Training Therapy Horses
What is the most asked question about our therapy horses? It is… Are they housetrained?
Yes. We would never take our horses indoors unless they were housetrained. No shortcuts. No poop bags. Can you imagine what that would smell like inside a hospital intensive care unit? Or when visiting Congress in Washington, D.C.? Or traveling in a limousine to a film premiere?
Working indoors would be a challenge for any horse but Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses make it look easy, even in high rise hospital buildings, news stations and convention centers. They walk up and down steps, ride in elevators, walk on unusual floor surfaces, carefully move around hospital and television studio equipment, work in small patient rooms and stay calm around unexpected sounds like ambulances, alarms and hospital helicopters… and yes, they are all bathroom trained.
Gentle Carousel therapy horses go through a two year basic in-hospital training program but are always learning new skills. The horses work with medical professionals in oncology units, intensive care units, and with occupational, speech and physical therapists as part of the treatment for patients who have suffered strokes, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, amputations and burns.
It is a rare horse who is both safe and happy working indoors and it takes time to develop real confidence and trust between a horse and handler.
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