“Centaur Stride is a therapeutic and recreational facility that is inclusive, integrated for people with and without disabilities, and founded on the healing power of horses and nature to enhance overall well-being of mind and body.”

Our 13 horses are amazing animals. Finding them and training them for our programs is a very difficult task. Horses can have very differing personalities and energy levels. Building trust depends a lot upon how a horse was handled when it was young. And trust is the key element.

We are presently in need of more therapy horses and are looking for donations. If someone donates a horse to us, they can request to have the first option to have the horse back if it doesn’t work for our programs. You always know where the horse is so you can visit anytime, or even volunteer. Every horse has strengths and weaknesses, and we always have to decide if it is a good risk to put time in training them to be good therapy horses.

Desirable qualities include friendliness, gentleness, kindness, patience, confidence, and curiosity to top the list. It is very important that our therapy horses are comfortable getting lots of attention. They need to be able to easily adjust to new leaders or handlers. Their innate extrasensory perception must be unencumbered. They must be able to stand still for grooming, mounting and activities, and allow riders to make mistakes while they are figuring out how to communicate with them. They need to respond appropriately when a therapy rider loses their balance, bumps their side, or hits them with a ball. A fun horse is attentive and interested in what is going on.

Our best lesson horses have been those who are “good with life,” not fearful or overly reactive.

Training under saddle can be taught, but a general knowledge of basic skills is very valuable. It may take time to find out insecurities or quirks. Even if a horse is donated, it may be costly to deal with hidden issues. Therapy horses need to be ready for anything, a process known as desensitization, which must be done after first developing trust.

Saigon was a Thoroughbred donated by a college student who no longer had time for him yet wanted him to be safe and well cared for. Initially, he had some issues, but he had many of the character traits we look for. Once he figured out what we wanted, he became a very well loved and trusted horse. Another horse, Dusty, was probably one of the best we have ever received. He came from a 4-H background. He easily passed all the therapy horse qualification testing and didn’t need any further training. He was already 23 years old when we got him! He loved his job and did it so well, but we knew we wouldn’t have many years with him! Time passes so quickly!

Health and physical condition are also a big factor. Bubba, a purchased horse, and Dude, a traded arrangement for a horse that didn’t make the therapy cut, both came to us with very poor hooves. With focus on their needs, a skilled farrier, (we currently use the services of Randy VanOrd), good nutrition, supplements, and time, their hooves became much healthier. They became two of our most faithful solid lesson horses!

And then there was Whiskey, the sage “human whisperer”, sold to us because his conformation was not “show worthy”! In the pastures, I think he even trained all the other horses! He was “king” until we got the female Belgium/Quarterhorses. They took no orders from the male species! The only one that held dominance over them was our little donkey, Rosie! So cute!

Pasture manners are also a key factor!

A horse’s average lifespan can be anywhere from 25 to 32 years. That is often directly influenced by the care and love they have received (or not received!) in their formative years.

How nice it is to have “horse time” only when you want to and for free, as a volunteer!

Our annual walk-a-thon is March 30 at the Chautauqua Mall. We need participants and donors. We also have an online fundraiser https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/peer-to-peer/centaur-strides-16th-annual-walk-a-thon. That money is to help take care of and train our horses, which is the most expensive part of our budget. Please sponsor a horse. Ask your employer if they would sponsor or match your donation. Or form a team with coworkers. Your support is appreciated by so many.

Centaur Stride is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation. Donations are tax deductible. “Your greatest pleasure is that which rebounds from the heart that you have made glad!” Henry Ward Beecher.

Claudia Monroe is president of Centaur Stride.