"MOVES LIKE JAGGER"
I’m back “NEIGH”borhood Horse Blog fans!! It’s been a great relaxing week for us horses and we are happy to have another one this week!
Blog Reminders
Each week in my blog there will be one hidden clue to my identity, so make sure you tune in and read my blog every week for another clue! REMEMBER, if you think you know which horse I am, shoot us a message or email Stephanie at stephanie@handsandheartsforhorses.com ! Don’t spoil the mystery for our other followers by posting your guess publicly! Can you piece together the clues and figure out which horse I am? Because I’ll never tell, well not until enough of you have guessed my secret! Once enough correct guesses have come in, I’ll post a summary of the clues that should have led you to guess my identity and we will do a big reveal!
The first person to guess my identity correctly will win a Hands and Hearts for Horses sticker and a piece of pretty Hands and Hearts for Horses themed jewelry created by our very own boss lady (or as the humans call her executive director) Susie’s own mom! So, tune in for those clues and get those guesses in! One guess per person, per week please!
I have included links to my past blogs in case you missed them so that you can look for the clues to my identity!
Week 1: https://handsandheartsforhorses.com/neighborhood-horse-blogger/2024-4-22-we-love-our-volunteers
Week 2: https://handsandheartsforhorses.com/neighborhood-horse-blogger/2024-4-29-its-gonna-be-may-f4l32
Week 5: https://handsandheartsforhorses.com/neighborhood-horse-blogger/2024-5-20-schools-out-for-summer
As of now NO ONE has guessed my identity correctly! So the first guess winner is still up for grabs!
Chancy has a smooth gait!
Chancy has a narrow base with a smooth walking gait that is perfect for many of our riders, including Shawn who can be seen here riding him at our 2023 Rodeo!
Moves Like Jagger
So, Hands and Hearts for Horses fans! I was thinking about how all of us horses have different types of movement. A lot of people may not know this but the type of movement each horse has can make a big difference in who is able to ride us. SO many things go into determining what riders should ride each horse. Not only do our carrying capacity weights influence this decision, but whether or not our movement type suits the rider, if the rider needs to utilize our mechanical lift for mounting the horse also has to be safe and comfortable with the noises of the lift and someone being put on via that method, what behaviors the horse will safely tolerate, and many others!
The movement of us horses is one of the KEY benefits of therapeutic riding. The movement of the horse mimics the human gait by being rhythmic, repeatable, and three-dimensional — all movements needed to simulate normal walking patterns. It so closely resembles our human gait that it helps riders discover the rhythm needed to initiate their own independent steps. Being astride a horse not only helps establish walking, it can also improve the quality of walking and stimulates the brain and neurological system, along with the hips and legs, preventing atrophy of walking muscles.
Moves Like Jagger!
Not all of us horses can have “Moves Like Jagger”, he provides input to those with issues with attention or that are sensory seeking!
Not all of us can have moves like Jagger. I already mentioned that I have a SMOOTH gait. I might be better suited for a rider that has poor trunk control and needs a smoother, less bouncy walk to help them maintain their balance and alignment. Horses that have a more choppy, concussive gait provide more input to their riders, which can be great to keep those with decreased attention spans focused, as the horse’s movement provides the sensory input they seek, however their gait can cause increased spasticity in those with muscle tightness/spasticity. A rider with high muscle tone typically needs a horse with a smooth gait, and often a horse that is narrower as well.
On the other hand, horses with wide-based concussive movement can also benefit riders that have low muscle tone. The increased input helps stimulate the muscles which can help them develop. Chancy is one example of a horse at Hands and Hearts for Horses that has a smooth, less bouncy walk and a narrow build, and therefore he is often used for those with increased muscle spasticity and high muscle tone. One of our horses that provides a lot more input is Dakota. He is often used for our riders that need a LOT of stimulation to keep them engaged and safe on the horse. Riders with ADHD, that are sensory-seeking, and/or that have autism are examples of those that benefit from his movement.
Well Hands and Hearts for Horses fans, did you know so much went in to selecting which rider can ride which horse each week? Not to mention us having a maximum number of rides we can do each day and each week! Our program director Jilynn, does a huge balancing act making sure the schedule works for everyone and that the best possible horses are paired with each rider. When you add in random injuries we horses get, this can be quite the daunting task. We hope everyone appreciates how much she does to keep everyone able to ride, and us horses and our riders happy, comfortable, and benefiting the most from our program. It also matters if the horses will tolerate the volunteers needed to keep the riders safe, and if we have volunteers who are able to safely handle our horses who are color coded in a tier system. We use MULTIPLE COLORS for this tier system. Our easiest horses to work with are in the green tier, the next easiest are in the yellow tier, and our horses that are most challenging to work with are in the red tier.
Ivan on Mongo!
Mongo has QUITE a wide-base which can be perfect to provide many of our riders additional support and help them balance.
IMPORTANT REMINDER readers, our May Hay Fundraiser is still running through the whole month of May! We are lagging behind quite a bit this year from our goal! We horses would so appreciate you donating to our sharing our cause! The humans are hoping to raise $25,000 this year to fuel our herd all year long! We horses are foragers, and need a lot of hay to keep us happy and strong!
Donations can be made multiple ways!
1) Go to: https://paypal.com/donate/?campaign_id=KAMTN52ZL2CWL&source=url
2) Our Facebook Fundraiser at our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donate/1172764943903370/?fundraiser_source=external_url
3) Our Instagram Fundraiser on our Instagram: @handsandheartsforhorses
4) On our Venmo: @handsandheartsforhorses
We cannot reach our goal without the help of our community!
I hope you learned a lot this week loyal readers! Next week camps will be starting up, so tune in for next week’s edition and don’t forget to submit your guesses as to our identity.
Til’ next time!
XOXO Your Friendly “NEIGH”borhood Horse Blogger