Over the summer Mahala’s Hope welcomed it’s first leased equine colleague named Libby. She transitioned smoothly into her new herd and readily accepted the role as a nurturer companion. She is an extroverted thirteen year old Bay Paint Horse. Her love of exploration and play quickly bonded her to Prince and Gigi. The trio can often be found kicking up their heels in pasture or holding space for one another during an afternoon nap. In the Equine Experiential Learning Programs, Libby enjoys connecting with clients. She is particularly fond of gifting a sense of stability and teaching about self-care.

Her owner, Mandi Kuen, shares why she decided to donate Libby on a leased basis: “I’ve always felt that Libby is the kind of horse that needs a job. She is so sweet that people naturally feel at peace with her. I believe in the mission of Mahala’s Hope and felt that Libby would make an awesome therapy horse.”

The stables received several enhancements since the spring as well. The dry lot space the horses spend their evenings on was excavated with limestone screenings laid down. This keeps the horses’ feet (and ours) dry. After our shelter was destroyed in a storm, we were able to replace it with a larger shelter to provide the horses with more space to get out of the elements. Additionally, we finished the construction of our outdoor arena with the help of several valued volunteers. The additional arena provides more space for our Equine Experiential Learning Programs and outdoor space for the horses to exercise.