Horse of the Month: Duncan
Breed: Percheron/Thoroughbred Cross
Age: 23 years old
PATH Intl. Member Center: Great and Small
Location: Boyds, MD
Duncan is a 23-year-old Percheron/Thoroughbred cross gelding. He started out as a foxhunter before being donated to a therapeutic riding program for veterans. When that program closed, Duncan came to Great and Small to continue teaching riding to children and adults with special needs. In his free time, Duncan enjoys getting out of the arena for a trail ride. Last year he even got to relive a bit of his foxhunting glory by filling in for an outrider’s horse at the Potomac Hunt Races! Duncan is top dog in the pasture and keeps order in his herd. That alpha attitude is great in lessons for teaching students (and volunteers!) about leadership and how to project confidence.
Duncan has been teaching and empowering people with special needs for many years. No amount of recognition could be adequate thanks for all he has given us, but recognition as SmartPak’s Horse of the Month is a good start. Duncan’s age and size are starting to catch up with him, and the high-quality joint support supplements SmartPak provides could be a wonderful addition to the veterinarian-directed program designed to maximize his comfort and longevity. Duncan is also an ideal mascot. People are drawn to his size and quiet curiosity. He has an enormous fan club at Great and Small.
One of our longest-running riders, C., loves grooming, riding, and just being with the horses. C. has difficulties with balance and depth perception, and finding just the right horse for her can be a challenge. After her last horse retired, we decided to take a chance on matching C. with Duncan. They hit it off immediately. Duncan stands quietly for all steps of the grooming, tacking, and mounting process without complaint, so C. feels safe as she works through the steps she has learned. Duncan’s wide barrel gives plenty of support and makes it easier to balance. And C. rewards Duncan with a pan of chopped carrots after each ride, making her his favorite rider of the week! C. has made significant gains since being paired with Duncan. He inspires the confidence for her to try new things.
Duncan participates in therapeutic riding lessons with riders ranging from significantly involved to emerging independent. He also is used in speech-language and occupational therapy sessions utilizing hippotherapy. Duncan is also fantastic for equine-assisted learning activities. He loves to be groomed, painted, labeled with parts of the horse… And he’s big enough to give plenty of space for multiple students to work on learning at the same time. Duncan is involved in every aspect of programming at Great and Small, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for all that he has given to us.
What’s in Duncan’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.
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