Miniature horses help Oklahoma tornado victims

Therapy Horses travel to help ease stress

LAKE CITY, Fla. – The horses at Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy travel the nation to bring comfort to those in need. Their most recent trip was to Newtown, Conn., but now they are getting ready to head to tornado ravaged Oklahoma.

Jorge Garcia-Sbengochea, who runs Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy, said the horses they have are small, but they work miracles.

"These horses are very special in that they're non non-judgmental, very loving and unconditional in that love," said Garcia. "They have big eyes and they just have this scent of understanding when people are in need."

Six-year-old Magic and 2-year-old Hamlet are two of the miniature therapy horses that will be heading to Oklahoma on Tuesday.

Garcia says Hamlet is very inquisitive, quick to make friends and has a fun-loving spirit and that typically translates well with children while Magic tends to cast a spell on those who are injured and in need of a little extra TLC.

It is in hopes that these miniature horses can begin to help ease the emotional stress and burden that comes with recovering from such a devastating storm that Oklahoma recently endured.

"We're going to be going to some of the schools," said Garcia. "We understand we may go to Oklahoma University, where a lot of people who have been displaced have been staying. We hope to work with some of the first responders."

The team at Gentle Carousel plans to leave Tuesday morning and stay for a week in Oklahoma.

To find out more about the services that Gentle Carousel Therapy Horse provides you can visit www.horse-therapy.org.