Dutch Promise - "Arie"
Arie, a Dutch Warmblood gelding, was the first horse surrendered to our care. He was born
on October 3, 1982, to the sire Gurioso, and the dam, Odiena. He was
given the name Dutch Promise, but he has adopted the name Arie for those
who are close to him. Often times, we also call him Arie Canary-probably
because it rhymes.
He
seems to find that amusing. For many years of
his life, Arie was a show horse, highly skilled in the art of Dressage.
We are told that his show career was not only national, but
international. Upon retiring from the show circuit, he worked as a
schoolmaster, teaching many riders the finer points of Dressage.
Although Arie’s former owner loved him very much, she simply could not afford to keep him. She also did not have the time needed to spend with him and provide him with all the love and attention that he deserves. In October of 2007, she made the difficult decision to surrender Arie to The Joy of Jasper.
Arie has a fascinating personality. He will give “kisses” when asked, but only if he thinks he will be rewarded with a treat. He loves carrots and sugar cubes. He will also pick up a bucket off the ground and hand it to you – again, hoping for treats. Arie can be very high maintenance. He’s been known to whinny when attention is paid to other horses in the barn. He knows he was a star, and he demands to be treated like one to this day.
Help us give Arie a fitting retirement.
Silver Bar - "Jasper"
Jasper, a Quarter
Horse gelding, was registered under the name Silver Bar when he was
born. His personality later landed him the nickname Jasper, as he was
known by all who loved him.
Except for when we were in the show ring,
Jasper was always clowning. He would stretch his neck as far as he could
– just like a giraffe – in an attempt to get treats or perhaps a quick
pat. Jasper loved apples. He was also really smart, which he proved time
again - for example, by learning neck reining in only a matter of
minutes. Jasper’s soundness was always an issue,
so we were constantly taking care of his legs. Unfortunately, Jasper
had to be put down after shattering all of the bones in his foot in a
tragic accident while out in the paddock.
I only knew Jasper for one summer, but in that short period of time, he changed my life. When I met Jasper, I was an adolescent girl in desperate need of self-esteem and confidence. I met Jasper at the Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Inc., located in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where I volunteered with the therapeutic riding program. As I worked with him and trained him for the show ring, Jasper gave me not only self-esteem and confidence, but also unconditional love and trust.
His memory and the gifts he gave to so many children are the inspiration for our work.
Help us to give the Joy
of Jasper to another child.
"Make a tax deductible contribution
today.”