Rico came to us in 2015, after years as a schoolmaster in the jumper ring. He had had EPM (a neurological condition caused by possum feces in drinking water), and no one expected him to stay sound or to thrive as a lesson horse. Now in his early twenties, he is our big, goofy giant in lessons, and for our instructors and more advanced students, he can still move beautifully, tall and elegant and light on his great big feet. Rico is also the center of our vaulting program, which he takes great pride in.
Between his size (he is the second largest horse in the herd!), the residual effects of EPM, and dental issues, Rico often struggles to maintain his weight, especially in the colder months. He is looking good these days, but it takes a lot to keep him feeling strong and healthy. He gets extra meals with easily digested, highly palatable food, body work, twice yearly dental visits, and lots of grooming. He will also always need to wear ”sunglasses” year round, because of having had his third eyelid removed and to minimize the risk of sarcoma returning.
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Sprite arrived at Blue Rider in December 2021 as an untrained four year-old who had not seen another horse since she was about two! Learning to trust the herd and find her place in it is an ongoing process, but she is finally understanding how she can really work with the other horses (and donkeys) to feel safe, and she is finally learning to PLAY. She is also maturing in her body, finding her feet underneath her, learning to carry a rider by balancing herself, and understanding the purpose of her work. Although living alone for her formative years was detrimental to her in some ways, having very little training before she came to us means that her body will stay stronger longer, and that she had very few negative experiences to unlearn. Sprite is turning into a gorgeous, delightful, confident young horse who excels in many aspects of her job.
Every horse is in training throughout its life, but young horses need more intense training than older, more educated horses, and Sprite’s beautiful, healthy coat comes from good, balanced nutrition and plenty of grooming.
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Svaði from Solheimar
We talk a lot at Blue Rider about how long horses take to settle into a new life, and learned helplessness, and adjusting to a life where they have a voice, and the ability to choose, and to be acknowledged as individuals.
And then we have Svadi.
Svadi came into Riding Instructor Becky’s life in 2015, when he was three. As a young Icelandic, he had not started his training, but had been raised by the herd at the farm where he was born. Becky had been a part of Blue Rider intermittently since 2000, and had experience working with and training horses in many different walks of life, so when she had the opportunity to start her own young horse, she spent a LOT of time thinking and planning how to do it; one of her primary goals was to teach her young horse to be a partner in the adventure, one with a voice, able to give feedback, able to tell her when he was worried, or happy, or bored, or excited, or….
The result is a horse who is eager to work, whether for his Girl or in lessons or therapy, at home or anywhere away. He is very brave and adventurous, rarely spooky (if he is worried about something, it’s probably a moose! or a bear), and extremely clear with the instructors. This makes him one of our go to horses in many situations because he always lets us know what is going on with his client.
It’s rare to meet a horse like Svadi, one with the confidence and versatility he has, who can convey his joy in life to the people he works with. As trainers and horse people, we’d love to see horses like Svadi inspire our students to create more horses like him.
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Taquito came to Blue Rider as a very young donkey in 1995. He was born during a tornado and orphaned by his mother. He has been an integral part of life here — in lessons, in the herd, in our hearts — for twenty-nine years! Which is a very long time, and not nearly enough time. Taquito was an excellent therapy “horse” (he likes to think he’s a horse, not a donkey), and used to be a favorite for the instructors, because of his athleticism and sense of humor. These days, he is retired and spends his time sunbathing, hanging out with Billy Boy and Arlo, supervising the instructors, and occasionally joining a lesson of his own accord.
In 2023 we learned that Taquito has severe arthritis in his spine, at the base of his neck. Keeping Taquito comfortable and happy means several medications, several times a day, as well as daily attention and hands-on care. We can’t know how long we can keep him feeling good, so we cherish every day with him.
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Tonka came to Blue Rider from a loving family, who were able to provide him with the best of everything — feed, blankets, tack, trainers, and his own private paddock. He belonged to the daughter, and he taught her about dressage and jumping. Tonka, a Quarter Horse, was also well trained as a reined cow horse; he is very well educated in several disciplines, and the family who donated him to us loved him dearly.
Most of his training, though, emphasized obedience above all else — above his natural instincts as a horse, above any reaction to confusion or discomfort of any sort. This creates something called Learned Helplessness, which means that the animal (horse, dog, human, etc.) has learned that they cannot react to anything but the commands given by the trainer. This sounds like what we want (a quiet, obedient horse who will put up with anything), but it is created by punishing the horse for reacting to things that are naturally scary or painful, instead of supporting and reassuring them. It does not create confidence or trust between horse and rider. It is also what most of us were taught was the RIGHT way, and we often see the aftermath in both horses and humans who come to us. It has been a difficult journey for him to open up, but he has so much to teach about speaking up for one’s self.
Tonka has spent his time at Blue Rider learning that he has a voice, that we value his input in lessons, and that he can play! He is finding confidence in himself and takes great joy in the many hours he spends running and playing with his friends. It is a delight to watch him open up to the world around him.
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Our beautiful Zora… was she the horse Michelangelo used as a model for his commission for the Duke of Milan in 1482? Other than being born a few years too late (2012), she could be. Pretty much everyone who sees her thinks she’s that beautiful.
Zora is so much more than her looks, though. When we look at potential therapy horses, one of the aspects we consider is size. Zora is 14.1hh (that’s the Welsh Pony side of the family), meaning when we’re sidewalking she’s almost the same height as our shoulders. She’s solid and strong (that’s the Percheron side) meaning she can carry more weight than many ponies, since, being under 14.2hh, she’s technically a pony. She is also very intelligent, has smooth gaits, takes pride in doing her job well, and has an excellent temperament.
Zora joined our herd when she was five, and although she had already tried several careers before coming to Blue Rider, she has blossomed here. Not only is she now a go-to horse for therapy lessons, she also has a lot to teach our independent riders, including our interns and instructors-in-training.
When Zora came to us, she was 300 lbs heavier than she is today! This predisposes her to metabolic conditions like Cushings, so we are very careful to keep her as fit as we can. She gets a special diet year round, lots of exercise, and yearly metabolic testing, as well as chiropractic care and regular bodywork.
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