Meet Our Horses
SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center of Canton, Inc. is a 501(c)3 with a mission "To assist people with special needs in
reaching their full potential through the interaction with Horses"

This is a place of laughter, courage and second chances.

Here, horses don't just carry riders - they carry confidence, healing and hope.

Every step, every smile, every breakthrough you see...is a story in motion.

Welcome to our herd. Welcome to our mission. Welcome to where lives change- together.​


Iris is a Haflinger from Texas. She is a very stout girl and helps our riders feel every secure in the saddle. Iris also likes to "smile"!
Aspen is a Palomino gelding He is a great horse for both beginner and advanced riders. 
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Fargo is a great addition to our therapy team. Fargo is the biggest horse in the barn and can carry any size riders. He also is the head of our Therapeutic Driving Program coming soon in 2026!
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White Feather joined the SpiritHorse team in 2019 and he is great horse for our more timid adults and riders with disabilities. He rides English and Western and also likes to trail ride. 
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Maizy is a great addition to our therapy horse family. Maizy was a great trail riding horse in her previous home and her calm demeanor will help her shine in the arena helping smaller kids and teaching beginner riders to be confident.  
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Scout likes to greet our arrivals to the barn. Scout loves to be groomed and follow people during a dismounted lessons and likes "joining up" with the people he feels comfortable with. 
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Willa is a Rocky Mountain Horse who is a kind and steady gaited therapy horse known for her smooth, comfortable movement and calm presence. She provides a safe and supportive ride for our smaller riders. 
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Bert has just started his Therapy career. As an ex-Amish working horse, he has a calm demeanor wrapped up in a large package! Bert can "drive" a cart, and carry riders who can enjoy his playful personality. No much bothers this brave horse!
"Lucky" the  Equicizer, (Named after our first therapy horse) a non-motorized, mechanical horse used in Equine Assisted Therapy. The Equicizer is constructed to mimic the horse’s natural movement. The way you make the Equicizer move with your body, mimics the core muscles and the leg muscles that are engaged in horseback riding. This will help with creating alternative strategies for developmental learning & therapy goals. ​


​OUR HORSES WHO HAVE CROSSED RAINBOW BRIDGE
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DAISY was a talented eventing and dressage horse who was generously donated to our program. Daisy was stepping down from competitions and her second career as a therapy horse was a perfect fit! She helped countless riders to gain independence and confidence in the saddle. Daisy crossed Rainbow Bridge March 2026.
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RIVER was our Amish horse who came to us underweight and in need of a lot of TLC. Once he felt better, he was a kind and brave Therapy horse for the past 2 years. We were happy to give him a safe home where he was loved by many. River crossed Rainbow Bridge Dec. 2025
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BUDDY was a AQHA gelding. He was kind and sweet and his wonderful training with his previous owner made him a calm, steady therapy horse. He crossed Rainbow Bridge 12/8/23
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Cash was a favorite horse for riders of all levels and ages. He was a Paint Horse with a great personality! He crossed Rainbow Bridge on 10/14/23
Queenie was a Rocky Mountain gaited pony. Her smooth gaits and calm disposition made her the perfect pony for our beginner riders. She crossed Rainbow Bridge in Oct. 2022 at the age of 24 yrs old 
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Ester was a Welsh Cross Pony. Ester was a former Show Pony who was generously donated to us. She was the perfect size for our smaller riders and sadly crossed rainbow bridge February 2022. ​
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​  Our barn was very saddened to learn that Tory had crossed Rainbow                  Bridge in the summer of 2016.
   Torvald "Tory" was a 27 year old Fjord. Don't let his age fool you...
   Tory loved to teach riders how to be confident in the saddle.
   He loved to be brushed and also liked to "drive"! 

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​Sadly, one of our favorite horses has crossed Rainbow Bridge.
Tuff’s Lucky Doc, “LUCKY”, April 1997-September 2015
Lucky was our very first therapy horse. Most people remember Lucky as the horse who "smiled".

We will miss him dearly.
We believe horses and ponies have the most accessible spirit of almost any creature and the vast majority have very beautiful spirits. They have one advantage over humans in that they do not have an ego to get in the way of their relationships. We also believe that children with disabilities have very accessible and beautiful spirits. We believe that this spiritual connection is what makes this intervention work. Our horses and ponies always greet the children who lead them from wheelchairs, walkers, and canes. They are so happy to see their riders.

The average age of our horses and ponies is fifteen years. They work here until our veterinarian advises that they are uncomfortable with the work, or unsafe (tripping, etc.). At this time they retire here on our ranch to live out their lives in peace and tranquility. When these wonderful old equines pass on they will be buried in the back pasture with a tree planted in their memory.