Not every horse can be a Therapy Horse, so what makes a good therapy horse?
General Demeanor
First of all, therapy horses must enjoy being around people, and having people around them – all the way around! It takes 6 – 9 months for a horse to become comfortable with all the non-traditional things that are expected of them in a therapeutic riding program.
Spatial Proximity
Since many riders require a leader (a horse handler leading them), 2 side walkers and an assistant or instructor walking in close proximity, therapy horses must quietly accept being a bit crowded.
Sound and Sudden Movements
Therapy horses also need to be able to react well to sudden or unusual movements by the rider due to lack of strength/balance or disability.
Therapists use exercises and games during sessions which can produce some unusual movements. And some riders’ disabilities produce sudden movements of arms or legs and/or trunk movement due to lack of strength and/or balance. Additionally, some riders may make verbal sounds that to the average horse could be unsettling. Therapy horses must learn to tolerate these movements and sounds and to trust the people around them so they will stay calm when something unexpected happens.
When mounting or dismounting, therapy horses must also stand quietly to accommodate our riders, which can take much longer than most horses are accustomed to.
Horse Gait & Balance
Equally important to a therapeutic riding program is the quality of the horse’s movement. Therapy horses must be able to move freely and in a balanced, rhythmic manner in all three gaits — walk, trot and canter/lope. An even, smooth movement builds strength much more efficiently than movement that is uneven or unbalanced. Poor movement quality may also indicate an injury or weakness that might be made worse by the work expected in a therapeutic riding program. Our horses are exercised regularly to keep them moving freely and responsive to traditional aids — weight, legs, hands/reins and voice. As the pictures here illustrate, we expect them to move well, and they do!
The regular exercise the horses get also provides a good change of pace for them, which is as valuable for horses as it is for people. Turning them out together in a large paddock allows them to socialize and bond in a herd structure that is normal for horses and important for their psychological well-being.
Many of the horses used in our program come to us from loving owners who can no longer ride or compete with their horse, but want to make sure they remain in a healthy, secure and thriving environment. Some remain owners and visit and ride them occasionally while others donate them to the program outright.
Horses
Copper
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Born: 2002
Breed: Thoroughbred Gelding
Registered Name: Sonny’s Halo
This 17-hand Jockey Club registered Thoroughbred gelding is the son of royalty - his father was the winner of the 1983 Kentucky Derby. While Copper did not get the speed gene (only running in one race, placing sixth), he did have the cool and calm demeanor to make a great equestrian horse. On loan to the Saddle Light Center (SLC) by his new owner, Hacene Benchikha, he competed in jumping, eventing and dressage and learned Parelli Natural Horsemanship. Copper joined the SLC herd in 2024 and enjoys being challenged and playing games. He is patient and trusting of his rider and his size will be perfect for handling our bigger clients.
Copper fits in nicely with Saddle Light’s active barn where he is curious and eager to make new friends with his barn mates as well as with the riders and volunteers.
Schooner
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Born: 1997
Breed: Quarter Horse Gelding
Our Palomino Quarter Horse who resides in the stall number one came to SLC from Austin, Texas in 2007.
Originally purchased and used by a licensed chemical dependency counselor and play therapist in Austin, Schooner began his career helping people develop a sense of self, overcome fear, improve focus, and relieve stress. He became so popular in that program that he soon had his own mailbox with letters of thanks and appreciation from his clients and their families. At client sessions, they brought treats and Schooner soon learned to show his own appreciation by turning his head sideways. We think this is his way of giving kisses but he does it so visitors will think he is so cute they will just give him more treats! Either way, it is working for him!
Schooner is now retired from his job as a therapy horse, as he has developed a medical condition that makes it difficult and unsafe for him to carry the weight of riders. We have built him a nice retirement “condo” pen close to the rest of the herd for him to enjoy his leisure days. He gave us 17 years of service to help clients overcome obstacles and it is our turn to pay him back with great care and hugs and kisses from riders and volunteers.
Bunny
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Born: 1998
Breed: Welsh Pony Mare
This black beauty is a 13-hand Welsh pony joined the SLC herd in 2017 and is on loan to us from Carrie Lamoreaux. She has accomplished much from participating in 4H showings to Dressage, Jumping, trail rides, parades, and birthday parties. Her size makes her a great horse to use with smaller riders or those who require the assistance of side-walkers. She is also famous for the “Bunny shake” which is a move she makes where she shakes her entire body after she has been sprayed for flies.
Magoo
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Born: 2005
Breed: Quarter Horse Mare
Registered Name: Twin Magoos
At 14.3 hands, Magoo was born and raised just up the road at Northington Ranch in Boerne, Texas and joined the Saddle Light Center herd in 2024.
Magoo has sorted cows at local sortings such as Stonewall Sorting Club, Tejas Rodeo and Northington Ranch. She also has had experience in team penning and roping. Her owner, Beckie, still rides Magoo weekly since relocating her to the Saddle Light Center. Magoo’s kind and gentle disposition and her smooth gate make her a terrific addition to our program.
Star
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Born: 1998
Breed: Pony of the Americas Gelding
Registered Name: My Shining Star
Star is a stunning pony with Appaloosa coloring, markings and light eyes. He joined the SLC herd in February 2022 and was previously used for English riding and jumping. He came to us from a few barns down on a recommendation from his owner, after he had been outgrown by his previous rider.
Star’s calm personality and disposition is a great addition to our program, and he job shares with Bunny and Sonny D to help accommodate our younger and smaller riders.
Beau
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Born: 2004
Breed: Thoroughbred Gelding
Beau joined the SLC herd in 2017 and is on loan to us from Carrie Lamoreaux. At 16.2 hands, this handsome dark bay OTTB (off the track thoroughbred) had a rough start with his racing career. He was abused, injured while racing, abandoned at the track barn and was headed to slaughter when he was rescued.
Carrie worked with him for over a year, re-establishing trust and putting some weight on him. She took him to a couple of schooling dressage shows and thus began a different career. This gentle giant with his strong frame and easy gait is great with our bigger riders as he can easily carry more weight.
Max
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Born: 1996
Breed: Pony of the Americas Gelding
Max joined the SLC herd in 2017 after he retired from his previous career giving pony rides. Since then, he has been job sharing with Sonny D carrying our younger and smaller riders.
Max loves rolling around in the paddocks every chance he gets especially after a rain (evidence in the photo below) and his adorable expressions have made him a favorite of both riders and volunteers at the barn.
Max has retired from giving therapy to our clients due to decreased vision and hearing and a medical diagnosis. His new role in the herd has changed to emotional support staff to the big, colorful Nike, who is one of our essential workers with several bigger clients. Max’s new job is to be the emotional and social guardian of Nike, and he takes his new job very seriously
Nike
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Born: 2002
Breed: Paint Gelding
Registered Name: Flip Me A Zippo
Nike is a top Western Pleasure gelding born in Hastings, Minnesota. He was a youth horse who won many state titles in APHO and Pinto registry.
With a friendly and calm temperament, he is very versatile – he can be in a show one day, then on a trail ride the next. His previous owner came to us as she felt he would be a great fit with our programs, and she was right. Nike joined the SLC herd in 2016 and has provided years of joy to both our riders and volunteers, and he has become a staple therapy partner in our program.
Tanzi
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Born: 2008
Breed: Tennessee Walker Mare
Registered Name: Princess Tanzania
The Arthur family purchased Tanzi when she was only a year and a half old. Given as a Christmas present, Tanzi was loved on until she was ready to be ridden. She was trained by her owner and a trainer with the fundamentals of natural horsemanship and was never trained with a bit and saddle, just a halter and a bareback pad. Being ridden bareback, Tanzi was taught cues with seat and legs to transition gaits and many other maneuvers and went on to ride at state and national drill competitions with the Unbridled Spirit Drill Team.
Tanzi joined the Saddle Light Center herd in 2016 and is an invaluable asset to our program. She is a very loving and calm horse and has handled riders as young as 3 years of age. When her owner left for college, she wanted Tanzi to be somewhere where she would be loved.
"Tanzi is the most special thing in my life. By bringing here to the Saddle Light Center, I hope that she will be as special to her riders and make a connection with them, just like she did with me," she said.
Kai
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Born: 2003
Breed: Quarter Horse Gelding
Registered Name: Kai Otoes Yella Kai
Born in Missouri, Kai is from a long line of winning Palomino and Roan Performance Quarter Horses. He came to San Antonio two years later after being purchased as a barrel racing prospect and trail horse. After five years as a Western Pleasure and Trail Horse, Kai joined the Saddle Light Center herd in 2011. His smooth gait, calm personality, and love of people make him an excellent match as a therapy horse.
Sonny D
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Born: 2001
Breed: Welsh Pony Gelding
Sonny D has been on loan to us from our former barn manager since joining the Saddle Light Center herd in 2008. Everyone visiting the barn has seen Sunny D’s bright face peeking out as they walk by his stall.
Don’t let his size fool you - he packs a punch of personality in that wide pony body but he is a true workhorse in every sense of the word. Our center needs a pony of Sunny’s stature, specifically to help those children just beginning to ride on their own and those requiring additional assistance for balance from the side walkers.
Mac
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Born: 2000
Breed: Paint Gelding
Mac joined the Saddle Light Center herd in 2023 after a long career as a show horse in English flat work and jumping. Following his show career, he landed at the Retama Equestrian Center and was used as a lesson horse continuing his proficiency in flat work and jumping.
This unusual Paint with no spots boasts a good size at 15.3 hands, which allows us to utilize him with small and large riders alike. His excellent temperament makes him perfect for our work and anyone spending time with him quickly realizes why he has become a favorite with our riders and volunteers.
Trooper
Description coming soon.
Dutch
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Dutch is the newest addition at the barn and as soon as we resolve some health issues, he will start his trial period to become part of the program.
Dutch is a 13 year old Rocky Mountain Horse. Even many horse people are unfamiliar with Rocky Mountain Horses—it is a breed that originated in the Appalachian Mountains and is known for their four beat ambling gait known as the “single foot.” This extremely smooth gait makes them very popular trail and endurance horses, and would make Dutch a comfortable mount for our clients.
Dutch came to us on recommendation from Dr. Ball and has a sweet and social personality. We are excited to see how he adapts to the herd and our program!
Are you interested in sponsoring one of our amazing therapeutic riding horses for one year?
