Known for his “sparkle” and energy, Magic is a 16-year-old Haflinger gelding standing at 14.2 hands high. He joined us in 2018 with a background in competitive cart driving and now specializes as a full-time therapy horse. Described as being a people horse, Magic can be very communicative about his needs during a therapy session and in turn prompts the patient to communicate back with him.
Magic is eager to work and enjoys working multiple times a day for mental stimulation. He often comes to his gate when a session is about to start, letting the staff know that he’s ready to go. He puts all his energy into creating a good experience for the patient, and has high quality, symmetrical movement that’s perfectly suited to therapy sessions. Challenging the patient to activate their muscles to stay balanced, his powerful walk sends plenty of feedback with each step. It’s the sensory input that he provides that lets patients gain stronger control over their bodies, sometimes up to days after therapy sessions.
As a therapy horse, Magic brings a lot of excitement and can draw many positive reactions from patients. According to one of our therapists, Sarah, a lot of nonverbal patients end up making more happy noises while riding Magic than compared to when they’re not riding him. Meg, the mother of Therapy patient Claire, describes the relationship between Claire and Magic as one where they “both feed each other” and their desires to go fast and be outside. The movement and speed of Magic’s stride tends to be something Claire enjoys, and Meg thinks it makes her look “kind of free” when she rides Magic because of her joy and the wind in her face.
Due to his intellect and connection with his patient’s emotions and success, Magic’s an incredibly rewarding horse to work with. He always gives all his effort during sessions, giving staff, volunteers, and the patient a more productive session. In therapy, he’s often able to meet any goals that are set for him without needing to have the goal adjusted or lowered. He works especially well with younger boys because of their often shared curious and playful natures.
Even outside of work, Magic has plenty of energy that he expresses in his playful personality. When he’s in his outdoor paddock, he plays with his neighbors and has been known to conspire with other horses to take their fly masks off and throw them into the air, and he even finds ways to entertain himself by letting crows into his shed while he hides, eventually coming out to chase them, or by playing with the toys that the staff add to his paddock.
Magic, like any other horse or person, can get nervous about working with things he’s scared of. For example, Magic might avoid a prop or toy during a session if he doesn’t like it. To overcome these fears, Magic is currently being clicker trained to help him be comfortable with props he might not like. Much like classical conditioning with dogs, his trainers use a clicker and treats to associate touching props with the reward of a treat. By doing so, Magic can become more and more comfortable with touching them.
Magic’s care routine is one of the more complex ones here at Little Bit. However, because our amazing Equine Department figured out exactly what Magic needs, he’s been at his healthiest for over 18 months and is incredibly consistent in his work. Because of how similar his body is to that of a sport horse, he requires maintenance for his joints, and gets regular chiropractic and acupuncture care. He also has custom shoes, which support the shape and movement of his body best, and the most expensive supplements of all the Little Bit horses to ensure his excellent health and ability to work safely.
Making sure our horses are in the best health and condition possible is of the utmost importance to Little Bit. As such, we rely partly on sponsors and donations to take care of our approximately 30 horses. Magic’s care is currently 0 percent sponsored, and if you’d like to help sponsor him or any other horse, your donation would be greatly appreciated. Learn more at www.littlebit.org/sponsor-a-horse.
Written by Andrew Pai
Editor’s Note:
We're thrilled to announce that Magic, our 17-year-old Haflinger gelding, has been named the 2024 American Hippotherapy Association (AHA) Therapy Horse of the Year!
Nominated by our dedicated therapists, Magic's win is a testament to his unwavering dedication and the profound impact he has had on clients' lives. Magic's quality of movement provides a superior standard of therapy utilizing equine movement. In 2023 alone, Magic participated in over 200 hours of therapy sessions, offering stability, balance, and joy to countless individuals. We're immensely grateful to the entire Little Bit team for their commitment to Magic's well-being and training, which has shaped him into an exceptional therapy horse. Congratulations, Magic!
To learn more about Magic and the AHA award, visit littlebit.org/magic.
