Horse of the Month: Jackie
Breed: American Paint Horse
Age: 21 years old
PATH Intl. Member Center: Equul Access
Location: Hutchinson, MN
Jackie is a 21-year-old APHA mare who has been partnering with people with special needs to improve their lives since 2003. She is unflappable and a favorite among many students. She is charismatic and opinionated, characteristics that make her invaluable to our programs. She has also carried our most timid riders and a remarkable connection is made despite her 15.3 hh size.
Jackie has the best expressions of any of our herd. It is difficult at times to remember she is a horse! Most recently she was one of the mounts in a class of two teenage girls. Her rider, “H”, deals with depression and anxiety. H had arrived that day in a funk and before grooming was done she was giggling at Jackie’s antics – most notably her heavy sighs that tend to make all of us chuckle. More intriguing, however, was the impact Jackie had on the other participant that day. “C” deals with Reactive Attachment Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. This day she was particularly distracted and abrupt. Every time C would walk past Jackie while grooming and tacking her mount Doc, Jackie would reach out to touch C with her nose. The fourth time this happened, C stopped, put a hand on Jackie’s forehead and her shoulder, closed her eyes and breathed for what seemed like the first time she had since she arrived. This 45 second encounter, completely shifted C’s demeanor. She slowed down and became more aware of her surroundings. Her intensity mellowed and she was able to truly connect with her horse, and with the rest of us humans for the first time in that 24-hour period. She shared her amazement at how light she felt and her mother’s eyes welled with tears.
Equul Access, Inc. partners humans and horses to improve lives. We offer therapeutic horsemanship lessons for individuals with special needs. Jackie is a favorite mount for many of our children and adult participants. Jackie also frequently travels as an ambassador when our program teams up with other agencies to offer equine assisted learning to various groups. Jackie has traveled to horse shows for riders with special needs, and has participated in community education programming that teaches horse crazy kids how to be safe around horses. Jackie is also a favorite choice of staff when we have “Mental Health Days” and go trail riding!
What’s in Jackie’s SmartPak
SmartPak has teamed up with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International or, PATH Intl. to recognize horses who participate in equine-assisted activities and therapies across the country. These hard-working and kindhearted horses help serve participants of all ages with a range of physical, emotional, behavioral and cognitive challenges. Horses involved in the program allow the participants to receive rewarding benefits by promoting an awareness of body, mind and spirit. The SmartPak Horse of the Month program recognizes an equine-assisted activities and therapies horse from a certified PATH Intl. center each month by sharing their story and providing one month of SmartSupplements in SmartPaks for the recipient. Nominate a special horse you know.
Started using SMARTPAK’S for my pony who pulls a cart & my miniature donkey JAX likes SNARTPAK’S too!!!!! My ponys name is BOAZ. He is on the ULTRA for hooves-skin-&-coat-resilience-&-digest. Very HAPPY With The Product & Gave A Catalog To My Farrier!!!!!✝