We’re proud to again be part of the United Way’s DoMore24 Delaware (DM24DE) campaign March 2-3, 2023 with a fundraising goal of $20,000 to support accredited instruction, individualized horse care and resources for best-practice Holistic Equine Healthcare and Natural Horsemanship.
Calypso is on her journey of becoming a therapy horse.
She arrived at SDTR in February from Laurie Vonasek’s farm, reuniting with her stablemate Sol. Laurie bred Calypso 12 years ago with her beloved American Bashkir Curly mother, May, and an American Paint Horse Halter Champion.
Calypso has grown into a beautiful palomino, a smidge over 14 hands, not too big and not too small…just right for riders who’ve never been on a horse before.
But the heart of Calypso’s therapy horse potential is her inner beauty. Since she was born, Calypso has blossomed with Laurie’s intuitive, devoted care and Natural Horsemanship method into a calm, trusting, and sweet, sweet girl. And smart -- Laurie’s therapy horse training will add to what she’s already learned about dressage and driving.
Everything you need to know about the kind of therapy horse Calypso will be is right there in her name: Laurie named her after Jacques Cousteau’s faithful boat, as she’s always been inspired by Cousteau’s curious and compassionate sense of adventure.
Now Calypso is on a truly compassionate adventure, ready to take SDTR riders on amazing adventures of their own. Calypso has benefited from Natural Horsemanship methods since birth. Natural Horsemanship is a philosophy of working with horses based on horse instincts and methods of communication with the horse. It is a trained human who understands how to use natural methods in working with the horse. The outcome of using this natural method is that Calypso is well grounded and safe with disabled riders, and is happy with her job. It is important to have a holistic approach in the care of horses so that their mental, emotional, and physical well-being is healthy and happy. This makes for a safe and enjoyable experience for our riders.
Saddle Up for What’s Next: Meet one very special SDTR family member who also enriches our Herd’s quality of life everyday with companionship and encouragement -- everyone’s favorite SDTR Barnyard Buddy, Gadget!
Join our community of service to Delaware by being part of the 2023 Do More 24 Delaware online fundraiser, 6pm March 2 through 6pm March 3 at our DM24DE homepage to find out how you can make your donation do even more. You can send a generous donation to us here, by clicking donate and filling out your information! Until then, you can set a reminder by filling out your name and email to remind you on March 2nd.
The Board of Directors of Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding (SDTR) is generously matching donations up to $3,000! Please help us by donating to our page.