The Horses’ Diary
11 December 2020
You’ve met the mini horses — but now it’s time you get to know the lives of all 17 horses (and their trainers) at EQUAL a little better. Running the stables for therapy horses isn’t all fun and games, and we get to go into the nitty-gritty with the trainers as they let us tag along one morning — on just another day at the EQUAL stables.
As with any nurse or professional caretaker, these therapy horses must be trained; whether it’s to be better equipped to remain at ease with special needs individuals, or to slow down its pace to that of an elderly individual. The trainers go through a multitude of exercises and training regimes to help the horses adapt to these daily habits, and ultimately, get ready for a day’s worth of meeting the beneficiaries.
From meal time to grazing in the paddocks, the horses’ schedules have been well thought out to cater to each of their individual behavioral habits. This in turn, helps the trainers to understand and assign the different horses to different groups of people according to what they’re most naturally attuned to.
Breakfast time for the horses — their trainers will bring the hay in for them to start their morning right.
Ribena in the exercise arena with Uncle Tommy
Matahari and Costera return from their walk with the trainers outside.
Here’s GB getting his morning shower in.
The Miniature Horses play catch during their free time in the arena.
