Little Horses, Big Magic

The tiny-hoofed wonders of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses bring joy and comfort wherever they go.

By JoAnn Guidry Photos By John Jernigan

Oh, my! What a cutie! Oh, she’s so soft! You just made my day! If a room could smile, it would look like the lobby of Brookdale Chambrel Pinecastle’s independent/assisted living facility. As Moonshadow, the youngest member of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, goes from resident to resident, she is gleefully greeted. And there’s a reason she elicits such genuine delight—she’s just so darned cuddly cute.

Moonshadow was given her name because she was born during this year’s supermoon on the first day of Spring. Only two months old during her recent Brookdale visit, she was already in therapy horse training. The smoky gray paint filly with impossibly teeny tiny hooves then stood 18.5 inches high and weighed not quite 30 pounds. And her striking blue eyes are definitely attention-getters. Not that Moonshadow or any of the other Gentle Carousel mini-horses ever have any trouble drawing attention. No one can resist wanting to pet their soft, teddy-bear coats and that’s when the magic happens.

“Our residents always look forward to a visit from Gentle Carousel,” says Tim Smith, executive director of Brookdale Chambrel Pinecastle. “It’s as if these little horses have the ability to communicate through telepathy. They intuitively know how to share and show love to those who need it the most. I call them our little visiting angels.”

Moonshadow spreads joy to residents of Brookdale Chambrel Pinecastle

GENTLE CAROUSEL MINIATURE Therapy Horses, a 501(c)(3) charity, was founded 20 years ago by Jorge and Debbie Garcia- Bengochea. The couple then lived in Palm Beach County and their fledgling organization initially focused on working with foster and at-risk children.

“I was a school principal with experience working with children with special needs,” says Debbie, who serves as the organization’s education director. “And I saw a need to connect with these kids in a special way that only animals can. There were therapy dog and therapy horseback riding programs, but we wanted something different. We’ve always believed there’s something magical about horses and that led us to miniature therapy horses.”

Jorge Garcia-Bengochea and Moonshadow

Over the ensuing two decades, Gentle Carousel’s mission has expanded exponentially. According to Debbie, their miniature therapy horses now work with more than 25,000 adults and children each year inside hospitals; with hospice, veterans and assisted living programs; as well as with inner-city at-risk kids. They also provide comfort to those who have experienced traumatic events.

“We brought the horses to comfort the survivors and first responders of mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut; the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina; and the Pulse nightclub in Orlando,” says Debbie. “We also sent horses to comfort tornado survivors in Moore, Oklahoma; fire victims in Gatlinburg, Tennessee; and families in Hurricane Irma’s aftermath.”

The little horses also work with medical professionals in oncology and intensive care units, as well as with occupational, speech and physical therapists. Additionally, as part of treatment teams, the therapy mini-horses give TLC to patients who have suffered traumatic burns, brain, or spinal cord injuries.

“The minute a patient sees one of our horses, they just smile and feel better,” says Debbie. “It’s just amazing to watch this happen over and over. They truly carry out our mission to bring comfort to those in need.”

Magic pays a visit to UF Health Shands Children's Hospital

Photo courtesy Gentle Carousel

FOR THE PAST 13 YEARS, Gentle Carousel has been based on a farm in Gainesville. The Garcia-Bengocheas now breed their own miniature horses that mature to 26-27 inches, weigh 100-120 pounds and generally live to 30. They currently have 20 mini-horses, make that 21 with the arrival of Moonshadow. In addition to Wakanda, Moonshadow’s mother, the roster includes Aladdin, Amazing Grace, Anthem, Catherine, Circus, Cloudburst, Dream, Magic, Misty, Prince, Rainbow, Scout, Snow Angel, Sparkle, Sundance, Sunshine, Sweetheart, Takoda, and Toby. On the farm, the mini-horses are watched over 24/7 by Maremma sheepdogs, a guardian breed originally from Italy.

Mercury meets Sirius for the first time. Sirius (a puppy in this photo, but now full grown) is one of the Maremma sheepdogs that watch over the horses.

Photo courtesy Gentle Carousel

And while all the Gentle Carousel mini-horses are special in their own right, there is no denying that Magic is the superstar. The 26.5 inches tall black mare with the white bald face and bright blue eyes has a stall full of accolades: 10 Most Heroic Animals (2010 Newsweek/The Daily Beast); American Towns Power of One Hero (2011 Reader’s Digest); History’s 10 Most Courageous Animals (2011 TIME magazine); 7 Most Notable Animal Heroes In The World (2014 The Daily Mirror); 2014 E.T. York Distinguished Service Award; Inducted into the U.S. Equestrian Federation/Equus Foundation Horse Stars Hall of Fame (2015); Pet Hero of the Year/Florida Veterinary Medical Association Hall of Fame (2016); A Hero Among Us Service Award (2016/American Red Cross); Ronald McDonald House Caring and Sharing Award (2017).

Magic was featured in National Geographic’s A Book of Heroes, a 2017 children’s book. And she has her own children’s book, The Power of Magic, is a Breyer’s model, and an honorary deputy with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.

“We bought Magic as a foal and she is now 11 years old. She really gained recognition for her work following the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting,” says Debbie. “We took Magic, Aladdin, and Wakanda to Newtown and worked for two weeks in the community wherever we were needed. Magic is particularly good at sensing who needs her the most, who to approach and when. She’ll let people pet her and sometimes she’ll lay her head in someone’s lap. She’s a very loving little horse.”

FOR ALL THEIR CUTENESS, miniature horses are not born therapy horses. That takes specialized training, lots of it.

“Our horses go through a two-year training program that begins when they’re only a few months old like Moonshadow,” says Debbie. “They work a lot indoors, which is a challenge even for little horses. They learn to walk up and down stairs, ride in elevators, and walk on unusual floor surfaces. Hospital rooms can have lots of equipment, so we teach them to carefully maneuver around it. They learn how to be around wheelchairs and scooters. And they learn to stay calm around the noises of hospitals, like alarms and ambulance sirens.”

And included in their training is being house-broken, just like a dog. Debbie and Jorge handle the training and both work with a team of volunteers. “We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our dedicated volunteers,” says Debbie. “We operate as a charity and depend on our volunteers, as well as support from individuals, businesses, and fundraising events to do our work.”

During the summer that work, in addition to Gentle Carousel’s ongoing endeavors, includes a literacy program.

“We call it Reading Is Magic and our horses help make reading fun and bring books to life for young readers,” says Debbie. “We go to schools, libraries, literacy events, education resource centers, especially in at-risk neighborhoods.”

While the Gentle Carousel horses have a busy work load throughout the year, including traveling around the country, they are managed carefully.

“The health of our horses is a top priority with us,” says Debbie. “We rotate them, so that no one horse or team is overworked. They get vacation breaks and when not traveling, each horse only works two days a week. The rest of the time, they’re out in our pastures living like any other horses.”

Albeit very small ones who make people smile.

Catherine

Photo courtesy Gentle Carousel

A Miniature Horse Is Not A Pony

HISTORY: The modern miniature horse is the result of selective breeding for that small size throughout history, dating to the Renaissance in Europe before moving on to North America. Reportedly King Louis XIV of France had a minihorse at his palace at Versailles. According to theminiaturehorse.com, the first recorded miniature in America was Yum Yum, who stood 31 inches and had been imported with a herd of Shetland ponies in 1888.

SIZE MATTERS: The American Miniature Horse Association size requirement for a mini-horse is no more than 34 inches. The American Miniature Horse Registry has two height divisions: 34 inches and under and over 34 inches to 38 inches. Anything taller than 38 inches is considered a Shetland pony, although one at exactly 38 inches can be registered with both the AMHR and the American Shetland Pony Club.

LOOKS MATTER: Miniature horses display typical horse physical characteristics with more defined heads and longer, thinner legs and bodies than short-legged, round-bodied ponies.

SMALLEST RECORD: According to The Guinness Book of World Records, the smallest dwarf miniature horse is Thumbelina, a 17-inch, 57-pound mare who was born in 2001 and lives in St. Louis.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? www.gentlecarouseltherapyhorses.com facebook.com/therapyhorses 352-226-9009