We are 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. Please mark your calendar to participate starting at 6 PM March 2nd through March 3rd 6 PM.
Herd health and well-being at SDTR comes from your donations, volunteer and staff hard work and the 24/7 companionship of our horses’ best friends, Pygmy Goat Siblings Quigley and Willow!
Quigley and Willow aren’t technically SDTR therapy animals, until you realize it’s impossible to be in the presence of these two rascally siblings without smiling.
Willow is a beautiful Buckskin girl, silky golden tan with black markings; brother Quigley is a sturdy, rambunctious mass of soft black hair and shiny black hooves. Together they share a large stable-adjacent pen filled with toys, hay bales and things to jump on, hide in or run around.
Like SDTR Therapy Horse in Training Calypso, Laurie Vonasek bred and raised the goats on her farm before they took up residence at SDTR. Laurie says the six-year-olds remind her very much of their Pygmy parents, Goblin and Heidi, with their bright eyes and darting, radar-like ears always keen to hear new SDTR friends approaching their pen.
When Willow and Quigley see their Herd buddies, especially Calypso, they’ll tilt their heads in the same “Hello Friend!” way.
SDTR guests are greeted by each with their own unique personality: Ladylike Willow gracefully pops out of the enclosure’s second-story stall with a sweet smile on her luxuriously bearded face -- like all Pygmy Goats, she feels safer and secure on higher ground.
Quigley is more of a boy’s boy who jumps right in and welcomes you with a few playful nudges and, if you’re lucky, a happily brayed “hello.” His favorite game is, of course, head butting, while Willow just likes to take in the scenery. She is a thinker, Laurie says, who loves pats from humans and special treats of leaves and pine needles.
They both look humans in the eyes, tip their heads up and try to get close when they see someone to whom they want to show affection – their way of asking for the most special treat of all, a good scratching on chest and shoulders by a new friend.
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.