Gideon came to us with scars from where a halter had been on for so long and so tight that his skin was permanently damaged. Despite that, he has been so trusting of all of our riders and volunteers [at Rising Hope Farms]. He has always been the horse we could count on for the even the timidest of riders.
[READ MORE: Denver’s urban youth find healing through horses.]
[READ MORE: Rescued horses rescue at-risk youth at Charis Ranch.]
And Gideon sure loves his job. A few years ago, the vet said it might be time to retire him as he was having some urinary issues. Gideon did not seem to agree. While the other horses were being tacked for lessons, Gideon would hang his head over the fence as if to say ‘what about me?’ We finally realized he had more to give and started using him again on a limited basis. He thrived and showed us he could handle more.
Sadly, this past season, Gideon’s hearing and eyesight grew worse, so we retired him from all riding activities. As always, he wants to be useful so these days, Gideon trains volunteers and is used in ground programs with seniors, at-risk teen boys, and at hospices.
[Read more happy horse stories: Stories of Hope]
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