Windrush Farm

We are all capable of more than we think

  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Contact Us
    • The Farm Slideshow
    • Our History
    • Our Staff
    • Our Horses
    • Our Board
    • Our Sponsors
    • Internships
    • Careers
  • Program & Services
    • Who We Serve
    • Summer Programs – Pony Pals
    • NEW! – Windrush Gear
    • Client Manual & Forms
    • Client Protocols
    • Kathy Blanton Memorial Scholarship
    • Mark Perry Memorial Scholarship
    • Occupational & Physical Therapy – Hippotherapy
    • Program Testimonials
    • Online Activities
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Sign up to Volunteer
    • Help recruit volunteers
    • Volunteer Manual
    • Volunteer Protocols
    • Horse Handler Responsibilities
    • Side Walker Responsibilities
    • Volunteer FAQs
  • Ways to Support us
    • Make a Donation
    • Donate in Memory of Chelsea Garland
    • Donate to a Scholarship Fund
    • Donate to the Suzanne Smith Memorial Fund
    • Donate an item on our Wish list
    • Shop at Amazon Smile
    • Become a Sponsor
    • Donate a Horse
  • DONATE NOW
HomeWays to Support usDonate a Horse

Donate a Horse

Could Your Horse Be a Windrush Horse??

Many people think being a “therapy horse” is an easy job. After all, they don’t have to do much, right? No galloping around race tracks; no jumping four-foot fences. It seems like the perfect retirement job for any well-behaved, sweet old horse, and there are plenty of those around. But becoming a “perfect pony” for the children and adults with special needs who come to Windrush Farm for equine-assisted activities and therapeutic riding is not quite that easy. Here’s why.

We are always looking for horses who are…

Mares or geldings — 14 to 15.3 hands

  • Well-balanced, with good conformation — We don’t care how pretty they look or what color they are, but we DO care about their quality of movement. Having a horse who moves evenly and smoothly is crucial to our clients.
  • Body types can vary to support client needs — narrow/medium/wide. We have many different shapes and sizes in our herd.
  • We prefer horses who can carry weight due to conformation, rather than bulk or height. (Tall horses aren’t necessarily stronger and can make it harder for our side walkers to support clients.)

8 years or older with some formal training or competition experience

  • Exposure, experience, and an understanding of basic aids are helpful to any horse who is going to enjoy equine-assisted activities and therapy.
  • Age is just a number, but ideally we want horses younger than 18 so they can stay in our program for as many years as possible. We sometimes make exceptions for the right horse, but those rarely apply to horses much older than 20 or 21.

Sound with 3 distinct comfortable, rhythmical gaits

  • We need horses that are more than walk-trot sound. We have an older herd so our new members MUST be able to canter and jump little cross-rails.
  • But please, no chronic conditions (e.g. navicular, laminitis, allergies, heaves) that would keep them from working in our program on a regular basis or in our advanced classes.

Steady with a gentle, willing temperament — “that little extra something”

  • Level-headed, not spooky or super reactive — Therapy horses have to trust their handlers and understand that new things won’t hurt them.
  • “Plays well with others” — Able to be turned out in a herd, well behaved in a group lesson (indoors or out), accepting of other horses in personal space or passing by stall, good ground manners.
  • Likes people and tolerant of many hands — The average therapy horse is touched by 15 people each day (!) and often exposed to many humans at once — e.g., three people in a stall, large groups in the barn, small children in costumes.
  • Strong work ethic and likes to learn — Honest, tolerant and confident, with an ability to focus, accept new things, understand the job and like it.

Becoming part of the Windrush herd

Almost all of the therapy horses at Windrush are donated or leased by owners who want them to be happy, healthy and do meaningful work. When an owner contacts us about a potential donation, we try to visit and ride the horse in its current home to see if it’s a potential fit. Any new horse who arrives at the farm goes through a mandatory two-week health/safety quarantine and a trial period.   “We want to make sure they are well-suited for our program, and that the horse is happy,” says Chief Operating Officer Josselyn Shaughnessy. “The owners want to make sure it is the right fit for their horse as well.”

Trials can vary in length, but usually last at least two months. During that time, the horse is handled and ridden by staff, and evaluated and discussed by instructors, before going into any classes. During the trial period, in addition to basic schooling, we try to expose horses to the experiences they may encounter in their new career — unbalanced riders, strange noises, toys being thrown overhead, voice commands, wheelchairs, crutches, confined spaces, lots of people, mounting ramps, pool noodles, music, overhead lifts. It’s a demanding job and it’s not right for every horse. But for the “perfect pony,” becoming a Windrush horse can mean a lifetime of love and important work in a beautiful place with excellent care. As Mandy Hogan, our former Executive Director and current Consulting Educator, says, “We’re looking for horses that love this work. This is what makes them such amazing healers and educators.”

If you know a horse who could become a Windrush horse,

please contact us any time at 978-682-7855 or info@windrushfarm.org

And … if you are considering donating your horse to Windrush or any equine-assisted program, you might want to try some of these “games” from an excellent article, Would Your Horse Make a Good Therapy Horse?, written by Anne Reynolds and used here with her permission.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
You can help make a differenceGive today!
Windrush Farm

479 Lacy Street, North Andover MA 01845 (978) 682-7855 info@windrushfarm.org

Designed by Jennifer Belanger

  • Clients
  • Staff Members
  • Board Members
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

2021 Windrush Farm, All Rights Reserved