Our Animal Team

Grace, or Amazing Grace, as we fondly refer to her, is who Grazia Foundation is named after. Louise and Grace were brought together when a kind-hearted woman saved Grace from an owner who believed that “sparing the rod spoiled the child”. Grace was 4 years old when Louise first was hired to work with her, and had decided the best way to protect herself was to not let another person touch her. After months of trust building, it was decided that Grace should stay with Louise, and the two have been a team since 2010. For many years, Grace lived at Sweet Briar College while Louise coached the Equestrian team there, and excelled as a performance horse while also teaching numerous riders confidence and connection on the ground and in the saddle. She retired from the performance world to become an equine partner in 2018. 

Omar is a dear, sweet donkey that always has itchy ears. Until the spring of 2019, Omar’s career was being a livestock guardian donkey - his job was keeping coyotes and dogs out of the goat’s field. Although Omar was born on a sheep farm and raised to be a guardian donkey, he didn’t like his job so it was decided to let him try being an equine partner. He loves his new career and is one of the happiest donkeys you’ll ever meet.

Roxie came from Tennessee and is an exceptionally lovely mule. For those who don’t know, mules are hybrids, half horse and half donkey. Roxie’s mom was a big Belgium mare and her dad a Mammoth Jack donkey. Roxie is not only lovely to look at but has a sweet attitude and just can’t get enough ear scratches and attention. She seems to live to show people what a heart-felt connection feels like.

Dixie and Goldie are our two sweet ponies who are best friends. Part of the agreement for them to come live on the farm was keeping this pair together. Goldie gets her name from her golden palomino color and is a small pony. Dixie, just a little larger, is a beautiful buckskin. Louise was lucky enough to get to know and work with these ponies when she was a visiting instructor at another local farm a few years back. When they needed a new home she was delighted to bring them to Bent Post to be our pony partners. We love that they are just the right size for our smaller visitors.

Dare to Dream, or Csilla as her friends call her, is the queen of Bent Post Farm and herd leader. When Louise met her as a three-year old, she was an opinionated teen. She was defiant and didn’t want to listen, maintain boundaries, or accept change. The first year Louise and Csilla spent together was a rocky one but now, more than 10 years later, the two are a team and have a heart-felt connection that is a great source of joy.

Bill is a handsome and goofy guy who loves people and attention. He joined the Bent Post team at the end of 2020, and thinks being a therapy horse is pretty interesting stuff. Bill is a joy to work with and is happy to help whenever he is brought out to play. He particularly enjoys games such as rolling barrels, kicking the yoga ball, playing with dog toys, being asked to engage with new and interesting obstacles such as hula hoops and yoga mats, and playing the game “Will Bill eat it?”

Gypsy had a rough start in life and was seized from a backyard in Amherst County, where she was tied up with a seriously infected hoof. After being nursed back to health, Gypsy went to live with a kind couple who took great care of her but didn’t try to ride or train her. In 2017, Gypsy came to Bent Post Farm when the folks she lived with could no longer care for her due to health concerns. They wanted Gypsy to have a horse family; something she’d never had before coming to Bent Post, and she has become a valuable member of our therapeutic team. Sweet Gypsy has become more much secure since joining the herd, but still worries, even though it has been many years since she knew food scarcity, about getting enough to eat.

Walker is our resident “blabador”, the loving nickname assigned to him due to his affinity for barking. He found his way to Bent Post Farm as a younger dog, and was adopted into the fold right away. He has a goofy but sweet demeanor, and takes his job very seriously of alerting Louise to anyone or anything that may even be thinking of venturing onto the farm. Walker loves to join therapy sessions in the ring, and thinks that getting to “walk and talk” around the property is a great way to spend an hour.

Goats and Chickens and Everything Else! Bent Post Farm is also home to the hardworking goats of the Goat Busters team, as well as a variety of chickens, dogs, and other wild creatures that sometimes wander by. While these animals are not often used directly as part of the equine assisted therapy process, their antics certainly bring smiles and are fun to observe as part of time spent on the farm.

To learn more about our services and how we can best help you, please Contact Us today to schedule an initial appointment.