with her and be a major role in the program at Stone Creek. My previous owner, Sidney Mull, taught me so many wonderful and great things that I can also be used for riders in the therapy program at Ther-Equine. I don’t get to ride a lot of therapy riders around because of my height of 15.2 and it make is hard for side walkers to hold unbalanced riders on me, but I do get to participate in the program. Like the time when there was adult riders here that couldn’t ride alone and needed a horse leader or the time when Chief and Tater were tired and needed a rest, then I filled in for them. I love people and enjoy being used for the program. I especially love my role that I have taken in the lesson program at Stone Creek where I have started jumping. So, I don’t mind when I there are times that I am needed for Ther-Equine, this gives me a break from trotting and canter in my other duties. Oh, me and blue are best buddies so he tells me all about the therapy riders that I see him working with. Sometimes I get jealous of him but I know I hold a special place in the program as well.
Daisy
My name is Daisy and I joined the program in June of 2016. I am a sweet and sassy girl who measures about 14.2 in height, but don’t let my height fool you, I can carry around all sizes of riders. It took me a while to get adjusted to the program and barn life around here. Things move fast daily in the setting I live in so it was an adjustment for me to get used to. I have now settled in nicely with all the riders here and have made some new barn buddies during our off times from work. I enjoy carrying around riders in either a bareback pad or a saddle. Just let me tell you about all these obstacles that they use here at the program with the balls and the rings and the poles and the games, shew that was a lot of new things for me but now, I am a pro at them. I even enjoy standing still while the riders are playing games or throwing balls. This program and riders was a good fit for me. I enjoy my job and my new good life at the facility.