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Each day, these horses provide laughter, love, and support to each of our riders and all of our volunteers. GaitWay keeps all of its horses in prime condition and provides them with the best and most advanced care available. Each horse requires approximately $5,000 per year in order to maintain this level of care.

To contribute to GaitWay and its mission, you can sponsor one of our incredible therapy horses and contribute to their special care.

Cooper retired from a very successful barrel racing career. Now he is helping us teach beginners how to ride- he is still great at walking and trotting the barrel and pole bending patterns, and his riders love to take him on walks around the property.

Duchess is still in training before fully becoming a lesson horse. She came from a trail riding background, and still loves going on adventures outside of the arena. She has a long, comfortable stride that covers a lot of ground. Duchess is a very sweet mare and we’re happy to be working with her!

Duke is our oldest horse that’s still used in lessons. His breed has an extra gait that can be fun to ride. He is slow and steady, perfect for younger riders just starting on their journey with us. He has traded in a comfortable life at home with the Clafins to help others reach their goals. We thank Mr. and Mrs. Clafin for allowing Duke to serve those with special needs!

Girl is one of our most eye-catching horses, with her striking spotted coat. She came from a western background and loves having her face pet and scratched. She still has lots of go for her age, and is very sensitive to rider cues. Girl is very sweet and forgiving for our beginner riders.

This tall, dark, handsome gentleman is a Cheval Canadian Warmblood owned by our Lesson Program Coordinator, Brianna. Heilo (pronounced Hee-Low) is one of our largest horse in the herd and used to pull carriages before coming to GaitWay. He is stoic and affectionate when you pass him in his stall. Though he is now fully retired, Heilo and Brianna used love to go to dressage schooling shows.

Herbie is by far our youngest horse on property- born in 2020. He is a big tall thoroughbred coming from Kentucky, and is still in training to become a full lesson horse. He has great long legs that give him a ground-covering stride, but he’s slower than you’d expect. He has a sweet, goofy personality and loves to play with our other horses in the field.

Kajun was bought off Craigslist over 10 years ago. He’s unable to sweat enough to cool himself down, so he requires extra care and attention in the summer. He is very fun to ride but can offer a challenge for some riders. He goes great in english and western tack and is very wide and comfortable to sit on.

King used to be a police horse for the Baton Rouge Mounted Patrol. He is calm and steady, perfect for nervous riders. He has very big feet that he tends to drag while walking- he’s known for kicking up lots of dust into horse leaders’ shoes during lessons, so watch out!

Kira came from a dressage and jumping background. She likes her personal space but is very sweet when she gets to know you- just watch out for her body language. She tends to be a more anxious horse, but always does a great job taking care of her riders. If you’re calm, she’s calm.

Max is the perfect size for child and adult riders alike! Coming from a western background, he is smooth and responsive. Max has struggled with ulcers before so we keep a close eye on him to make sure he stays comfortable. Max has carried countless riders in countless lessons, and is an amazing lesson pony.

Raude is the matriarch of GaitWay. Born in 1997, she’s had 8 foals and is living out her well deserved retirement with us. Although we don’t use her in lessons, she’s still a constant friendly face for siblings, parents, and volunteers to say hi and give a treat to.

*Sponsored by George Bevan*

Tee is a tall warmblood mare with a long, floaty stride. She came from a jumper background, and was used as a broodmare before coming to us. She’s known for her turned-in front feet (pigeon toed), a conformational feature that doesn’t affect her soundness. She is one of our most affectionate horses- she’ll rest her head on your shoulder and lean into you when you give her scratches.

Walter is our miniature horse- a lot of personality in a small package. He absolutely loves getting attention and treats from riders’ siblings and parents during lessons. He loves interacting with our bigger horses, and will occasionally try to escape from the paddocks to find some new grass to munch on.

Do you have a horse that you think will work well in an adaptive riding setting? Check out our Therapy Horse Packet to apply.