For over 40 years, Special Equestrians Therapeutic Riding Center in Warrington, Pennsylvania has shared the joy of horsemanship with as many as 450 people a year. Special Equestrians offers diverse programming, from therapeutic riding lessons to occupational therapy to mental health-based sessions to school and nursing home visits, all in fulfillment of its mission "to improve the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals with disabilities through the equine experience." And for over two decades, a special Haflinger known as "Bear" has played a critical role in every program they offer.
"Anytime we get a new horse, the first horse they go out with is Bear," explains Janice Witt, Special Equestrians executive director. "We can trust him, and we know he's going to keep himself safe, and the other horse safe, and assess how they do in the herd. When we bring in a new student, the first horse they always get on is him, because we know no matter how they react, he can handle it. With any new off-site programming, when we don't know where it's going to be, how loud it's going to be, we take him. With volunteers, the first horse they might take out to the paddock is going to be Bear.
"He's our starting point for everybody," Witt adds with a laugh. "He is our "go-to" guy for everything."
But when Bear first arrived as a 7-year-old, it was far from certain that he would be a perfect fit. Originally from Colorado, Bear was involved in a bad carriage driving accident and needed a new job; he was then sold to a Pennsylvania equestrian, but she struggled to manage some of his "naughty" behaviors, which included dragging her into the feed room. When she offered to donate Bear to Special Equestrians, they knew he would be a training project. But Bear's size-14.1-1/2 hands-and his breed both made him an ideal fit for therapeutic riding, and he quickly found his niche within the program.
Always willing and eager to please (and a lover of sweet treats), as Bear matured, he became more confident and responsive to the needs of his rider. He learned to carry riders facing in any and all directions, to stand still during games, and to move in a steady and even stride when his rider required it. During every session, he stayed focused on the task at hand, no matter what was going on around him. Bear's calm demeanor helped to settle nervous humans and uncertain horses alike. Today, his absolute dependability means he is perhaps the safest mount in the barn for some of Special Equestrians' most vulnerable participants.
"Being short, stocky, and very predictable, we like to put our more medically complex kids on him, because we know they're not going to fall," says Witt. "He's not going to spook, he's not going to slide sideways. He will also stand for days, so if our instructors or therapists need to reposition a rider, he is not going to have any issues hanging out while they do what they need to do."
During off-site programs, Bear has been led through school hallways, visited with children in a parking lot in inner-city Philadelphia, and been ringed by wheelchairs at nursing homes. He always remains his steady, reliable self.
Throughout his long career, Bear has touched the lives of thousands of children and other individuals with cerebral palsy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, brain injury, PTSD, and more. Today, he continues to support riders in Special Equestrians' therapeutic riding and occupational therapy programs, as well as Silver Saddles, an activity offered to individuals over the age of 55. He has represented Special Equestrians at local events, worked with 25 community partners, and participated in over 10,000 lessons.
"Bear was born to be a therapy horse," says one of Special Equestrians' three occupational therapists. "He has excelled in tolerance, patience, and intuitively knowing what his riders need."
Witt admits that when it comes time for Bear to officially retire, he will be nearly impossible to replace. But when a medical condition recently required him to take some time off, Bear was galloping and squealing in his field, and trotting sideways coming back into his stall-so she hopes his retirement date remains far into the future.
"The impact that this remarkable Haflinger has had on the thousands of children and adults he has served is powerful and immense," says Witt. "One of our volunteers stated recently, 'I wish everyone had a Bear at their barn. Their lives would be so much better.' We couldn't agree more."
