Cloudburst on People Magazine website.

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

A photo of Peanut and Aladdin were on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and her website home page. Who doesn't love Ellen!

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."

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.

As Seen in:

"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."

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

 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.

"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." 

"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"

"...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..."

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

 "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..."

Gentle Carousel In Newspapers

Story in UK's The Telegraph   A 19-inch high black miniature horse is pictured with an elephant in Gainesville, Florida. Debbie and George Garcia-Bengochea from Gainsville, Florida run Gentle Carousel, one of the world's only mini horse therapy organisations. They use their tiny herd of horses to bring joy to the lives of foster children as well as those who are homeless or have suffered abuse... Picture: Incredible Features / Barcroft Media ...Looking just like living My Little Pony toys, Rainbow, 3, Peanut, 2, and their other mini horse friends do their best to provide happiness to children in need. Unlike Guinness Book of Record holding horse, Thumbelina - who at 17-inches suffers from dwarfism - Debbie and George's mini horses are fully grown. Picture: Incredible Features / Barcroft Medi

 

 

 

 

Associated Press photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

History in miniature at O'Leno State Park Literacy Day Aladdin (left) and Peanut, in full literary costume, visit with children at O'Leno State Park Literacy Day. Miniature horses and history and Native American traditions featured at Literacy Day at O'Leno State Park   Wakanda, a one-year-old pinto, shows off the designs painted by children at Literacy day. A special book about a painted pony inspired a boy to read at Literacy Day.   Five tiny horses brought a special program to O'Leno State Park Literacy Day, featuring children's books written and illustrated by Native Americans “We did two hours of programs with five horses, including our new Gift Horse/Native Americans and Horses program that included painting on Pintos,” said Debbie Garcia-Bengochea of Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses. “The children had fun painting the traditional symbols on the horses -- who washed up very well after the program,” she said. Our new therapy horse in training, Cloudburst, made his first public appearance as one of the pintos and was a park ranger favorite! Families could enter the park on Literacy Day free if they donated a new or lightly used book. All of the children's books donated were given to Gentle Carousel to give to children at Happy House in Lake City. Gentle Carousel will visit Happy House on a regular schedule. Gentle Carousel began as a therapy-horse program, visiting children’s hospitals, Hospice and nursing homes. The tiny horses bring joy to patients and take their attention away from their medical challenges. A reading program followed, matching horses with those in books. Debbie and Jorge Garcia-Bengochea have acquired a variety of miniature horses that look just like the literary characters in books, such as “Run with the Wind,” “Black Beauty” and “Year of the Black Pony.” To see all of the animals and learn more about Gentle Carousel, visit www.Horse-Therapy.org

 

 

Winners of our Coolest Pet Photo Contest 2011 Aladdin and Peanut   Coolest Pet Photo (not cat or dog): Therapy horses Aladdin and Peanut.

 

 

Reading is Magic brings a modern children's classic, pageantry and the Magic of Gentle Carousel to library programs on Friday

Rainbow, one of the Gentle Carousel miniature horses, is surrounded by adoring fans during a visit to the Columbia County Public Library. Peanut is the smallest horse in the world (non-dwarf) at only 19 inches tall. (Gentle Carousel photo) By Karl Burkhardt There will be Magic at the Libraries on Thursday – wonderful Magic, Magic you can hug and kiss. Magic you can talk to. Magic will step out of the pages of a children’s book, Fritz and the Beautiful Horses. With audience volunteers and costumes, Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses will act out the story. The book is a modern classic, with exquisite illustrations by the author, by Jan Brett. Fritz, a pony excluded from the group of beautiful horses within the walled city, becomes a hero when he rescues the children of the city. Fritz was not beautiful. He didn't have a braided mane or a glossy coat. He couldn't prance with long, graceful strides like the elegant horses who carried lords and lovely ladies to the city – a city that allowed only the most beautiful horses within its walls. The citizens laughed at the short-legged pony's attempts to be like their own horses. Combined with the tiny horses from Gentle Carousel, this will be an unforgettable experience for children, not to mention their parents. “We are going to be bringing Peanut and Aladdin,” said Debbie Garcia-Bengochea. “Peanut is the smallest horse in the world (non-dwarf) at only 19 inches tall. Aladdin is only 21 inches tall.” Gentle Carousel brings Reading is Magic to the Fort White Community Center on State Road 47, across the street from the Library, on Friday, June 24, at 11 a.m. The Main Branch Library in Lake City hosts Gentle Carousel’s Reading is Magic at 2 p.m. on Friday. The Library is at 308 N. Columbia Street. Both programs are free, sponsored by Friends of the Library. “We will also be reading another book with the help of our little hero horse Magic. Recently, she was selected a Reader's Digest /Americantowns Power of One Hero (the only non-human),” Debbie said. “National Geographic flew in and followed Magic at work for three days (the article should be out in November). We also just did a photo shoot for People magazine.” Gentle Carousel's Reading Is Magic brings real horses inside schools, at risk youth programs and libraries to inspire young readers and "bring books to life." The tiny horses in the program look like the horse characters in loved children's books. Programs like the ones at the Columbia County Libraries inspire children to read. They infuse the joy of reading for youngsters who may not think of reading as fun. Equally inspiring are the visits to hospitals and nursing homes, where a visit from a miniature horse is a surprise and a delight. One woman, a resident in a nursing home, had not spoken in three years when Magic came to visit. "Isn't she beautiful," were her first words. "It's a horse." That moment changed her life forever. Magic has been named The Most Heroic Pet in America by AARP. And she has been honored by Time/CNN which named her one of 10 of History's Most Courageous Animals. Magic and Gentle Carousel have fans all over the world. Benji, the movie star, came to North Florida, with his owner, Joe Camp, and his wife Kathleen. Camp is a film writer, producer, director, bestselling author and man behind the canine superstar. He is the author of The Soul of a Horse. Debbie and Jorge Garcia-Bengochea formed Gentle Carousel as a non-profit corporation, a “public charity dedicated to delivering therapeutic visits to children and adults in hospitals, hospice, nursing homes, group homes or confined at home. To see all of the animals and learn more about Gentle Carousel, visit www.Horse-Therapy.org

 

Peanut makes news around the world, heads for Lake City Peanut, one of Gentle Carousel's miniature therapy horses, arrives in costume with Ronald at a special Ronald McDonald House Charities event. Peanut was included in UK's 'The Daily Mail' and 'The Telegraph' last week. She also managed to be in the news in China and Iraq. Peanut's little friend, Magic, is featured in 'In Touch Weekly' this week. Next for Peanut, Magic and Gentle Carousel is a project with Disney to help terminally ill children and a visit with children at Happy House in Lake City. Click on the photo to visit Gentle Carousel.

 

Magic entering nursing home.   Gentle Carousel's Mini Therapy Horses Work   Wonders   Mon, 5 Sep 2011 Location: SAN DIEGO, California Twenty-four tiny therapy horses work inside hospitals, assisted living programs, hospice programs, programs for Alzheimer patients and with adults and children with disabilities. They also work with foster children and at risk and abused children. Thousands of adults and children are visited by Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses each year.   Congratulations are in order to Gentle Carousel’s mini horse “Magic”, who is currently featured in national celebrity magazine In Touch Weekly.   Another mini-therapy horse, Peanut, has been featured in UK’s The Daily Mail and The Telegraph and also managed to be in the news in China and Iraq.   Peanut’s real job as a therapy horse was highlighted when she helped cheer children with life threatening illnesses as Ronald McDonald’s look-a-like sidekick. Peanut is now undertaking a role with Disney to help terminally-ill patients.   Jorge and Debbie Garcia-Bengochea work non-stop with their Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses non-profit organization. Located in Gainesville, Florida, their 30-plus miniature horses visit thousands of children and adults in schools, hospitals and hospice in Alachua, Marion and surrounding counties.

 

 

Florida Horse in National Celebrity Magazine     She may not be Angelina Jolie or Jennifer Aniston, but Florida miniature therapy horse Magic is currently in national celeb magazine In Touch Weekly (at most department store and grocery store check outs around the country). Take a peek while you are waiting in line! Magic’s little friend Peanut is giving her a run for her money when it comes to international news. She was just featured in UK’s The Daily Mail and The Telegraph and also managed to be in the news in China and Iraq last week. Peanut’s real job as a therapy horse was highlighted when she helped cheer children with life threatening illnesses as Ronald McDonald’s look-a-like sidekick. She arrived with Ronald in his “one horsepower” car at a special Ronald McDonald House Charities event. She also teamed with 12 year veteran NFL football player Mike Peterson (UF Hall of Famer, currently with the Atlanta Falcons) for a children’s charity program. Peanut was dressed as a UF cheerleader and her therapy horse friends were football players and a referee.

 

ALL ABOUT HORSES   Learn about the basics of horsemanship, breeds, disciplines, horse care, horse management and more.   Horse Wins Martha Stewart Halloween   Costume Photo Contest   October 24, 2011-- There is some exciting news at Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses. Therapy horse Cloudburst (wearing his scarecrow costume and really carrying his basket) won Martha Stewart's 2011 Halloween Photo Contest. The photo was selected from over 500 national finalists. We thought it was interesting last week that Martha Stewart was on Twitter talking about our therapy horses and posted our website information... now we know why. Thank you Martha! Cloudburst and his therapy horses friends have spent October doing hospital and hospice "Trick or Treating" in their Halloween costumes. Being recognized by Martha Stewart was encouraging for the costume designer who makes and donates all of the costumes the horses use all year. She is currently working on 50's sock hop outfits for the horses (with leather jackets and poodle skirts) for an upcoming dance marathon to benefit The Children's Miracle Network. In addition, a photo of therapy horse Aladdin wearing his costume from a Muscular Dystrophy Association charity event was selected by Southern Living Magazine for their 2011 Halloween Pet Parade photos. Therapy horse Magic is wearing her tuxedo in the new November issue of National Geographic Kids magazine (in 20 languages / 60 countries) so it is a fun month for costumes! She was also in In Touch Weekly magazine last month in her tux.

Happy birthday at Happy House with Magic from Gentle Carousel

Gentle Carousel's tiny horse, Magic, helps Morgan (from left), Sam and Alexis celebrate their birthdays at Happy House Wednesday afternoon. The children each received a book, 'Jason and Elihu," pictures and very special memories. Magic recently was named 'Animal Hero of the Year' by Newsweek magazine. A story, a video and more photos are being prepared for the Journal. (LakeCityJournal.com photo)

 

Story in UK's The Daily Mail My little ponies: The adorable miniature horses providing therapy for children in need y   Standing at just 19 inches tall, these horses are not only the smallest in the world, they also appear to be the kindest.   Real-life 'My Little Ponies', Rainbow, 3, Peanut, 2, are just two of the group of miniature horses providing therapy for children in need.   Debbie and George Garcia-Bengochea from Gainsville, Florida, run Gentle Carousel, one of the world's only mini-horse therapy organisations.   Healing horses: The miniature ponies are part of the Gentle Carousel, one of the world's only mini-horse therapy organisations After realising the therapeutic benefits of playing with mini horses when they took on foster children themselves, the couple now use their tiny herd of tame horses to bring joy to the lives of other foster children as well as those who are homeless, have suffered abuse or are critically and even terminally ill.   Debbie said: 'These horses can't cure, but they can make a child, and their family, very happy and create wonderful memories.   Good cause: After realising the therapeutic benefits of playing with mini horses, the couple that run the centre now use them to bring joy to the lives of foster children as well as those who are homeless, have suffered abuse or are critically or terminally ill   We took the horses to a camp for children who've suffered with cancer. Magic went up to one of the little boys and rested her head against his.   'We were told later that he had just found out his cancer had returned. She finds the people who need her the most.'   Unlike Guinness World Record-holding horse, Thumbelina, who at 17-iches suffers from a condition called dwarfism - Debbie and George's mini horses are fully grown.   But their small size does not stop these brave horses from being pillars of their community - they even fight crime, with their horse, Magic being named in CNN's list of Ten Most Heroic Animals.   The Gentle Carousel horses are also brought to disabled patients to brighten up their day   'Recently there was a stabbing and the head of the police department asked if Debbie could take Magic and her friends to the neighborhood to visit the victim at home,' said George. 'Everyone came out of their houses when they saw the horses walking down the street. 'It changed the relationship between the police and the community for the better and helped them with the investigation.'   Little and large: The miniature horses stand at 19inches tall, the smallest in the world   Debbie and George train the horses from birth, and now breed new therapy horses within their herd.   All their horses run in a paddock and live as a natural herd. Their therapeutic roles are rotated so they 'work' only one day a week. 'They're job is just to go out and love people and get loved,' said Debbie. 'They're magic is that they're always in the right place at the right time.'

Gentle Carousel's tiny horses helping Christian Service Center

Miniature therapy horses from Gentle Carousel will be at the Lake City Mall on Tuesday, December 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. in Center Court. Parents are encouraged to bring their children and cameras to take pictures or videos with the lovable little horses. They are asked to make a donation to the Christian Service Center's Matching Fund Drive. Because the food pantry at the Christian Service Center is running low, guests are asked to donate non-perishable food. (Gentle Carousel photo)

Happy House children celebrate birthdays by painting a pinto and partying with Magic, Peanut and Wakanda   A.J. timidly reaches out to Magic, with a little encouragement from Happy House Director Sheryll Walker and Jorge Garcia-Bengochea of Gentle Carousel. (LakeCityJournal.com photo) Morgan dabs green paint with her finger, painting arrows on Wakanda, a one-year-old pinto, with help from Jennifer Anfinsen, a volunteer with Gentle Carousel. (LakeCityJournal.com photo) By Karl Burkhardt It was a wondrous day in the neighborhood, with children at Happy House painting a real pinto horse and sharing their birthday celebration with celebrities from Gentle Carousel. For Morgan, one of the little people at Happy House, it was a treat because she finally got to meet Peanut, the smallest horse in the world. She has a scrapbook of stories and photographs of Peanut. Morgan recently tried to come to a Library program and she tried to come to the Gentle Carousel Tea Party, but she was in a hospital both times. On Wednesday, she finally got to meet Peanut on her sixth birthday. “We are both little, with big hearts,” Morgan said. There were separate presentations at Happy House for two groups of children because there is not enough room to put them all in the room at the same time. Wakanda, a one-year-old pinto, joined three birthday children, Morgan, 6, Alexis, 8 and Sam, 10. Everyone sang “Happy Birthday.” “Wakanda is a Sioux name, meaning possesses magical power," said Debbie Garcia-Bengochea of Gentle Carousel. Native Americans painted special symbols on their horses when braves went into battle. The Sioux tradition was explored by Happy House children who were given water-based paints and sketches of the sacred symbols: The Sun of Happiness, The Sacred Buffalo, an Arrow of Swiftness and Buffalo Tracks. Wakanda stood very still for the painters. This was a new venture for Gentle Carousel, which began as a program to bring miniature therapy horses to hospitals and nursing homes. A reading program was added, with miniature horses that look like the main characters in children’s books, such as “Run with the Wind,” “Black Beauty” and “Year of the Black Pony.” At Happy House, Wakanda helped teach children about Native American history and horses. Each of the birthday children received a present, a book, “Jason and Elihu,” as well as pictures and memories that will last a lifetime. The birthday program for older children lasted about an hour. A second program for voluntary pre-kindergarten children brought in Magic. Magic has been honored by organizations across the United States and around the world. A list of her honors is at the end of this article. Every child, and even the teachers, had a chance to meet Magic and have their picture taken. Debbie and Jorge Garcia-Bengochea had one more surprise for Happy House – Gentle Carousel will visit once a month with a reading program and one of the miniature horses. “Jason and Elihu” is the first book the children will read. Teachers will read it to the younger ones. On the last day of the reading program, Sundance, the horse in the book, will visit Happy House. Every birthday will be a wondrous day at Happy House, with a special reading program and little horses. A Magical Little Horse   Magic was named The Most Heroic Pet in America by AARP. She has been honored by Time/CNN which named her one of 10 of History's Most Courageous Animals. Newsweek named her Animal Hero of the Year Reader’s Digest named her as one of the Hometown Heroes. Look for features in upcoming issues of National Geographic Magazine and People Magazine. Magic will have her own book, to be released soon. To see Magic and all of the animals at Gentle Carousel, visit www.Horse-Therapy.org

 

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

Magic, the biggest little equine celebrity in the world, visits Fort White and Lake City on Tuesday

Debbie Garcia-Bengochea introduces Magic to Seniors United members in 2009. (LakeCityJournal.com file photo) This is one of many charming and sometimes surprising photos on the Gentle Carousel Web site, http://www.horse-therapy.org/ By Karl Burkhardt She has inspired thousands of children to read books and brought joy and comfort to patients in hospitals, nursing homes and Haven Hospice. Her name is Magic and she was named the Most Heroic Pet in America last year by AARP. Everyone who sees her immediately smiles. When she nuzzles them, it brings tears of joy to their eyes. Some people hug Magic, some kiss her forehead and some lean forward to touch her head with their head.   For those who meet her, it is an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives. Magic visited Seniors United in Lake City a year ago. She went up to each person to greet them and to be petted. Magic, a special breed of horse, is just 26 inches high, one of 28 small horses at Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses in High Springs. Debbie and Jorge Garcia-Bengochea formed Gentle Carousel as a non-profit corporation, a “public charity dedicated to delivering therapeutic visits to children and adults in hospitals, hospice, nursing homes, group homes or confined at home. “Our tiny miniature horses provide the beneficial and therapeutic effects of animal assisted activities with the individuals visited, and enhance their quality of life, “,” they wrote in their mission statement. “Gentle Carousel is also dedicated to helping children in schools and libraries develop the desire and ability to read. “Gentle Carousel is a volunteer-based program that teaches people of all ages the importance of volunteering.” There are no paid staff members at Gentle Carousel. All the work is done by volunteers and Gentle Carousel is supported by donations. Magic and Gentle Carousel have fans all over the world. Benji, the movie star, came to North Florida, with his owner, Joe Camp, and his wife Kathleen. Camp is a film writer, producer, director, bestselling author and man behind the canine superstar. He is the author of “The Soul of a Horse.” The two programs, presented by the Columbia County Public Library on Tuesday, are free and everyone is invited. Magic is scheduled to visit the Fort White Community Center at 11 a.m. and the Main Library in Lake City at 1:30 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.horse-therapy.org/

 

 

He’s So Sweet He’s Already a Winner–but Now Martha Stewart Confirms It This adorable miniature horse--who is also a therapy horse--won Martha Stewart's Halloween Pets 2011 Photo Contest, and it's easy to see why.   Cloudburst, a miniature therapy horse of Gentle Carousel, models his Halloween look that won him the most popular pet in Martha Stewart's photo contest. | Photos courtesy of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses Gentle Carousel’s miniature therapy horse Cloudburst wearing his scarecrow costume (he really is holding his basket) won Martha Stewart’s Halloween Pets 2011 Photo Contest. The photo was selected from over 500 national finalists. The winning description was included on Martha Stewart’s contest page: ‘”These tiny therapy horses (only 19 and 20 inches tall) work inside hospitals, assisted care programs, programs for Alzheimer’s patients, group homes, and with patients in hospice care,” writes gentlecarousel. “They also work with sheriff’s officers in high-crime neighborhoods as part of a community outreach program, and help children with developmental delays and at risk-and abused children. They’ll wear a tuxedo to a magical tea party for a child with a life ending illness or work with autistic children — these little horses bring special love where it is needed most.” ‘ Cloudburst and his therapy horse friends, all wearing Halloween costumes, have spent October “Trick or Treating” inside hospitals, assisted care programs, programs for Alzheimer’s patients and with patients in hospice care. They are members of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, an all volunteer 501 (c)(3) non-profit charity. The team of 26 therapy horses and volunteers visit thousands of adults and children each year.   Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horse "Magic" models a tuxedo for a friend.   Gentle Carousel therapy horse Aladdin shows off his outfit from a Muscular Dystrophy Association charity event. Being recognized by Martha Stewart was reportedly exciting for costume designer Sally Anfinsen, who makes more than 50 costumes a year for the miniature horses, everything from little cheerleader outfits for a camp for children with cancer to “Uncle Sam” outfits for the horses to wear at veteran’s hospitals. Sally is currently working on 1950′s sock hop outfits for the horses (with leather jackets and poodle skirts) for an upcoming dance marathon to benefit The Children’s Miracle Network.

 

 

 

 

Columbia County horse wins Martha Stewart's 2011 Halloween Photo Contest   This photo of the tiny horse, Cloudburst, won Martha Stewart's 2011 Halloween Photo Contest. He is wearing the scarecrow outfit he recently wore at a Happy House reading program. The photo was selected from 500 national finalists. Cloudburst is one of the Gentle Carousel miniature horses that visit hospitals and nursing homes. The horses also are featured in children's reading programs. (Gentle Carousel photo)

 

 

 

Winning With Horse Power Takes Equine Experiential Learning Global Winning With Horse Power, a new venture dedicated to promoting equine experiential learning, recent international debut featured Magic America's Most Heroic Horse, pictured here greeting a guest.   MERRITT ISLAND, FL--06/06/11 - Winning With Horse Power, an innovative new equine experiential learning venture, took center stage when it debuted at the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) 2011 International Conference & Exposition in Orlando, Fla. "Equine experiential learning is energizing, insightful and creates a lasting impact, breaking through barriers and enabling individuals and companies to tap into their unrealized potential," commented company President/CEO Eileen Tighe. The company's web site, www.WinningWithHorsePower.org, offers unbridled learning solutions, well beyond the ordinary conference room setting, utilizing a multi-faceted approach, inclusive of a comprehensive, easy access member directory to world-class equine experiential member providers in all areas of expertise; premier local and destination learning venues; a speaker's bureau; train-the-trainer and CEU programs, and an event calendar listing workshops and seminars in the US and abroad. Combined with its wide-ranging business and academic resources complemented by highly personalized service, Winning With Horse Power delivers solutions that matches businesses and organizations with the right information, location and provider to suit their specific requirements. "... Winning With Horse Power is a fantastic place for providers and clients to meet and mutually thrive," shared member Cecilia Engquist, MSc Psychology, ACC, Houston, TX. "I had the honor of participating in the debut of Winning With Horse Power at the international exposition in Orlando, Fla. For three days we spoke to a global audience about the power of the horse-human interaction, its applications to professional and personal development and the benefits obtained, and educated hundreds of people about our work. This experience with Winning With Horse Power did more to bring equine experiential learning into the public eye than anyone of us could do alone," noted member Monique Morimoto Flaherty, MS, CPCC, of Quincy, MA. Winning With Horse Power members bring real "horsepower" to the learning experience, incorporating actual horses as an integral part of the process, allowing for a unique and memorable learning experience utilizing the natural beauty of the equine environment. The end results are thought-provoking and creative solution-based programs that deliver results. "Horses are a great conduit for breakthroughs leading to that satisfied feeling that comes with a sense of accomplishment. And the expo was a great place to share that and more with training and development leaders from around the world," Tighe said.

 

Social Petworking   Websites like Facebook aren't just for humans anymore By Lashonda Stinson Curry Staff Writer  Gainesville Sun   Published: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 11:33 a.m.   Jorge and Debbie Garcia-Bengochea work non-stop with their Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses non-profit organization. Their 30-plus miniature horses visit thousands of children and adults in schools, hospitals and hospice in Alachua, Marion and surrounding counties. ut once they return to their High Springs home, their work isn't over. They log onto Facebook to post status updates and photos and respond to messages — all on behalf of their horse, Rainbow. Five months ago, the couple created a profile for Rainbow, their 50-pound, white and gray horse with bright, ice blue eyes. Although Rainbow has an e-mail address, Debbie Garcia-Bengochea said Facebook is a unique way for Rainbow to communicate and keep in touch with his fans and further promote their message of reading and literacy. "It's a lot of work keeping up with it, but it's easy to speak for him because he has such a personality and the kids love him so much," said Debbie Garcia-Bengochea, adding Rainbow will appear at library branches through the Gainesville and Ocala area as part of their Reading is Magic program. "As soon as school gets out, he'll tweet through the summer about all his events and adventures. His account will be ‘My Rainbow Heart.'"

Happy House children celebrate birthdays by painting a pinto and partying with Magic, Peanut and Wakanda

It was a wondrous day in the neighborhood, with children at Happy House painting a real pinto horse and sharing their birthday celebration with celebrities from Gentle Carousel. For Morgan, one of the little people at Happy House, it was a treat because she finally got to meet Peanut, the smallest horse in the world. She has a scrapbook of stories and photographs of Peanut.

Tiny horses and little children perform 'Fritz and the Beautiful Horses' for Reading Is Magic program

Nathalie Haden (left), Kelsey Haden and Ebony Jones pet Aladdin (white horse) and Peanut after the Gentle Carousel presentation in the Main Branch of the Columbia county Public Library. (LakeCityJournal.com photo) Magic (black horse) and Aladdin show off their formal attire for the visitors and the volunteer townspeople in Fort White Community Center Friday morning. (LakeCityJournal.com photo) By Karl Burkhardt Three tiny horses, dressed in formal attire, brought a live performance of Fritz and the Beautiful Horses to standing-room-only crowds in Fort White and Lake City Friday. Peanut, the smallest horse in the world at 21 inches tall, had the lead role, supported by Magic and Aladdin and eight children from the audiences. Four children at each performance played the townspeople, bowing to the regally dressed Magic and Aladdin. This tiny chorus of townspeople spoke in unison. Peanut, the horse that was not considered to be beautiful, sadly stayed outside the town. All this changed when a hero was needed and Peanut rushed to the rescue. The cheering townspeople dressed Peanut in finery and paraded him around the audience. A meet-the-cast party followed the performance, as soon and the little horses exchanged their acting costumes for casual dress – Hawaiian shirts. Then it was all hugs and kisses, giggles and laughter as children lined up to greet the stars and pose for photos. This is Gentle Carousel, a non-profit organization that takes the miniature horses to hospitals and nursing homes to bring cheer and laughter to patients – young and old – giving them and their families special moments to remember. The program has expanded to encourage children to read with Reading Is Magic. After each performance, the children are asked if they have library cards. Virtually all the children without library cards suddenly want one and they want to read the featured book or one from a list, Reading Is Magic Favorite Book List. Copies of the list are available at both libraries. The performances on Friday were at the Fort White Community Center and the Main Branch of the Columbia County Public Library. Friends of the Columbia County Public Library sponsored the events. For more information and a gallery of beautiful and inspiring photographs, visit www.ReadingIsMagic.org and www.Horse-Therapy.org

 Gentle Carousel helping with the "Camelot" theme for ROCK (Reaching Out To Cancer Kids) Camp.

National honors come to Columbia County resident for comforting the ill and inspiring children to read   Kaylen See (left), her brother, Johnny, and mother, Angie See, visit Magic, a Gentle Carousel miniature horse, at a special reading program in the Main Branch of the Columbia County Public Library last June. (LakeCityJournal.com file photo) Kendra Smith, (from left), Bobbie Leslie, Katie Beach, Abby Beach, Jacob Harry and Hailey Leslie smile at their grandmother as they pose with Rainbow and Jorge Garcia-Bengochea. (LakeCityJournal.com file photo) By Karl Burkhardt Lake City Journal   She comforts the elderly and ill in hospitals and nursing homes. She is the heroine in children’s books and makes personal appearances to encourage children to read. She works with sheriff's officers in high-crime neighborhoods as part of a community outreach program and helps children with developmental delays and at-risk and abused children.  She is Magic – a horse, a miniature horse, and she is the star of the Gentle Carousel in southern Columbia County. Magic has just been honored by Time/CNN which named her one of 10 of "history's most courageous animals." The story said, "Animals have often shown bravery in extraordinary circumstances. TIME takes a look at some of history's most courageous animals." The Top 10 Heroic Animals included: Bucephalus, the famed steed of Alexander the Great,  Togo, the sled dog who brought serum to save Nome when diphtheria broke out in 1925, Stubby, the WW I hero war dog who became a lifetime member of the American Legion and later became Georgetown University's mascot, Simon, the British cat known for her heroic voyage down China's Yangtze River (her obituary appeared in TIME magazine in 1949),  New Zealand's, Moko, the dolphin and our local therapy horse, Magic. National Geographic Magazine is preparing a photo story for the September issue. Magic has visited the Columbia County Public Library last June and Debbie Paulson, the Library Director, is making plans for her to visit the libraries in Fort White and Lake City. There are many amazing stories about her on the Gentle Carousel Website: Magic visits inside private homes as well as in public programs.  She walks up and down stairs, rides in elevators, walks on unusual floor surfaces, works near other animals (including elephants and zebras for a literacy photo shoot!) and moves around hospital equipment.  She also has learned to let her handler know when she needs to go outside for a bathroom break. Magic has even traveled on airplanes and worked in busy television and radio studios.  She is always calm in challenging situations and trusts her handler completely when something unexpected happens.  Magic's literacy program Gentle Carousel's "Reading Is Magic" brings real horses inside schools, at risk youth programs and libraries to inspire young readers and "bring books to life".  The 24 tiny horses in the program look like the horse characters in loved children's books. Debbie and Jorge Garcia-Bengochea formed Gentle Carousel as a non-profit corporation, a “public charity dedicated to delivering therapeutic visits to children and adults in hospitals, hospice, nursing homes, group homes or confined at home. “Our tiny miniature horses provide the beneficial and therapeutic effects of animal assisted activities with the individuals visited, and enhance their quality of life,’ they wrote in their mission statement. “Gentle Carousel is also dedicated to helping children in schools and libraries develop the desire and ability to read. “Gentle Carousel is a volunteer-based program that teaches people of all ages the importance of volunteering.” There are no paid staff members at Gentle Carousel. All the work is done by volunteers and Gentle Carousel is supported by donations. Magic and Gentle Carousel have fans all over the world. Benji, the movie star, came to North Florida, with his owner, Joe Camp, and his wife Kathleen. Camp is a film writer, producer, director, bestselling author and man behind the canine superstar. He is the author of “The Soul of a Horse.”

NFL player and Rhodes Scholar Myron Rolle reads Sundance's book JASON AND ELIHU at his annual Leadership Academy.  The Santa Fe College Foundation donated 110 JASON AND ELIHU books to campers in the literacy program Reading Is Power.

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses add to the enrichment at Lifestyle Enrichment Center

Mary Feraudo introduces her great-granddaughter to Magic. (LakeCityJournal.com photo) Sandy Shoemaker (left) meets Peanut and her volunteer handler, Jennifer Anfinsen. (LakeCityJournal.com photo) By Karl Burkhardt Independence weekend celebrations started Friday at 1 p.m. as the Lifestyle Enrichment Center welcomed Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses. Families brought four generations to the event to see, hug and pet Magic, Peanut and Aladdin, decked out in red, white and blue. Gentle Carousel began with a casual request – and an amazing discovery. “We had miniature horses, said Jorge Garcia-Bengochea. “We did some equine work with our children. We got a request from a neighbor for our horses to walk by a window. A gentleman was a shut-in and couldn’t get out of his bed, but he saw our horses. He asked if we could walk the horses by the window.” They made it even better, they took the horses inside. “After that, the gentleman started getting out of his bed and getting more energized. “Because of this experience we started getting more requests and we saw the need and the benefit of these horses so we started visiting Hospice Care, started going to elder care centers." Jorge and his wife, Debbie, officially made it a program about four years ago. A more recent example shows the effect the horses have on people. A resident in a nursing home, had not spoken in three years when Magic came to visit. "Isn't she beautiful," were her first words in three years. "It's a horse." That moment changed her life forever. She continued to talk and began to interact with the people around her. There may be a complicated scientific explanation, but when a tiny horse makes a special visit to see you, you know you are special. Everyone smiles when one of the horses greets them. The experience makes them happy. For patients in Hospice care, it takes their minds away from whatever in troubling them and brings a few minutes of joy. For the families of patients, children and adults alike, it creates memories they will cherish forever. At the Lifestyle Enrichment Center, the Culture Center Room was filled with smiles. They are a happy group on other occasions, entertaining each other by playing the piano, performing in the Kitchen Band and performing with the Geri-actors. Friday was a special time grandchildren and in at least one case, their great-grandchildren. Each family had a visit from each horse, laughing, talking and posing for photographs. One visitor noted that there were two herds at the event, a herd of tiny horses and a herd of photographers. Everyone had a photo with Magic: named The Most Heroic Pet in America by AARP. And she has been honored by Time/CNN which named her one of 10 of History's Most Courageous Animals. Newsweek named her Animal Hero of the Year Reader’s Digest named her as one of the Hometown Heroes. Look for features in upcoming issues of National Geographic Magazine and People Magazine. And this is just half of the story of Gentle Carousel. They have created a program, "Reading Is Magic" to encourage and inspire children to read books. This program was presented last Friday at the Fort White and Lake City branch libraries. To see all of the animals and learn more about Gentle Carousel, visit www.Horse-Therapy.org

Kaylen See (left), her brother, Johnny, and mother, Angie See, visit the Gentle Carousel miniature horse, Magic, at a special reading program in the Main Branch of the Columbia County Public Library Tuesday afternoon. (LakeCityJournal.com photo)   Miniature horses step out of the pages of children's novels to inspire reading

Kendra Smith, (from left), Bobbie Leslie, Katie Beach, Abby Beach, Jacob Harry and Hailey Leslie smile at their grandmother as they pose with Rainbow and Jorge Garcia-Bengochea. (LakeCityJournal.com photo) Debbie Garcia-Bengochea greets guests at the Gentle Carousel program at the Main Branch of the Columbia County Library on Tuesday. (LakeCityJournal.com photo) By Karl Burkhardt North Florida is horse country, but the 200 or more people who visited the Gentle carousel programs Tuesday had never seen anything like Rainbow and Magic. The two miniature therapy horses visit often patients in hospitals and homes, but they also inspire children to read books. Each of the Gentle Carousel horses looks exactly like the main character in a children’s book. Gentle Carousel reading programs encourage groups of children to read a book. At the end of the program they get a special treat – a visit with the horse. That concept has become so successful and so inspiring that authors now are writing books featuring Gentle Carousel horses. Rainbow has a publisher and is going to star in a series of children's books. Friends of the Columbia County Public Library sponsored the Tuesday visits to Fort White and Lake City. In Fort White, the Library used the Community Center for the morning program because a large space was needed. Two adjoining meeting rooms in the Lake City Main Branch were filled with families in the afternoon. These were two of the largest reading programs the library has sponsored said Stephanie Tyson, Library Program Specialist. Friends of the Library promised to sponsor future programs with Gentle Carousel. Debbie Garcia-Bengochea noted that Sundance, a beautiful silver buckskin color horse, stars in the recently published children's novel Jason and Elihu, A Fisherman’s Story, published by Wild Onion Press.   Wild Onion Press publishes books featuring children with various physical differences. Their philosophy is that a physical difference is not a disability, it is merely an outstanding characteristic.   Photos of Sundance appear in Jason and Elihu. Sundance's outgoing personality was captured by author Shelley Fraser Mickle, including his love of peppermints and his talent for smiling Debbie said. Sundance makes special appearances with Gentle Carousel's Reading Is Magic programs. A portion of the proceeds of this book is being donated to Florida's foster care system prevention programs. Books can be purchased at Publix. On Tuesday, Magic and Rainbow were the stars of the show. And guests were told the story of how Magic became the AARP “Most Heroic Pet of the Year.” Magic was visiting the Hampton Manor assisted living facility in Belleview and was introduced to Kathleen Loper. "Isn't she beautiful," said Ms. Loper. "It's a horse!" Ms. Loper had not spoken a word since she arrived at the facility three years earlier.  The activities director began to cry and told the woman she loved her. "I love you too," the woman answered – her first full sentence to another person in three years. At the County libraries, none of the visitors needed inspiration to speak. But all the books about animals that Stephanie Tyson set on display for the event were checked out by children as they left the program. For more information about Gentle Carousel, the many animals and the programs, visit http://www.horse-therapy.org Gentle Carousel is a non-profit organization and depends on donations to support the therapy and reading programs.

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

 

 

 

Aaron Daye/Staff photographer-Gainesville Sun

Jenna Davis, 2, reacts to being tickled by Magic, a 2-foot-tall miniature horse provided by Gentle Carousel.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo from Riverland News newspaper.

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-profit uses mini horses to help heal Non-profit uses mini horses to help heal Katy Doran, Alligator Contributing Writer The Independent Florida Alligator   What have blue eyes, frequent McDonald’s and are about 20 inches tall? Debbie Garcia-Bengochea knows the answer. Garcia-Bengochea started Gentle Carousel Miniture Therapy Horses, home of the 27 miniature horses that match this description. The nonprofit organization, located in High Springs, offers therapy to children, residents of nursing and hospice homes and people who’ve been abused. Dara Cohen brought her 4-year-old daughter, Simi, to see the horses at the Millhopper Branch of the Alachua County Library District on Tuesday for Gentle Carousel’s last Valentine’s Day event. Cohen couldn’t believe the size. “But it’s not just that they’re cute,” she said. “They’re actually doing something really nice.” Gentle Carousel also works with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office in community service projects, Garcia-Bengochea said, and will receive a community award for its impact. Garcia-Bengochea started the organization with her husband to teach their four foster children to trust people by interacting with horses. Ann Marie Malave can testify to Gentle Carousel and its horses’ influence. She hadn’t spoken in years. Garcia-Bengochea said Magic, one of the horses, walked into Malave’s nursing home. Malave starting petting her, talking to her and even said to her crying activities director, “I love you.” She’s been speaking ever since. The horses aren’t comfortable with humans naturally but are “imprinted” at birth, or touched and handled, to make the animals trainable and comfortable with people. Once trained, the horses are taken to homes, hospitals and other locations where people pet them, hold them and read books written specifically for each of the horses’ characters. Garcia-Bengochea said the horses are small enough to fit in cars. She said they also puzzle workers at drive-through windows like those at McDonald’s, who assume the animals to be dogs at first  sight.

 

 

 

Horse Health Matters® Newsletter Stateline Tack Tack, stable supplies, medications, prescription drugs - visit Stateline Tack for the best prices. Gentle Carousel's Mini Therapy Horses Work   Wonders   Submitted by News Editor on Mon, 5 Sep 2011 - 09:27 AM SAN DIEGO, California Twenty-four tiny therapy horses work inside hospitals, assisted living programs, hospice programs, programs for Alzheimer patients and with adults and children with disabilities. They also work with foster children and at risk and abused children.Thousands of adults and children are visited by Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses each year. Congratulations are in order to Gentle Carousel’s mini horse “Magic”, who is currently featured in national celebrity magazine In Touch Weekly. Another mini-therapy horse, Peanut, has been featured in UK’s The Daily Mail and The Telegraph and also managed to be in the news in China and Iraq. Peanut’s real job as a therapy horse was highlighted when she helped cheer children with life threatening illnesses as Ronald McDonald’s look-a-like sidekick. Peanut is now undertaking a role with Disney to help terminally-ill patients. Jorge and Debbie Garcia-Bengochea work non-stop with their Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses non-profit organization. Located in Gainesville, Florida, their 30-plus miniature horses visit thousands of children and adults in schools, hospitals and hospice in Alachua, Marion and surrounding counties.

 

Miniature Magic Sometimes heroism can come in small packages. Magic, a little blue-eyed mare, frequently visits patients who need comfort, whether in group homes, hospitals or hospice-care facilities, but this little filly gained her recognition as AARP's Most Heroic Pet in 2010 while visiting a special patient. Magic went to visit a patient who had lived in an assisted living facility and hadn't spoken to anyone during her three years there. But the moment she laid eyes on Magic, she said, "Isn't she beautiful?" -- causing the staff to break out in tears. Magic has inspired the patient to continue to communicate from that first moment on. Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses is the program that brought the little hero and patient together, which continues to work its magic in Florida. To see more inspirational stories on the mighty, miniature motivators visit http://www.horse-therapy.org/.

 

Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses and Paris Hilton Equine VIP visited with Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses awhile back and did an interview with “Magic”, AARP Magazine’s Most Heroic Pet in America. Paris Hilton may be promoting her show in this image, but the photo reminded me about Gentle Carousel and how they are one of our “favorite things”! All of their mini horses are specially trained therapy horses. Over 9000 adults and children are visited by Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses each year. To read our feature in Horse Digest Magazine.Horse Digest and Gentle Carousel feature

 

Miniature Therapy Horse Is "Most Heroic Pet in   America"   April 5, 2011- UPDATE On March 21, 2011 TIME /CNN published a list of History's 10 Most Courageous Animals." "Animals have often shown bravery in extraordinary circumstances. TIME takes a look at some of history's most courageous animals." The Top 10 Heroic Animals included Bucephalus, the famed steed of Alexander the Great, Togo the sled dog who brought serum to save Nome when diphtheria broke out in 1925, Stubby the WW1 hero war dog who became a lifetime member of the American Legion and later became Georgetown University's mascot, Simon the British cat known for his heroic voyage down China's Yangtze River (her obituary appeared in TIME magazine in 1949), a heroic dog in Japan, Cher Ami, a pigeon that flew messages in France during World War I, leading to the rescue of 194 soldiers in Major Charles Whittlesey’s ”Lost Battalion”, New Zealand's Moko the dolphin and a miniature therapy horse named Magic from Florida. __________________________________________ May 24, 2010–-Strebors Black Magic On Demand, a Miniature Horse registered with the American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR), is spreading a special form of magic as a therapy horse. Known to her many fans as Magic, the black mini with blue eyes was recently named the “Most Heroic Pet in America” by the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons). Magic, owned by Debbie and Jorge Garcia-Bengochea of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses in High Springs, Florida, was featured in the 2010 May/June issue of AARP Magazine for her heroic efforts as a therapy mini. “I am so proud of her,” Debbie Garcia-Bengochea said. “She has worked with over 4,000 people, but the story that helped her win the ‘Most Heroic Pet’ title has to do with a woman who hadn’t talked in three years.” Garcia-Bengochea said that in September of 2009, a reporter from the Ocala Star-Banner newspaper was taking photos of a Gentle Carousel visit at an assisted care facility. “A woman who had not spoken since she arrived at the assisted care facility three years earlier began talking to Magic. ‘Isn't she beautiful’ were her first words and then ‘It's a horse’," Garcia-Bengochea said. “The activities director began to cry and told the woman she loved her.” Garcia-Bengochea went on to explain that the woman answered "I love you too" – her first words spoken to another person in all those years. “Before Magic left the woman asked, ‘Will she come back again?’ The woman has continued to talk since that visit with Magic,” Garcia-Bengochea said. “AARP used this event, and the story and photos the Ocala Star-Banner published, to select Magic as the Most Heroic Pet in America.” Magic isn’t the only Miniature Horse owned by Gentle Carousel that is working their magic everywhere from nursing homes to hospitals all across North Florida. “We have 26 minis in our program, which is a non-profit volunteer program,” Garcia-Bengochea said. “Our minis have sparkles in their coats and look amazing when they do their visits. We love minis and it’s a great way to have them in the community.” Garcia-Bengochea said the story of Magic being named the “Most Heroic Pet In America” has been picked up by news outlets in Argentina, Korea, New Zealand, Holland and Thailand, just to name a few. “Magic has been with people when they passed away and when they have awoken from a coma,” Garcia-Bengochea said. “Magic is requested so often that she actually has an understudy.” The tiny black mini with blue eyes certainly seems happy to be representing the American Miniature Horse Registry, introducing people each day to the remarkable breed. “We can’t cure the many diseases out there, but we do bring magic into the lives of sick people,” Garcia-Bengochea said. For more information on this story and others go to the Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses site, www.horse-therapy.org.

 

 

 

Miniature Therapy Horse Miniature Therapy Horse on TIME /CNN list of "History's 10 Most Courageous Animals" By: Newsroom Associate Animals have often shown bravery in extraordinary circumstances. TIME takes a look at some of history's most courageous animals." The Top 10 Heroic Animals included Bucephalus, the famed steed of Alexander the Great, Togo the sled dog who brought serum to save Nome when diphtheria broke out in 1925, Stubby the WW1 hero war dog who became a lifetime member of the American Legion and later became Georgetown University's mascot, Simon the British cat known for her heroic voyage down China's Yangtze River (her obituary appeared in TIME magazine in 1949), New Zealand's Moko the dolphin and... a little Florida therapy horse named Magic. Magic was also AARP's 2010 Most Heroic Pet in America and on Newsweek/The Daily Beast Most Heroic Animals of 2010. The tiny blue eyed mare works inside hospitals, assisted care programs, programs for Alzheimer's patients, group homes and with patients in hospice care. She also works with sheriff's officers in high crime neighborhoods as part of a community outreach program and helps children with developmental delays and at risk and abused children. From wearing tuxedos to a magical tea party for a child with a life ending illness to working with autistic children, Magic brings her special love where it is needed most. It is always encouraging to see the faces of elderly patients when Magic walks into an assisted living program. One woman had not left her room for six months but was waiting in the lobby early in the morning when she heard Magic was were coming. Magic was asked to visit a gentleman who had been the stunt double for John Wayne, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. He had spent his life working with horses and wanted to be with a horse one last time. Another gentleman in hospice care at home passed away with his hand resting on Magic head. Magic often returns to her farm with lipstick stains on her face from being kissed so many times. On one therapy horse visit, a woman who had not spoken since she arrived at an assisted care facility three years earlier began talking Magic. "Isn't she beautiful" were her first words. "It's a horse". The activities director began to cry and told the woman she loved her. "I love you too," the woman answered... her first words to another person in all those years. The woman has continued to talk ever since that visit with Magic. Because of the visit, Magic was selected AARP's 2010 Most Heroic Pet in America and her story has traveled around the world in magazines and newspapers from the United Kingdom to New Zealand, Argentina to Pakistan, the Soviet Union to Thailand and South Korea. Magic has a very special relationship with children and when she walks into a bedroom or hospital room it is always a magical experience. Magic has "fairy dust" sparkles in her hair, bright costumes and painted hooves. One little girl recovering from a heart transplant said Magic made her face hurt from smiling so much. A boy losing his sight because of a brain tumor held Magic close to his face so he could always remember what she looked like. "It is like she can see inside my soul," he told his mother. Another girl with leukemia said she would only get out of bed for Magic. When Magic leaves the room, a stuffed horse that looks like the real one is left behind on each bed. Magic visits inside private homes as well as in public programs. She walks up and down stairs, rides in elevators, walks on unusual floor surfaces, works near other animals (including elephants and zebras for a literacy photo shoot!) and moves around hospital equipment. She also has learned to let her handler know when she needs to go outside for a bathroom break. Magic has even traveled on airplanes and worked in busy television and radio studios. She is always calm in challenging situations and trusts her handler completely when something unexpected happens. Magic's award winning literacy program Gentle Carousel's "Reading Is Magic" brings real horses inside schools, at risk youth programs and libraries to inspire young readers and "bring books to life". The 24 tiny horses in the program look like the horse characters in loved children's books. Magic also makes appearances with therapy horse Sundance, star of the children's novel JASON AND ELIHU, by bestselling author Shelley Mickle to help raise money for child abuse prevention programs. Magic is the star of the children's book LOVE IS, an early reader book for Pre K and Head Start programs. Magic receives e-mail from children around the world. Magic is a member of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, an all volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity. To learn more and see photos of Magic at work visit: www.Horse-Therapy.org

 

 

Little horses with big hearts   Photo 1: Youngsters gathered around Magic, a miniature therapy horse and the star of Gentle Carousel, and Gentle Carousel Inc. Executive Director Jeorge Garcia-Bengochea at High Springs library summer reading program kick off Tuesday afternoon.; Photo 2 – L-R: Shelby DuBose, 11; John E. Ritch, 8; and Sydney Cadrain, 10, were introduced to Magic, the star of Gentle Carousel, by Gentle Carousel Inc. Executive Director Jeorge Garcia-Bengochea.     Magic, Aladdin and Peanut encourage youngsters to read   With well over 200 children in and out of the High Springs Library throughout the event, Gentle Carousel made the summer reading program kick off a huge success. Gentle Carousel brought with them three of their miniature therapy horses including America’s Most Heroic Horse, Magic, for all the children and parents alike to enjoy. Debbie Garcia-Bengochea, who is Educational Director for Gentle Carousel, Inc., an all volunteer 501(c)(3) non profit organization based out of High Springs, and handles most of the school-related programs, said it’s nice to come back and do an event like this in your hometown. It gives the volunteers a chance to relax from all the traveling. High Springs Library hosted the event on Tuesday and the program’s theme was geared toward getting children to read and visit the library as often as possible. “Encouraging children to read is a huge thing,” Garcia-Bengochea said. “A big thing we push is the reading program we have called “Reading is Magic” and we really encourage the parents to read to their children just 15 minutes a day every day. It makes a massive difference.” The “Reading is Magic” program brings real miniature horses inside a library or classroom to inspire young readers to want to read. This award-winning program helps to motivate children to check out a book or even ask their parents to read to them. They are 19-27 inches tall and visit hospitals, schools, care programs and patients in hospice care all around the world. Magic, the star of Gentle Carousel, was named One of History’s Ten Most Heroic Animals by Time Magazine and CNN, Most Heroic Pet in America by AARP the Magazine, Ten Most Heroic Animals of 2010 by Newsweek and The Daily Beast, and selected as Power of One Hero by Reader’s Digest and AmericanTowns. Along with Magic, two other horses, Aladdin and Peanut, visited the library as well and the director and staff handled the program and the tiny equine stars with ease. This all-volunteer, non-profit organization touches the lives of many people around the world. Ann Ritch, librarian in High Springs, said she loves what Gentle Carousel does for the library and all the children. “We’ve been doing this for several years and Gentle Carousel always does a great job,” Ritch said. “They’re big supporters of the library and are enthusiastic about reading.” Taylor Roberts, 7, just finished first grade in High Springs. Along with numerous other children, she went up and had her pictures taken with the horses. She said she really liked the horses, especially their cute outfits and big blue eyes. Part of Gentle Carousel’s success involves a reading list they distribute to the children. “We have reading lists with books about horses and use them to try and get the kids back to the library,” Garcia-Bengochea said. “We have horses that match all the horses in the classic children’s books.” She said the staff will read a book about a horse and then bring out a horse that looks just like the one in the story. In total, Gentle Carousel has 26 miniature horses in their program, which has been running for about 10 years. Garcia-Bengochea said she’s happy with the effect the program has on the children at the library. “A lot of library cards are signed up for the summer, horse-related books are checked out, and the kids use our book list,” she said. “We get a lot of kids here and the main thing we want to do is to get them to the library. If we can get them here, get them signed up, get them checking out books, and letting them see what else is available in the library, then that’s worthwhile. That’s what we’re here for.” Anyone interested in making donations, or learning more about Gentle Carousel and the miniature therapy horses can visit the Web site at www.horse-therapy.org for information.

 

Magic The Miniature Horse Visits Assisted Living Homes And Then Some There was an Assisted Living resident in Florida who had not spoken since arriving at the facility some years ago. But that changed after she met Magic. Magic has been transforming lives with her blue eyes, fluffy mane and gentle spirit. Magic is a 4 year old black miniature therapy horse who visits patients in hospitals, Nursing Homes, Assisted living and hospice programs all over the nation. Magic tries to touch the troubled souls of sick and dying patients. Her presence makes them happy, feel lively and forget about their medical complications and the health conditions they are suffering from. Although she is one of 27 miniature therapy horses owned by the Garcia-Bengochea family, there is something extra special about Magic. She was with a patient when he awoke from a coma and with another who peacefully passed away with his hand resting on her head. She recently spent time with a boy who had just learned his cancer had returned and a woman who hadn’t been out of her room in months. "Magic will meet everyone but then really wants to spend time with a certain person," owner and handler Jorge Bengocheas said. "She always seems to find the person who needs her most." The Ocala Star Banner covered and published the story of Magic inspiring the Assisted Living resident to speak again and resulted in AARP using the event to name Magic as the “Most Heroic Pet in America.” Since that time, she has gained worldwide recognition and if you can believe it, even has an understudy. News outlets in Argentina, Korea, New Zealand, Pakistan, Latvia, Holland and Thailand have covered stories of Magic. She receives hundreds of emails from people wanting to see her, and owner and handler Debbie Garcia-Bengochea says for many, it is their last wish. Horses have a long history of providing riding therapy for disabled or at risk children. The benefits have proven to be enormous for individuals with all types of disabilities, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, autism and mental retardation. Research shows that students that participate in therapeutic riding, experience physical, emotional and mental rewards. Because of the gentle rhythm of the horse's movements, a rider who is unable to walk alone can experience a motion similar to the human gait, thereby improving abilities to be flexible, to have better balance and better muscle strength. The advantage of the miniatures is that they are small enough to have access to smaller spaces. They can go to the patients, which opens up many possibilities for visiting. The Garcia-Bengocheas started Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses after adopting three children who they rescued from an abusive past. They started using full size horses as a means of therapy for their children, but found the sizes could be overwhelming to children and others. After discovering the gentle nature of miniatures and their less intimidating size, they embarked on what has become one of the most rewarding pet therapy endeavors thus far. Their stable of gentle minis are housebroken, trained to walk up and down stairs, ride in elevators and stay calm around loud noises and unexpected movements. Star studded, Magic participates in literacy programs at schools and libraries and assists in community outreach programs in crime prone areas of their south Florida community. All one needs to do in order to make clear that Magic and her entourage have not let stardom go to the heads is watch a video of them muzzling, standing close and calm to someone in a wheelchair or gently kissing the face of a child with cancer. Who doesn’t believe in Magic? About The Author: Gloria Ha'o Schneider is an expert in senior citizen and baby boomer issues. Her topics revolve around Senior Living and Healthcare to provide the latest information to this demographic as well as their families and loved ones.

 

Magic touch: Little horse touches the sick and dying Brad McClenny/Staff photographer Magic, a 5-year old American miniature horse, and her owner Jorge Garcia-Bengochea, entertain kids during a literacy event at the Tower Road branch of the Alachua County Library, in Gainesville, Fla., Sunday, June 11, 2011. Magic has drawn national attention and even a documentary movie deal, for her heroic life, which includes entertaining children with cancer. The last couple of years have been very good to Magic, a miniature horse that visits the sick and promotes literacy in North Central Florida. The little mare's legend is growing almost daily over a series of encounters with the sick and dying that range from tender to, some say, miraculous. In fact, her star is shining so brightly these days that her owners recently signed her with an agent in Beverly Hills. It all started a few years ago when the horse, part of the Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses herd, visited a hospital and a patient awoke from a coma. More recently, Magic was visiting a nursing home and a resident who hadn't spoken in years started laughing when she saw the little horse in a costume and began speaking again. Gentle Carousel, which is based in Alachua County and has approximately two dozen miniature horses on four farms in the area, takes its horses to visit sick children, the elderly and libraries in a nine-county area. "She's been at the right place at the right time," said Debbie Garcia-Bengochea, founder of the organization. Once, Magic was even there to comfort a patient through his final moments. "He passed away with his hand on her head. She is such a calm animal and people love to look in her blue eyes," Garcia-Bengochea said. Time, Newsweek, National Geographic, CNN and Reader's Digest are among the media organizations that have featured the 26-inch tall horse. And there is a documentary in the works and other projects, hence the need for an agent. "Anything she earns will go straight to the charity," said Garcia-Bengochea. "One hundred percent of the donations go to the charity. We are an all-volunteer organization. No one gets a salary." Some of the attention, however, has gotten a little odd. One of Magic's fans was a little too eager to meet the horse and insisted on knowing where the horse was housed. Security was beefed up after that incident. A tabloid newspaper in Eastern Europe wrote a story as if the horse actually possessed magical powers, leading to international requests seeking healing miracles from the 5-year-old horse. "It's been pretty interesting. There has been so much attention brought to the organization and we're just a local charity. It's not like we're this national organization," Garcia-Bengochea said. Garcia-Bengochea and her husband, Jorge, started the organization 10 years ago. The beginning was also serendipitous. "We had a neighbor that overlooked our farm. His father was a shut-in and he wanted to see a horse up close. He asked us if we could take the horse up to the house and we did. After that, the man's father eventually started going back outside," she said. Since then, the group has visited hundreds of locations and has been seen by thousands of people. They routinely visit the Ronald McDonald House in Gainesville, as well as nursing homes and hospice patients across North Central Florida. More recently, they also started to appear at literacy events and fundraisers for other charities. The horses are specially trained starting as newborn foals. Through that training, the horses' natural instinct to flee is lessened considerably and they are housebroken. This allows the horses to enter public buildings and private homes with little concern for accidents. "They learn to climb stairs and wear costumes. They become very docile and can be very comforting to patients," Garcia-Bengochea said. "When you're in a hospital and stuck in bed and a real horse comes in, it's really special." To learn more about the organization go to www.horse-therapy.org

 

 

 

Special Prize: Contest Mascot

In the slide show above, you're viewing pictures of Rainbow the Miniature Horse, who has been chosen by our editorial staff as the official contest Mascot.

 

Rainbow is a very special animal who works full time bringing cheer to the sick, the disabled and the elderly. Whether heading to a Children's Hospital or a nursing & rehabilitation center, Rainbow is always greeted with admiration and cheer. His loving visits have brought joyful smiles to the faces of hundreds of patients ranging from tiny tots to centenarians.

Debbie Garcia-Bengochea, Rainbow's human companion in these compassionate visits, is especially pleased and blessed to live with this gentle and beautiful creature. She sometimes makes him colorful original costumes to wear for his hospital visits...especially if they fall during holiday periods.

 

Rainbow is based out of central Florida. If you know of a facility which could benefit from one of his love-filled visits, you may wish to view his special website for information on how to contact him and make arrangements. The website is www.Horse-Therapy.org
 

 

 

 

 

Painting on horses part of fun at Literacy Day                  Posted: Wednesday, November 2, 2011 9:19 pm | Updated: 9:20 pm, Wed Nov 2, 2011. Painting on horses part of fun at Literacy Day   The Fourth Annual Literacy Day was held at O'Leno State Park in High Springs recently, featuring a variety of events.  Families could enter the park and Literacy Day free if they donated a new or lightly used book. All of the children's books donated were given to Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses to give to local at-risk children during school year programs.   Kids also got to meet miniature horses and even paint on them with washable paint. To learn more about Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses, visit http://www.horse-therapy.org.

 

 

 

Every Child Wants a Pony for Christmas.

 

When a real horse walks into the hospital room or bedroom of a sick child it is always magical experience but during the holidays it is even more special. Therapy horses Peanut and Cloudburst dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus are visiting children inside hospitals and in hospice care from now until Christmas. They will be joined by other tiny therapy horses (only 19 - 24 inches tall) dressed as elves, reindeer and nutcracker horses. Each horse has an iPod so holiday music follows them from room to room.

Known as "The Santa Ponies", they will also work with sheriff's officers reaching out to children in a high crime neighborhoods, visit children spending the holidays in homeless shelters, help with a food drive in a shopping mall and perform on stage at a concert to benefit children with cancer. The horses even have their own full size sleigh on wheels that can go indoors for photos of families. When the horses visit a child, a photographer gives the family photos of the visit and a stuffed toy horse that looks like the real one is left behind on the child's bed.

The Santa Ponies are members of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, an all volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity. The team of 26 therapy horses visit over 10,000 adults and children each year. Visit www.Horse-Therapy.org

 

 

 

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 358844

Gainesville, FL  32635

Phone: 352-226-9009

E-mail: MiniHorseTherapy@att.net