Gentle Carousel In The News

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses in Woman's World magazine on stands April 17, 2010.

Ocala Style Magazine

Therapy Horse Magic appearing on The Ilene Silverman Show.

Magic with the director and the host of The Ilene Silverman Show.

Gainesville Today Magazine

 

Miniature Horse Named America's 'Most Heroic Pet'   A Miniature Horse named Magic has been named the "Most Heroic Pet in America" in a vote organized by the AARP. Magic, a therapy horse, has touched thousands of patients over the past few years. She is a special friend to an 8-year-old girl who had a heart transplant and now is winning her fight with leukemia. Magic was at a hospital bed as someone woke from a coma. She comforted a man who peacefully passed away with his hand resting on Magic's head. From the Ronald McDonald House to programs for autistic children, Magic has worked her magic. A heroic pet is one that "has significantly improved or saved a life." The AARP's Top 10 finalists for the Heroic Pet title included eight dogs and a cat; Magic was the only horse. She will be featured in the 2010 May/June edition of AARP's The Magazine. Magic interacts with a patient. Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses are a team of 20 tiny horses that work with children and adults inside hospitals, assisted care programs, group homes and with patients in hospice care. They also work with adults and children with disabilities and at-risk and abused children. From cheering up young cancer patients to building bridges with Alzheimer patients, this team of special horses visited more than 4,000 adults and children in 2009. The therapy horses are able to walk up and down stairs, ride in elevators, walk on unusual floor surfaces, and move around hospital equipment. They remain calm in unusual and challenging situations (and, yes, they're housebroken). In September 2009, a newspaper photographer documented a unique interaction between Magic and a patient who had not spoken since she arrived at an assisted care facility three years earlier. The woman spoke to Magic; "Isn't she beautiful" were her first words, followed by, "It's a horse." Before Magic left the woman asked, "Will she come back again?" She has continued to talk since that visit with Magic. This story and others will be featured in a documentary being made about Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses. Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) charity.

Front Page Article from Lake City Reporter newspaper.

Magic and Moonbeam on the news again at the Ronald McDonald House.  Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses brought a sleigh with stuffed toy horses but the real horses got most of the attention.

 

Words of joy, and all thanks to Magic March 20, 2010 Magic at work. Jorge Garcia-Bengochea and Magic An elderly woman had not said a word at the Florida assisted-care facility where she had lived for three years. Then, in walked Magic. The miniature horse who carries out therapy work lit a spark in the woman. While a reporter was taking photos of a therapy horse visit, the woman began talking to Magic. "Isn't she beautiful," were her first words. "It's a horse." Hampton Manor's activities director Linda McSorley began to cry and told the woman she loved her. "I love you too," she answered - her first full sentence to another person in the time she had been there. Before Magic left, the woman asked, "Will she come back again?" Six months after Magic's first visit and she is still talking. The little pony's ability to weave magic, as part of the Gentle Carousel therapy horse programme, has won her the title of "Most Heroic Pet in America" in a vote organized by the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) magazine. AARP is the world's largest circulation magazine with over 25 million subscribers. Magic was selected from 10 finalists to take the title. The little blue-eyed horse works with adults and children inside hospitals, hospice programmes, and assisted-living facilities. She also works with abused children and children with disabilities. Magic can walk up and down stairs, ride in elevators and moves around hospital equipment. Magic is also housebroken. Gentle Carousel, run by Debbie and Jorge Garcia-Bengochia, has found that Magic has been part of many little miracles and has touched hundreds of lives in north Florida area over the past few years. "She is a special friend to an eight-year-old girl who had a heart transplant and now is winning her fight with leukaemia. Magic was with someone as he woke from a coma. She was with someone who peacefully passed away with his hand resting on Magic's head."

                                                                                                             - Photo by Jason Henry

Front page story

Magic in front of a television camera at a Reading Is Magic event.

Gentle Carousel's Reading Is Magic Program in the news.

Photo from Riverland News newspaper.

 Great new feature story in the March 2009 issue of Miniature Horse World magazine.

Magic visiting Seniors United/Lake City Medical Center.

See our Gentle Carousel interview at:

"Horse Talk: Interviews With Top People Making Changes In The Horse World"

Article from Gainesville Today (Spring 2009)

Therapy Horse Circus with the Grady House Dalmatians in March 2009 issue of EquuSSource magazine. 

A photo of therapy horse Angel in EquuSSource magazine. 

Stardust appeared in the November 2008 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine.

Caliente wins 1st Place in the Gainesville Sun Photography Contest.

                                                                              Photo of Magic from Our Town Publications. 

Therapy Horse Circus appears in a book about miniature horses.

See Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses in Southern Equine, Horse and Pony News and Alachua and High Springs Magazine.

A newspaper photo of Silver (then known as Butterscotch) before he was purchased to start Gentle Carousel's training program.  Look at Silver to see him now.

Magic in The Observer at High Springs preschool.

Our Gentle Carousel Horses have appeared in Miniature Horse World magazine "Irresistible Miniature Moments".  The horse on the cover is the father of one of our minis.

This photo of Distant Thunder Stardust On Demand won First Place in the 2008 American Miniature Horse Association OH What A Beautiful Baby Photo Contest.  Look for his photo in Miniature Horse World magazine.

Magic in the Horse and Pony News magazine.

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