Great Strides Therapeutic Riding, Inc.

Our Four-Legged Therapists...

Our horses are specially trained and are chosen for their demonstrated ability to bond with humans. For our clients, many of whom have emotional and behavior difficulties, experiencing an empathic connection with our horses can become a vital building block for developing healthy relationships with people.

Thank you to our wonderful horse sponsors!

Our Therapy Herd (click on their photos for full bios)

Linus

Linus is a grey Leopard Appaloosa gelding with a blanket. He was born around 1986, which makes him somewhere around 20 years old. He's only 14.2 hands tall and has a friendly expression so people seem drawn to him. We met Linus when Kathy Taylor bought him from a lesson barn and fell in love with him. He is our star therapy horse and was the first horse working in the Great Strides program. In June, 2002, Great Strides bought Linus from Kathy as he'd proven himself a valuable member of our therapy team. He has helped countless people through their grief and pain, and taught others how to ride.

He is a favorite of many clients and has become a very dependable and competent therapy horse. In 2002, Linus was awarded NARHA Therapy Horse of the Year for our region. NARHA stands for the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association and they are responsible for setting the standards for therapeutic riding programs across the country He loves the excitement of jumping and trail rides and has been a first mount for many first time foxhunters. Interestingly, his first owner wrote to us and told us that she used to call him "His Highness Linus" and the name has stuck here as well. Click here to Email Linus. Click here to see his full bio.

Sponsor: Anna and Alana Hamann (You two are soooo nice!)

Sunny

Sunny is a Belgian Quarter Horse cross with palomino coloring. Sunny is 12 years old and has feet the size of a dinner plate. He is about 15.2 hands high. Belgians are large draft horses, bred to pull carts and plow fields. His size is so large, but he is what is known as an "easy keeper" which means he does not need a whole lot of grain to sustain his figure. In fact, sometimes, we have to put Sunny on a diet or he might have health problems. His mane is so thick and unruly that he wears it in a roach cut, which is kind of like a crew cut for horses. Sunny has the highest incidence of "love at first sight" of all of our therapy horses.

Sunny has been a surprisingly versatile member of the Great Strides team. He can be sweet and cuddly when a snuggle is in order, but can also be pushy when someone needs to learn some assertiveness skills. Sunny is also our vaulting horse, and seems to enjoy having kids do a variety of gymnastics on his back. He studies dressage under Carolyn DelGrosso's tutelage, takes Tina out on rough and ready trail rides and can even pull a cart!

He's shown here getting some "Horse Hugger" attention from Elise, our Volunteer Coordinator. You can apply for the Horse Hugger volunteer position by contacting Elise at: Email Elise

Click here to Email Sunny Click here to see his full bio.

Sponsor: Kathy Donnelly (Thanks, we appreciate it!)

Topaz

Topaz is a therapy horse in training. Terry purchased him because she liked his engagable personality. We don't know much about him yet but if anyone wants to venture a guess at his breeding, let us know! He is an 8 year old Quarter Horse/Arab mix, who is a 14.1 hand high buckskin gelding. He has one blue eye and one brown eye, and the topaz, a semi-precious stone, comes in both those colors as well. Blue eyes are much less common in horses, as their eyes are generally a deep hazel or brown. Blue eyes are generally associated with a white body spot, such as the one on his face. No, he does not have x-ray vision eyes as one of our volunteers had hoped.

He also has a dorsal stripe down his back. The first prehistoric horses were believed to have had dorsal stripes. You might notice the spots on his back and girth area, which are scars caused by an ill fitting saddle. We have taken extra precautions to ensure that the tack he wears is a good, comfortable fit for him. He appears quite sensible and didn't even bat an eyelash when Emily walked him past the pigeon coop and all the pigeons flew up. He is sweet and friendly, but needs some training. He seems to be a quick learner and is learning his lessons well.

Click here to Email Topaz. Click here to see his full bio.

Sponsor: Open

Teddy

His show name is "Theodorable" and you can see why! He is the latest addition to our therapy herd, and he is also the smallest at 13.1 hands high.

He is a bay with white socks and is 11 years old. Teddy has competed in eventing, dressage, show jumping, cross country, gymkhana games and has experience on the trails as well! He is part Welsh pony. He gets along with everyone, but his best friend seems to be Topaz. He was donated by Pam & Brooke Ludder, and we are glad to have him with us.

Click here to Email Teddy. Click here to see his full bio.

Donated by: Pam and Brooke Ludder

Sponsored by: Mary Riley (many thanks, Mary!)

Griggs

At 17.3 hands, Griggs is the tallest horse on our farm. He is a 19 year old, chestnut Hanoverian. He is capable of very advanced dressage moves, but sometimes his arthritis inhibits his ability to show off like he used to. He has so much to teach all of us and we really enjoy riding him, even though it takes a lot to get him going! He is very tolerant and patient with everyone who wants to learn. Griggs is owed by Jessica Katz, who rides him regularly in the arena and on trails and lets him participate in our lesson program here. He has the distinction of being the slowest eater in our barn, and his best friend is Oz.

Click here to Email Griggs Click here to see his full bio.

Griggs is sponsored by: Alex Levering. Thanks, Alex, you're the best!

Mr. Rhee

Mr. Rhee is a 25 year old Thoroughbred and he looks great! He is 15.3 hands high with liver chestnut coloring. His owner, Kathleen Sentkowski says that when she first bought him, he was very unhappy, very skinny and uncared for. She dotes on him day and night and he is really enjoying the good life now!

Mr. Rhee was started by the well known horse whisperer, Monty Roberts. When he was young, he raced as a sprinter in California and Pennsylvania before becoming a show horse and competing in 3 Day Eventing and Dressage. His nick name is "Duracell". He is now retired from jumping, but he still trains with Jen Anderson in dressage. He also loves going on trail rides. Despite his small size, Mr. Rhee eats the most food out of all the horses at Great Strides. He is best friends with Linus and hates to be alone in the field.

Click here to Email Mr. Rhee. Click here to see his full bio.

Sponsored by: Open

Remy

Remy's full name is Remington Steele, after the TV detective. He is an Appendix Quarter Horse, which means he is half Thoroughbred and half Quarter Horse. He is 15 years old, and 15.3 hands high with a chestnut color. He came to Great Strides this past spring, and has become very popular. He is a great all-around guy who is very talented, steady on the trails and even has a good sense of humor! He is able to respond gently to the anxiety and fear of many of our riders, enabling them to recognize their feelings and work them through.

He loves jumping, and competed as a show jumper before he moved here. We are grateful to his owner, Rose Blackburn for her willingness to lease Remy to Great Strides. He is like Houdini, and loves to escape when he can. One of his favorite "tricks" is to scoot out of his stall by somehow slipping under the stall guard. He thinks this is pretty funny!
Click here to Email Remy. Click here to see his full bio.

Sponsored by: Michael Riches (you're a superstar!)

Katie

Katie is a beautiful Gypsy Vanner mare with black and white paint markings. She is 4 years old and is owned by Elise Scott, one of our staff.

Click here to Email Katie. Click here to see her full bio.

Sponsored by: Open

Josh

Josh is Clydesdale Thoroughbred cross. He is dark bay in coloring and is our newest addition to the equine therapy staff. Josh started the same week as Laura and they immediately bonded. He is a great "gentle giant" with a heart as big as all outdoors. Stop by and see him, as he's never got a cross word to say.

Click here to Email Josh. Click here to see his full bio.

Sponsored by: Lily & Max Wasser (through a gift from Mary Riley Sanders, Tish Honse and Donna Lynn in memory of their mother, Debra Wasser). What a lovely tribute.

In Memoriam

Arthur

Arthur was part of the Great Strides team for over two years for which we will always be grateful to Julia Green, who graciously leased him to our program. Arthur was a wonderful healer and helped many clients to find a better place in their worlds. He enjoyed a great friendship with Linus and Mr. Rhee and they always looked like the three musketeers in the field together. Thank you, Arthur.

"Arthur was an ex-hunter/jumper Thoroughbred/Quarter Horse who came into my life seven years ago. I needed a riding teacher and I couldn't have asked for a better partner in that endeavor. He was safe, solid, and kind. I learned to trust him and he learned to trust me. I was very lucky to find him -- I soon learned that horses like Arthur are hard to find. He's gone too soon and I will miss him very, very much." Julia Green

Sasha

Sasha

Sasha was with us for 11 years and came to us with high spirit, past trauma, and a great sense of humor. She and Terry won many ribbons of all colors together, worked together and learned and taught each other and those around them many lessons. We learned more about how to grieve and go on after loss, how to conserve energy while showing your best, and how to buck with spirit into the canter. We are indebted to her for her support and wisdom as we began Great Strides and as we all grew through so many challenges and opportunities.

Sara

Sara

Sara came to us with a generous heart, a strong desire to connect and a willing nature. She shared her lessons from having birthed 8 foals, running the track and ultimately becoming a master therapist caring for many, many of our clients. We owe her a great debt of gratitude for the way she knew what we may have needed and provided enough to enable us to discover the rest for ourselves. She was fiercely private, profoundly loyal and true to her nature throughout. She calls to the best in us ... still and ever. Run In Peace, Sara.

Great Strides --- www.GreatStrides.org