Sending my horse to Therapeutic Riding Program....help me get through this!

[Pocket_Pony]

I volunteer at a therapeutic riding program and it is a great program. They take great care of the horses, the horses get loved on very much, and it is all very well run and on the up-and-up.

As long as you’ve done your due-diligence and it is a legitimate program, you have a solid contract, and keep in touch, then chances are it will work out.

I know our horses get doted on and groomed daily. They put a lot of thought into scheduling. They get good food, fresh water, farrier and vet care, etc. They live in herds and get to socialize with their friends. They have a very good life.

The changes I’ve seen in the clients I work with are remarkable. And I’ve never seen anyone who doesn’t benefit from the experience somehow - from the staff to volunteers to clients to horses. If it is a legitimate program, the love shines through.

[SLW]

Keeping fingers crossed for you and your horse OP that it works out. A friend was the director of a TRP in our area and she took one of my small horses to try in the program. Safe, sound, a saint of a mare. However after 3 months it was determined that she just plain walked too fast to ever use without a handler at the side so she came back to me as requested.

[BetterOffRed]

Hi Everyone!
Just wanted to give my COTHer’s an update, unfortunately no pictures. My trainer and I dropped him off yesterday, Nov. 1 after bawling for hours the night before and calling my mom to talk me through it…the boyfriend had walked into the room, saw me crying and intelligently did an about face and closed the door- LOL!

Before I loaded him up I made sure he was groomed to death, had packed his thinline pad, his stubben bridle with his favorite KK bit. I also packed all of his blankies and favorite treats- stud muffins and peeps. When we arrived, they had his own private paddock ready , sandwiched between groups of friendly horses. It is right next to the office so the office staff can check on him. The director of the program and the other barn staff came out to greet us. The whole barn was excited to have him. All of the horses are superbly cared for and I saw a group of students getting ready for a lesson. I thought I was going to be sad, but it is such a happy place that I couldn’t help being excited for him. And of course, he was content in his paddock surrounded by friendly horses…so I gave him a box of peeps and as soon as he ate them- he gave me his grumpiest face to tell me that since the package was empty I was free to go. Sigh! I am giving him a week before I go check on him. The program’s horse show is this weekend, he will be doing lots of standing around and getting to know the staff.

I will try to post pictures next time- I was too preoccupied with getting one last look at him before I left him.

I spent the last week trail riding, jumping him over some small x’s and goofing off. Here is a video clip of he and I cantering around last week. https://www.instagram.com/p/BL4dzLLgu_9/?taken-by=caballerodressage

My trainer caught us doing this- I was crying remembering all of our good times!

[talkofthetown]

Yay! I was thinking about your thread the other day. So glad that he has settled in well! Awesome news.

[AppendixQHLover]

I donated my boy to a therapeutic riding program up in CT. He took to the job like a champ and he is one of their favorite’s. He works with veteran’s also since he is a good sized boy.

I miss him but for selfish reasons because he was that amazing.

[LesleyW]

Another vote of confidence
My foxhunter went to the local therapeutic riding group when his hunting days were over. I knew it would be a good fit, because he and I had volunteered with this group for nearly four years. My situation sounds very much like yours – I was welcome to visit or ride anytime I wanted, and they’d call me first the time came when he was no longer suitable for the program.
Nine years later I got him back

[BetterOffRed]

Lesley W and AppendixQH lover- thank you for sharing your stories! <3. it warms my heart!

[andhourspass]

Thank you for the wonderful update, Red! How wonderful that the drop-off went well. I do hope you’ll post pics and details after your next visit How far away is the program where you donated your boy?

A friend of mine retired her hunter at a golden age, stepping him down slowly and eventually he was a pasture ornament. Well that old guy wanted nothing to do with grazing all day and started jumping the pasture fences! She donated him to the local TR program where he thrives and is helping so many people.

[ArabDiva]

I love your video.
I hope your old guy thrives in his new job. I’m glad the dropoff went well. Kudos to you for doing a great thing both for him, and for his new people. I hope you post more stories and photos of his new adventures!

[EquestrianRunner]

Better Off Red – I am soooooo glad that your boy is happy. My moms QH was a therapy horse for a while and the kids loved him. I am currently very very involved with our local therapeutic riding facility and cannot tell you how much those horses mean to the riders.

But Red, I do have one question…Peeps…like Easter peeps? Does he have a favorite color?

[AppendixQHLover]

[QUOTE=BetterOffRed;8917693]
Lesley W and AppendixQH lover- thank you for sharing your stories! <3. it warms my heart![/QUOTE]

If you go to http://www.shepardmeadows.org/ you will see my retired boy. His name is Red Sox Fever.

[BetterOffRed]

Another Update

Hi Everyone!
Here is another update. The first week was a little harder than I expected. He was a bit stressed out the first few days. He is such an easy natured type of horse, that I underestimated the number of changes he was making on the move. He didn’t eat well the first three days, which was worrisome for a horse that appreciates his food. I ended up going out there to handwalk him and allow him to see something familiar to him. He perked up after every visit and ate well. By Friday, he was much happier. The barn manager also kept him turned out more, because that is where he is happiest.

The trainer was able to ride him a few times so far-as he is such a worker, that made him feel happier. Being worked always gives him a purpose…which is why he’s been hard to ‘retire’/ His first assessment went well. Moved well under saddle for the trainer, he was very obedient, and was able to be worked in the arena and did well on a trail ride.

Under saddle he is definitely happier and he continues to adjust to his surroundings…so I am cautiously optimistic.

Here are some pictures of him feeling a little bit better (muddy and happy)- also a photo portrait taken by a friend of mine, just a few days before his move. Red’s pics

[BetterOffRed]

[QUOTE=AppendixQHLover;8920224]
If you go to http://www.shepardmeadows.org/ you will see my retired boy. His name is Red Sox Fever.[/QUOTE]

Your Red looks like my Red! :tickled_pink:

[AppendixQHLover]

[QUOTE=BetterOffRed;8926291]
Your Red looks like my Red! :tickled_pink:[/QUOTE]

The first place I sent him to it didn’t work out the best and they were going to send him back. I was very upset it was a couple days before Christmas and the thought of having to go pick him up during the holidays was stressful. It was also the winter that New England got dumped on with snow. Than someone from on here contacted me with the current place he is at and they fell in love with him. He is SO good with the riders…but if I get on him…holy crud he can still take me for a gallop. Especially if spring and he wants to go…but with someone else the same day…slow as a snail. They know.