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   AARP's Most Heroic Pet In America

Gentle Carousel in Magazines

On Television, Film and Radio

Gentle Carousel in Newspapers

  Meet Our Therapy Horse Team

Horse Costumes

  Movie Star Benji Teams Up With Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses

  Gentle Carousel and Martha Stewart    

               A Visit From National Geographic

Prancing With The Stars

Magic on NEWSWEEK/DAILY BEAST  Ten Most Heroic Animals

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

  Smallest Horses In The World

Becoming a Therapy Horse

Home Sweet Home

  Magic is a Power Of One  AMERICANTOWNS HERO

Princess Tea Parties

 Magic of Horses

 Sundance Star of Jason and Elihu

Elephants, Zebras and Gentle Carousel

Our Rescues and Therapy Friends

              Tiny Horses of Distant Thunder Ranch 

Magical Moments Fashion Show

Magic Horses Poem

Lake City Journal | Lake City, FL Therapy Dog Henry's Newspaper Column

  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 Miniature Therapy Horses

P.O. Box 358844

Gainesville, FL  32635

Phone: 352-226-9009

MiniHorseTherapy@att.net

 

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

 

Hugh Jackman talks about Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses on stage during his amazing Broadway show.

 

 

 

"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

 

Hall of Fame Jockey Mike Smith after winning the Kentucky Derby. 

Thank you to Mike Smith for including Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses in your supported charities for the 2011 holidays!

 

Cloudburst wins Martha Stewart's Annual Halloween Photo Contest!  In 2011 Martha talked about Gentle Carousel on her website and Twitter.  In 2012 Peanut was featured on The Martha Stewart Show. Thank you Martha!

 

 

Cloudburst on People Magazine website.

 

"...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

 

A photo of Peanut and Aladdin was 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."

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

 

 

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."

 

As Seen in:

 

 

 

 

 

TeaTime Magazine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"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

 

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

 

 

"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.

 

 

"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

 

 

Gentle Carousel's

Reading Is Magic at Schools

 

 

 

  LIBRARY PROGRAMS   READING IS MAGIC HORSES

 

SUPPORT FROM AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS

 LITERACY / BOOK FESTIVALS

 

 

 

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses with the help of "Magic" and friends bring real horses inside classrooms, libraries and at risk youth programs to inspire young readers.  Young children who have rich language and literacy experiences are less likely to have difficulties learning to read.

 

 

A real horse inside a classroom is always a magical experience.  Gentle Carousel's Reading Is Magic program provides books, enrichment activities, educational coloring books, bookmarks, certificates, posters, lesson plan materials, author book signings and book readings with our horses to preschools, elementary schools and at risk youth programs.

 

 

 

"What’s better than a tiny horse in your classroom or library?

 I feel like anyone who meets the horses will never forget it. I really feel like the children will tell their children about the little horses that came in their classroom. I feel like it’s that big!

 

Diane Colson

 Senior Library Manager, Youth Services Coordinator for the Alachua County Library District

 

 

 

William J. Bennett

Former Secretary of Education

" Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses.

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."

My best to you all

- Bill Bennett

 

 

Reading Is Magic encourages children and their parents to read together, teachers to read to their students and children to be inspired to read their own books. 

 

 

Reading Is Magic has a special focus on struggling or at risk readers.  Poor readers are at increased risk for dropping out of school, substance abuse, delinquency and poverty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 


Lake City Journal | Lake City, FL

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)
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)
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

 

 

 

 

Gentle Carousel's Reading Is Magic program at Pre Kindergarten.

 

 

 

 

Tiny white horse steps out of the pages of a children's book

Tiny white horse steps out of the pages of a children's book

 

Children at Happy House in Lake City hold books presented by Gentle Carousel, 'Way Out West on My little Pony' and 'Matthew the Cowboy,' while Aladdin admires his picture in the cowboy book. Gentle Carousel's miniature horses are therapy animals, visiting Hospice and nursing homes, as well as educational horses encouraging children to read. Gentle Carousel has horses that look exactly like the horses in children's books. Click on the photo. (LakeCityJournal.com photo)

http://www.lakecityjournal.com/images/cleardot.gif

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lake City Journal | Lake City, FL

 

Happy birthday at Happy House with Magic from Gentle Carousel

 

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)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Gentle Carousel's Sundance, star of the popular children's novel JASON AND ELIHU, visits an elementary school to encourage young readers..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reading Is Magic at Metcalfe Elementary School.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Aaron Daye/Staff photographer-Gainesville Sun

 

 

    

 

 

 

Magic Way

A smidgen of fairy dust magic added to the lesson of the day

 and sprinkled wherever children play

can create a spark like fairies do whenever they appear to you

and days so drear for children who just want to play

 will learn instead in the magic way.

  -Written for Therapy Horse Magic by Joyce "Mother Gator" LeBlanc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

MiniHorseTherapy@att.net

 

 

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