HORSE HEROES

THESE FOUR INCREDIBLE HORSES WERE FINALISTS OF THE 2019 HOPE IN THE SADDLE THERAPY HORSE OF THE YEAR AWARD.

The horsehuman relationship is unlike any other. Horses can be our friends, our legs, our conour teachers and our healers. They have an amazing ability to rehabilitate the human body and soul. The following stories were submitted to Hope in the Saddle as nominations for the Therapy Horse of the Year exemplify the inspiring power of the horse-human bond. (Stories have been lightly edited for length and clarity.) PRINCESS XELLIE Princess Xellie—Xellie for short—is a truly magical pony princess. As any good princess should be, Xellie is patient, smart and capable, and shows genuine affection for her friends. A diminutive 10.2 hands high, this smallbut-mighty princess is an amazing therapy pony.

Xellie is wonderful with all her riders but is legendary here for her relationship with one special client. Matthew, an adult in his 30s, has cerebral palsy and epilepsy and is ill enough that he cannot ride. Xellie knows Matthew’s name and will actively look for him if you tell her he’s coming. When he arrives, Matthew gives Xellie kisses and she stands perfectly still, letting him put his hands all over her face.

Xellie will do silly things with him, too—stealing his toys and removing the blanket from his lap. The two of them take walks together, with him holding her lead while she patiently walks beside his wheelchair. Afterward, they may take a nap together, with Matthew asleep in his wheelchair and Xellie snoozing with her head in his lap. Xellie does all this, not because she has to, but because she adores Matthew. Princess Xellie genuinely loves being a therapy pony and is always happy to work her magic.

— Jan P. Hearts and Horses Loveland, Colorado (970) 663-4200 heartsandhorses.org BELLA I have multiple sclerosis and sometimes my muscles spasm while I am doing my therapy. Even when I want to push through the pain, Bella stops. She knows how much it hurts and knows the movement is causing it. She cares so much. After the spasm stops, Bella will walk on.

Her therapy has given me the ability to walk. I was falling every day and only able to walk with an aid, but since riding Bella, I have not fallen in 21 months. A technique taught by my brilliant instructors and performed on Bella re-pathed

impulses in my brain and changed everything.

I do not use a wheelchair or walker anymore, not even a cane! In my wildest dreams, I never thought this therapy could do THIS much for me. Bella gave me my life back. I am forever grateful. — Beth Anne A. Naples Therapeutic Riding Center Naples, Florida

(239) 596-2988 naplestherapeuticridingcenter.org

CHICA

Chica was the greatest therapy horse. We lost her unexpectedly late last year and I believe no other horse, living or not, comes close to the impact she had on our riders. One of her greatest accomplishments was changing the life of Carter.

Carter came to our center as a small girl who could barely parrot what you said; she suffered from a sensory processing disorder and was being assessed for autism.

For six months, Carter was overwhelmed by the sights, smells, textures and sounds of the therapeutic barn. She loved the horses but found the place intimidating and overstimulating and would not get on a horse.

When Chica arrived at our facility, Carter came into her own. Chica did not change the little girl Carter was but allowed Carter to become the girl she was meant to be. For some reason, Chica and Cater were two puzzle pieces that just fit together and completed one another.

With Chica, Carter went from parroting words to telling imaginative stories—something people said she would never do. With Chica, Carter developed her fine and gross motor skills; she learned to use a straw and stick her tongue out.

Carter’s psychiatrists and doctors have specifically attributed her advancement from potentially being further on the spectrum to now being high-functioning to Chica. Not therapeutic riding, speech therapy, occupational therapy or a miracle—her official medical paperwork says Chica did it. Carter is not the only rider affected by Chica, but theirs was a partnership that cannot be matched or replicated.

— Ashley H. Tri-State Therapeutic Riding Center McDonald, Tennessee (423) 339-2517 tristatetherapeuticriding.org

SILVER

Silver, an American Miniature Horse, has given more than 4,000 therapeutic carriage driving lessons to the special needs community. He is 19 years old and has embraced his job with such grace. He serves the students who, for various reasons, cannot do any other kind of therapeutic horsemanship due to their individual impairments.

He is also the horse we use for our advanced independent drivers. They can drive a driving dressage course with Silver with perfection! He not only is the rock star of our program, he’s also pulled Santa’s sleigh in the local Nutcracker on Ice performance for 16 years, done many end-of-life visits to nursing homes, visited schools and helped with reading time at libraries.

Silver is what a hero looks like in the horse world! He knows his job, knows his students, protects them, encourages them and serves them with a wonderful attitude. — Melani N. Hoof and Harness Experiential Learning Strawberry Plains, Tennessee hoofandharness.org