Bear is one of my equine co-therapists, and a favorite of several of my clients (as well as quite a few people at the barn). He is small (29 inches to be exact), funny, sassy, and always up for an adventure. Before attending the equine therapy training at Healing Hooves, and meeting Sue McIntosh’s minis, Teddy and Oliver, I never really understood minis or why people owned them. But when I met T & O, I got it. They are real characters and wonderful partners in equine therapy. Because of their size, they are great for people who may not feel as comfortable with “regular” size horses (although you have to be confident enough to know how to handle a mini because they definitely have minds of their own!). Bear also happens to be great with kids, especially those kids who are similar to him in personality, i.e. full of energy and mischief :) Besides his personality, one of the things that I love about Bear is his adaptability—he seems to fit in with almost all other horses. Right now, he lives with four weanlings and he is their fearless leader, showing them how to “horse” and have manners. Before the weanlings, he lived in a pen with a handful of other larger horses, including one who wasn’t too fond of him. Bear will never start a fight, if another horse doesn’t like him, he will move/run away. If a horse is scared of him—which some of them at the barn definitely are—he approaches them slowly, with a sniff and an outstretched muzzle. Bear is just an all-around cool little guy.
