Every program has a first. Ours is Commander.
He was the first therapy horse to join Heartland Healing With Horses, and he has been teaching people how to slow down ever since. He’s big enough to be impressive from across the arena and gentle enough that the smallest participants walk right up to him.
A patient canvas
One of Commander’s favourite jobs (or at least one he tolerates with remarkable grace) is being painted. With washable, horse-safe paint, participants have decorated him with hearts, handprints and, more than once, an American flag. It’s creative, it’s joyful, and it builds a surprising amount of trust: you have to move calmly and confidently around a horse to paint him well.
Come say hello
If you visit the farm, there’s a good chance Commander will be one of the first to wander over. Meet the rest of the herd, or help sponsor his care.
