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Testimonials

Frequently Asked Questions

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   AARP's Most Heroic Pet In America

Gentle Carousel's Good News

Prancing With The Stars

Movie Star Benji Teams Up With Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses

Gentle Carousel in Magazines

On Television, Film and Radio

Gentle Carousel in Newspapers

Meet Our Therapy Horse Team

Horse Costumes

A Visit From National Geographic

 Magic On NEWSWEEK/DAILY BEAST 10 Most Heroic Animals of 2010

  Gentle Carousel Needs Your Support

  Links To Our Sponsors

Wish List and Volunteer Opportunities

Smallest Horses In The World

READING IS MAGIC at Schools

READING IS MAGIC Horses

READING IS MAGIC at Libraries

READING IS MAGIC Authors

  READING IS MAGIC Bringing Books To Life at Literacy Festivals

  Magic selected Power Of One AMERICANTOWNS HERO

Becoming a Therapy Horse

Home Sweet Home

Princess Tea Parties

 Magic of Horses

 Sundance  Star of Jason and Elihu

Elephants, Zebras and Gentle Carousel

Magical Moments Fashion Show

Our Rescues and Therapy Friends

Magic Horses Poem

              Tiny Horses of Distant Thunder Ranch 

 Photography Contest Winners Featuring Gentle Carousel Horses

2010 Holiday Memories

Contact Us

 Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity.

Your donations are tax deductible. Help us grant wishes, make memories and bring a little magic into the world.

Gentle Carousel Inc.

P.O. Box 1672

High Springs, FL  32655

Phone: 352-226-9009

MiniHorseTherapy@att.net

  Rainbow in a huddle with two time Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Phil Simms.

"Keep up the wonderful work you do.  I often tell people that Lassie was the first therapy dog--the first to be allowed in hospitals more than 50 years ago!"      

Jon Provost, Appeared as Timmy Martin on Lassie

"...Gentle Carousel, you are wonderful, gentle, caring people! "

Marlo Thomas,Actress, producer, best selling author, four-time Emmy winner and activist for children's causes

Rainbow with THE DUKES OF HAZZARD star Tom Wopat.

Sundance reading at a Boys and Girls Club with former NFL and University of Florida  quarterback Doug Johnson for an Associated Press photo and literacy poster.

 

Gentle Carousel was selected a charity partner in Disney's volunteer program "Give a Day. Get a Day."

"Your Reading Is Magic program and volunteers are heroes every time they walk into a school or library.  Using little miniature horses to inspire young children to read is most creative.  Congratulations on your wonderful charity, spirit and service to your community."

 William J. Bennett, Former Secretary of Education

Magic was selected AARP's Most Heroic Pet In America and appeared in two AARP magazines.

James Gurney, Best-selling author and illustrator of the Dinotopia book series.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canine movie star Benji working with Magic.

"What they are doing is just so incredible.  They are making a difference. These people are the real deal.  They are down there in the trenches doing it."

Joe Camp, film writer, producer, director, bestselling author and man behind canine superstar Benji.

"Gentle Carousel...  Thank you for all of your hard work!"

Joan Lundon, Journalist, author and television host

 Magic with four-time Olympian and ten-time US Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year, Karen O'Connor.

 

Magic with David O'Connor, president of the United States Equestrian Federation, Olympic gold medalist and Pan American Games and World Equestrian Games medalist.

Gentle Carousel was featured in Woman's World magazine.

 

"Reading Is Magic!

Every child you inspire to read is a life forever changed. Thank you for that and for bringing books to life...It can take you from outer space to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Either way, the journey is magical.

...Wow.  Love those little horses... Great job you're doing.  I'm proud of you." 

-Homer Hickam, #1 New York Times Bestselling author and NASA engineer  

"What you have to get across is that these are highly trained horses. They go into an environment, a situation, circumstances where only a trained horse such as this can navigate himself... They seem to have an innate sense of how to go to the person they are there to comfort."

 Ilene Silverman, Executive producer and host of the The Ilene Silverman Show.

"...I think that the use of horses is wonderful for children with self-regulation and attachment issues (the classic problems with so many children in the CPS system as you are aware)...Keep up your work. With  Respect"

Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.Senior Fellow
The Child Trauma Academy 

 

"...I just wanted to take the opportunity to write you a letter expressing my amazement with your miracle miniature horse "Magic". As I read about all the miraculous things that have happened in her presence, I was absolutely stunned. It is amazing that despite the modern marvels of medicine and how much that field has advanced in my lifetime, that sometimes there remains an unexplained element to health and recovery that is covered by miraculous creatures like your horse..."

Senator Steve Oelrich

"Magic and Gentle Carousel, Inspiring children to read is magical. You are making a difference!"

 Chris Soentpiet, Acclaimed children's book author and illustrator (Thank you for the beautiful artwork you donated to help Gentle Carousel's Reading Is Magic!)

 "My own daughter, who has Down Syndrome has been touched by Magic. I have been able to see first hand what these animals can do just with my own child...This program benefits so many different population bases. They can reach the elderly, the terminally ill, children with developmental disabilities, children with needs in reading...there are just so many opportunities to reach so many people in need..."

Lance Block, Chairman for the Governor's Commission on Disabilities

"What 'Reading Is Magic' does for kids by going into schools and igniting excitement for reading a story is beyond compare.  Keep the hoof beats going."

Carl Joseph, author and Hall of Fame athlete

 

"What an honor and thrill to have Gentle Carousel's Sundance as a riveting character in JASON AND ELIHU."

Shelley Fraser Mickle, Award winning author and National Public Radio commentator  

Sundance smiles for a fan then kisses one of his photos in the novel JASON AND ELIHU as an autograph.

 "You have a wonderful program. Thank you for bringing joy to children... Keep reading! It is magic!"

Anna Grossnickle Hines, Author and illustrator of over 50 children's books.

"...Thank you for all the work you do...Reading is Magic!"

Linda Sue Park, Bestselling author and Newbery Medal Winner

 

 

Photo Memories

We provide a photographer at all our Gentle Carousel visits.  Beautiful photographs of our special horses and their new friends are part of the Gentle Carousel experience.

 

Gentle Carousel loves to give the gift of beautiful photo memories to families.

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Photo of Magic from Our Town Publications.

 Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses visiting  Al'z Place.   Al'z Place provides care for people with Alzheimer's disease or severe memory impairment and is part of Shands Hospital Eldercare.

 

 

Making a Halloween visit with future occupational therapists from the University of Florida.

 

 

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Rainbow at Holiday With Horses 2009.

 

Rainbow with Sheriff Sadie Darnell at Ayers Rehab.

 

Gentle Carousel helping children at an event with Florida Gators football players.

"Milky Way"  and Magic on at a Reading Is Magic event.

 

 

Congratulations to Jennifer Anfinsen who was nominated for a Work Of Heart Volunteer Award.  Jennifer was honored for outstanding service to Alachua County for her work with Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses.  Jennifer and Magic are shown at a "Reading Is Magic" program at the Alachua County Library District Main Branch and getting makeup (below) before she appeared with Magic on The Ilene Silverman Show.

 

Making new friends after a Gentle Carousel program for the University of Florida Child Protection Team.

 

Lend a Hand

Each year Girls Horse Club adopts an organization dedicated to caring for horses and the people who love them. Gentle Carousel was chosen this year. Thank you Girls Horse Club and 'mustang23'.

 

 

  

 Magic and Moonbeam meet new friends at the Annual Family Fun and Safety Day sponsored by the Alachua County Sheriff's Office...and yes the police dog was bigger than Magic!

 

 

Magic visiting Seniors United/Lake City Medical Center.

 

 

 

 

"Cookies With Santa" was the first partnering of Gentle Carousel with the University of Florida's Healthy Families program.  "Moonbeam" enjoyed some special time with Santa... our therapy horses made Santa's "Nice List" this year.

 

Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses gave some love to over 150 foster and homeless children as part of "Christmas For The Community".

    

 

 

Gentle Carousel delivered a sleigh full of stuffed toy horses to the Ronald McDonald House of Gainesville but the real horses got most of the attention.

Magic with Ronald McDonald House house director Theresa Drews. 

Professional baseball player Jon Townsend joined Gentle Carousel and signed autographs for children and families staying at the  Ronald McDonald House.

 

 

Alachua County Library District

 

Sidney Lanier School

 

Al'z Place

 

 

Seniors United/Lake City Medical Center

 

 

New Horizon Academy

 

The University of Florida's Healthy Families Program

 

Mother Gator

 

 

 University of Florida Child Protection Team

 

High Springs Day Care Center

A Non-profit Preschool

 

Magic helping pass out gifts during a Sharing Party at the  High Springs Daycare Center a non-profit preschool.

 

Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity.

Your donations are tax deductible.

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." ~Winston Churchill

 

Gentle Carousel Inc.

P.O. Box 1672

High Springs, FL  32655

Phone: 352-226-9009

E-mail: MiniHorseTherapy@att.net

 

© 2005-2011 Gentle Carousel Therapy Miniature  Horses  All rights reserved.