Hope For Heroes Horsemanship -

Daivi

Gypsy Vannier gelding

Born: July 27, 2011 Height 15 Hands Weight: 1350 lbs.

Daivi started in the program in 2019 and is already a hit with the Veterans. Daivi was a trained show horse for driving competitions in his previous career.  He is trained in the Fundamentals and can be ridden in English or Western and also pulling a cart or sleigh.  Daivi is fairly high in the pecking order of the herd, so he takes a confident leader and then he will do what you want to do.  He loves going out on the trail with the Veterans and loves to be groomed. He is a very people orientated horse and is always looking for treats, so make sure to only use the treat pan when giving treats. No hand feeding of any of our horses.

Fred

 Fredericksborg Danish Warmblood Gelding

Born: May 30, 2005 Height 16.2 Hands   Weight 1400 lbs.

Color: Isabella (light palomino) with blaze

Fred is the very first Fredericksborg horse born here in the USA. There are only 35 of these horses in the USA. Danish Royalty used the Fredericksborgs for driving their carriages and riding and jumping.  Fred is a 1st level dressage horse, which also trail rides in the mountains and the beach, as well as pulls the carriage and the sleigh here at Rainier Acres. He has competed in High School Equestrian Team events including gaming, dressage, driving and in hand, and extreme trail competitions. He currently competes also as a 3 day eventing horse.

  Fred is in the TV movie called; A Little Therapy that you can find on You Tube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozcZufpkRWA

 Fred is trained in the Fundamentals of Downunder Horsemanship. He was even rode by Clinton Anderson in “A Little Therapy”,  he  has been on TV and numerous newspapers including the front page of the Seattle Times due to him being the first Fredericksborg born in the USA and his work with Veterans. He is one of the stars of the Short Documentary film “Riding My Way Back” that won over 35 awards world- wide.  This horse has quite the ego, but well deserved.

Justice

Quarter Horse Gelding

Born: March 23, 2001   Height 15 hands  Weight 1000 lbs.

Color: Grey with black mane and tail. 

Justice’s prior owner Linda Fisher-Lewis a retired police officer also knew what a value this program is to our veterans and wounded soldiers, and knew that her horse Justice was up to the task. Justice is a very sure footed horse up in the mountains trail riding and camping; he also works cows, extreme mountain trail and does drill team.

Justice is trained in the Fundamentals of Downunder Horsemanship and was one of the founding horses for equine therapy here in the Northwest in 2010. Justice does very well with Veterans that have suffered physical injuries.

KIT

Missouri Fox Trotter Mare

Born: May 10, 2010  Height 14.3 hands  Weight: 1000 lbs.

Sinatra’s Southern Cattail aka Kit is a naturally gaited horse. What is nice about having gaited horses in this program is that we can get physicians to approve Veterans that have back and neck issues to be able to ride because of the smooth Missouri Fox Trotter, fox trot gait. Kit is an accomplished trail horse and is learning the Fundamentals of Downunder Horsemanship; she joined the Rainier Acres herd in September of 2017.  She will be having her first foal in 2018 which will be a great experience for the Veterans that come out to our program.

Vision

American Paint Horse Gelding

Born: January 16, 2002 Height: 15.2 hands Weight: 1150 lbs

Color: Bay and White Tobiano Paint

Vision is a very successful show horse in trail classes, Western and English for   4-H, as well as APHA horse shows, and also a consecutive two year championship winner for the Rainier High School Equestrian team. His owner Mindy also rides him bridle less and competes in extreme mountain trail on him.   His owner also owns Aspen.  Vision is trained in the Fundamentals of Downunder Horsemanship Level 2.   He is our demonstration horse for all events, a really nice horse to ride and be around, he loves people.

Magnum

Triple Registered- Miniature Horse Registry, American Shetland Pony Club

 and Pinto Horse Association

Born: July 1, 2007 Height: 35 inches Weight: 250lbs

Magnum is a BIG horse in a little body! He started in our program in 2019. He has been trained with the Fundamentals and knows everything the big horses do when it comes to groundwork exercises, and round penning.  Magnum is broke to ride and also drive. He works well with Veterans in wheel chairs and loves attention. He is also our Spokesperson horse when attending other events, as he is very personable, and knows how to make a person feel at ease around horses.

Whiskey (Blessing)

Quarter Horse Mare

Born: May 22, 2014 Height 14.2 Hands  Weight: 900 lbs.

Color: Palomino with Star and snip, right hind pastern white.

Whiskey Bar Ale aka Blessing has actually been working with Veterans from the day that she was born here at Rainier Acres. It has been a great experience for many of the Veterans to see the process of raising a foal, training and starting a young horse under saddle.  Blessing is trained with the Fundamentals of Downunder Horsemanship and is already competing in Extreme Mountain Trail. She has taken the Overall Championship in the Junior Horse Division for 2018 and 2019 for Extreme Mountain Trail.

She is truly a people loving horse.

Copper

Thoroughbred gelding

Born: April 7, 2017 Height 16 hands Weight: 1200 lbs

Copper Shine is brand new to the program here in 2020. He came to us from Ocala Florida and the racing circuit, where he was not interested in racing at all.  He is currently learning the Fundamentals program and doing very well.  He loves people and is a thinking horse that will be able to help many Veterans in the years to come.

Jim

Belgian Draft Gelding

Born on April 11, 1995, Height: 18 hands, Weight: 1900 lbs

Big Jim the Belgian joined our therapists in the summer of 2020. He came to us from Leavenworth Washington where he pulled the carriages in the beautiful Bavarian Village. Before that career Jim was a logging horse here in the Northwest.  A kind and gentle horse that is very popular with all the veterans and volunteers here at our program. He has learned his fundamentals and is also a wonderful trail horse and doing very well out on the extreme mountain trail course.

Hope

Missouri Fox Trotter Mare 

Born on May 10, 2018, Height: 15 hands, Weight 900 lbs

Hope was born here on the farm and the veterans have been working with her from the very beginning.  A beautiful Grulla Dun in color, and a wonderful smooth gait. 2021 will be here first offical year as a equine therapist now that we have started under saddle and she knows all of her fundamentals.  Hope is the daughter of Kit who is also in the program. They both share the same birthday of May 10th!

Rio

Thoroughbred Gelding

Born on April 12, 2018, Height:16.3 hands, Weight 1200 lbs

Rio just moved to the ranch in November of 2020. He was a race horse that never raced here at Emerald Downs in Washington. He is learning his fundamentals and will start in the program when he is fully trained. A gentle horse that is very curious and brave and is still growing!

Cutter

Missouri Fox Trotter Gelding

Born May 28, 2002, Height: 15.3 hands, Weight: 1050 lbs

Cutter's owner is a Vietnam Veteran that can't ride anymore and wantted Cutter to be able to help other veterans like he did himself.  Cutter has spent a lot of time out in the wilderness with the Back Country Horsemen helping to build riding trails as well as being a leader for young horses out on the trail.  He is very smooth in his gaits and is definitely a Cadillac to ride.  He will start his first session with the veterans here in 2022.