It takes a very special equine to be a Lift Me Up! horse, and we are very fortunate to have an exceptional team of kind and steady mounts for our students. Our horses and ponies are experienced veterans, often with a variety of previous careers. Many are wise senior citizens enjoying a productive golden age. Please visit our "Donate" page to learn how you can "adopt" a Lift Me Up! horse or pony.

VALENTINE
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Lift Me Up! program participants, volunteers, and staff alike have a soft spot in their hearts for Valentine, our Belgian cross mare. Valentine joined the program as her first career, when she was only 6 years old. She has become an indispensable part of our program, carrying our taller riders cheerfully through ring exercises, dressage tests, trail rides, and state and local competitions. One of her more memorable appearances was as a ballerina in the costume class portion of a horse show held by the Therapeutic Riding Association of Virginia. Valentine is sweet and placid, gently reassuring her riders with her excellent ground manners and smooth, steady gaits.

Valentine was also recognized as the NARHA 2005 Region 3 Horse of the Year Award in 2005. The award was presented at the 2005 NARHA Awards Banquet held on November 12 in Houston, Texas. Each year NARHA recognizes outstanding horses that make a lasting impact at a NARHA center.

FINN
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One of our most distinctive equine partners, especially noteworthy for his Mohawk-style mane, is Finn, our fabulous Norwegian Fjord pony. Finn is strong and hardy enough to carry children and adults alike, yet he stands only 14.2 hands high. He is known as the "lap horse" of the program, always happy to welcome a rider or to take a participant on a jaunt down the trail. Left to his own devices, Finn has been known to play with our ring setups, open gates and doors, and engage in boisterous play with his field-mates. Finn was foaled in Osceola, Wisconsin, where he was trained to pull a sleigh, among other things.

LEE
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Lee (short for Leroy) is a Shire/Quarter Horse cross gelding whose owner has generously made him available to the program. He stands at approximately 15.3 hands high, and was foaled in 1991. He displays the kind, quiet, and forgiving temperament that is characteristic of both his Shire and Quarter Horse forebears. Lee has experience with trail riding and fox hunting, and he still enjoys rides to the park when schedules permit. With his broad back and his steady, sure manner, Lee is a versatile horse, working equally well in walk-only lessons with physically challenged riders, and in trotting lessons with more independent riders. Lee thoroughly enjoys visiting with program riders and volunteers, and he is frequently surrounded by amused onlookers as he savors each treat he receives.

Meet some more of our horses...