Bergen
Bergen has a tumultuous history. Her initial training only lasted a short 30 days. After that she was mainly used as a brood mare for ten years. She was found by Lisa Pedersen in Washington – heading to slaughter. Lisa was helped by members of the National Fjord Horse Registry to get Bergen to Idaho. That process took six months. She then moved to Lisa’s home in Cedar City where Lisa plans to breed her because of her color which can produce a very rare yellow dun foal.

Bergen is currently leased to the NAC and has been an invaluable asset to our program. She has excelled in any capacity we have asked her to work and shows a strong love for, and an attachment to, her riders. We are excited to continue to use Bergen in our program and to find all her talents and potential.

Blue Moon
Blue Moon is a white Welsh pony Thoroughbred cross-foaled in 1988 and brought to us from the world of eventing. During is career he took his owner to blue ribbons and gold medals. Blue Moon was donated to us by Suzi and Arron Hoffman at the end of his jumping career on an indefinite lease. At the age of 18 he still has many happy years of work ahead. 

Blue Moon is a regular fixture in our summer camp programs. While he goes home for the winters, every summer he returns to introduce many children to the world of horses. Every year Blue Moon ends up being a favorite among campers. With his charming looks and fun personality, he wins the hearts of many and provides a memorable experience for many.

Captain
Captain is a 14-hand Haflinger who was purchased with money donated to the NAC by an anonymous donor specifically for a Haflinger. The Haflinger is a short draft breed that originated in the tall mountains of Austria and northern Italy. With an emphasis in versatility for riding and driving, our Haflinger is blessed with a strong constitution, solid conformation and a pleasant personality—all perfect characteristics for our program. With his ability to carry a lot of weight, short stature, and calm, loving personality, Captain makes the perfect therapy horse for our program.

Like most Haflingers, Captain is a light chestnut color with a blonde mane and tail. He comes to us from an Amish community in northwest Missouri where he was trained to pull carts. He is young, but has the maturity and temperament of a much older and experienced horse. He began in our program by providing lessons in our Hippotherapy program and has made his way into many therapeutic riding lessons. Captain is a versatile animal that is calm enough for young children yet strong enough to make it possible to offer Hippotherapy to adults.

Cisco
Cisco is a 15-hand Missouri Fox Trotter. He is leased from the Sutherland family, the family of an instructor in the horseback riding program because they could see how perfect he would be for this job. Cisco is special to the NAC herd because he has different characteristics that stick out from the rest of our horses. Cisco is very loveable, calm, and friendly. He loves playing with people almost as much as he loves mealtime. Cisco has a gaited trot which allows many participants to trot who would otherwise not be able to sit or post the standard two-beat trot.

One such participant, Jerry, rekindled his love for horseback riding on the back of Cisco. Jerry has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and because of this his opportunities for participating in his old pastime of horseback riding temporarily dwindled. Jerry longed for the days when he used to be able to freely trot or canter his horse out through the hills. It wasn't until Jerry and Cisco paired up that this once again became a reality. It didn't take very long for these two to click. They had an instant understanding of what they both wanted. Without much hesitation Jerry and Cisco were off in a trot and soon a canter, accompanied by a huge smile of satisfaction on Jerry's face. Please help Cisco to continue to spend such quality time with people like Jerry.

Cochise
Cochise is a Tennessee Walker/Quarter Horse cross that was donated to us by Katie Barrus in November 2007. Cochise was born in 1990 and has the experience that we look for in our older horses. He worked as a ridgeline fire patrol horse and has also been a 4H family horse with some Clinton Anderson training.

One of the most special things about Cochise is that, being a Tennessee Walking horse, he has an extra gait that is very smooth and makes it possible for riders to experience the trot sensation without the uncomfortable bouncing. This is particularly helpful for some of our students who may not have the leg strength to post the trot. Cochise also has a very sweet temperament that is always trying to please you.

Cooper
Cooper is a Quarter Horse that was born in 2001 and donated to the National Ability Center in April of 2008 by Brenda Metzger. Cooper has had extensive training including being shown in halter classes. Cooper’s previous owner was going to put him down due to a navicular bone defect that would not allow him to perform in the job required of him. NAC took him on a 90-day trial and he has been a rock star ever since. Cooper seemed to know that we were his last stop and loves to be a therapy horse. Cooper is very mature for his young age and is very responsive to riders and will stop on a dime if asked.

Cooper recently has been nervered, a process that cuts the nerves in his front feet to allow the pressure of the navicluar bone rotation to no longer affect his performance. Since his surgery and full recovery he has been able to show us some of his hidden talents such as spinning and his sliding stop. Copper has once again proved his weight in “gold”. And is looking like he will provide many more years of service as a therapy horse and letting students take him to show in Halter Classes at upcoming rodeo and horse shows this summer.

Dasha
Bred and born out of the champion Quarter Horse racing line, Dash for Cash, Victoria Dash (Dasha) came to us after a career in barrel racing. Her previous owner, Kristi Brangle donated her to the National Ability Center. Foaled in March of 1998, Dasha has been owned by the National Ability Center since 2004 and is a strong member of our horse team. She is a beautiful sorrel mare who is 16.1 hands with a long white blaze. Dasha brings much to the equestrian program through her even temperament and size. She is used in advanced lessons for young adults like dressage and trails, but she is also used in lead walking and walk-only lessons for children.

Dasha has formed a special bond with one of our riders, Nate. Nate is a young adult who has been riding Dasha for more than a year. Nate has Down’s Syndrome and has become one of Dasha’s favorite lessons. On one particular lesson, Nate’s group went on a trail ride and on the way back from the ride, it became obvious that something was wrong with Dasha. She became very lethargic, stumbling and shaking a little. Dasha finished the trail ride with Nate, and immediately after she entered the arena she knelt down, let Nate off and went into a very violent colic. Even though she wasn’t feeling well, she did her job in taking care of Nate. Like this instance illustrates, Dasha consistently takes care of her riders and has always been able to respond appropriately to the level of her riders.

Etta
Etta was foaled in a BLM holding facility in Nevada. She was adopted with Shelby to be his buddy in making his transition from the wild to domesticated life and learning to trust people. Etta’s eagerness and curiosity towards humans at the adoption made her an easy choice for a therapy horse.

Since her arrival at the National Ability Center and beginning her training, she has proved to be a quick learner and very trusting. Even though they cannot be ridden yet, Etta and Shelby are helping to educate participants and visitors about the wild horses and their usefulness as therapy horses.

The National Ability Center Equestrian Program would like to thank the Salt Lake City BLM Field Office for their support and assistance in helping Etta and Shelby find their potential. If you would like to know more about mustang adoptions, please call Jan or Abby at 435.200.0992.

Registered Name: Gypsy-Doo
Foaled: 2006
Breed: Gypsy Vanner / Quarter Cross
Sex: Mare
Color: Piebald
Height: 14.2 … and growing
At NAC since: 2007
Purchased By: Kelsey and Alexa Fredston-Hermann
Sponsored By: Kelsey & Alexa Fredston-Hermann
2010 Platinum Sponsor

Gypsy
The name says it all for the National Ability Center’s first yearling. Being a Gypsy Vanner/Quarter horse cross, Gypsy was the obvious and yet perfect name for the little filly. The Gypsy Vanner is a fairly new breed to the U.S.; it only numbers to about 400 or so registered Vanners, and with its docile temperament and draft build, the Gypsy will make a wonderful therapy horse. The Gypsy Vanner is a product of the Irish Travelers. The bread comes from crossing the Friesian, the Shire and the Dales Pony. The Vanners job was to pull the gypsy carts from location to location during the day and provide lessons for the children in the evening.

Gypsy is on track to become one of the NAC’s first horses in the new groundwork
program as well as the first horse to be brought into the program as a yearling.
She just completed her training under saddle in the spring of 2009 and is working
on becoming a wonderful therapy horse. We are confident that with her flashy
personality and markings and mellow disposition, she will make her a favorite
among staff and participants.

Lukas
Lukas comes to the NAC by way of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Lukas is short in stature but big in love. All he wants is attention and someone to love on him and he will return the love in his own way. Lukas has spent his last several years as a lesson horse at a facility in Green Bay. Before that he was in Canada with his breeders doing dressage and driving. His animated hip movement will prove to be beneficial to our therapy riders as well as in the Hippotherapy program. Lukas is also the half-brother to Rebekka Dill—one of our other school horses.

Lukas has become a large part of our Hippotherapy program and more so in our sport riding program. His dressage training and the fact that he does love to canter (a gait that our other Fjords do not like) and his very smooth trot make him a solid ride from many of our riders from the smallest to the more advances.

Magic’s experience with young riders and excellent training helped him to be a perfect fit for our program. Magic has the unique ability to help a rider learn confidence at any level. His calm disposition makes him a very trustworthy horse for any of our riders.

Merlin
Merlin is a cremello pony born in 1998 and was leased to the National Ability Center is July of 2007 from Pam Beacom. Merlin comes from the show circuit and was also once a school pony. Merlin has the spunk and personality that really communicates with the students, and he is a challenge for the kids who are ready to progress from intermediate to advanced levels of riding. He is also one of our hippotherapy ponies. Merlin loves whatever job he is asked to do with our students.

One of Merlin’s favorite students is Katie, the daughter of his owner. Every Saturday Merlin stands patiently in the barn aisle awaiting Katie’s arrival. When she comes through the barn he immediately perks up and gets ready for his lesson with her.

Thank you to the Beacom Family for their generosity in leasing Merlin to the National Ability Center.

Neo
Neo is the newest addition to our miniature horse herd. When Neo came to the National Ability Center, he hit the ground running. Neo has been a superstar with our summer camps. He loves to be groomed and is very good at teaching participants how to lead him. Neo also came very well trained to pull a cart which made him a favorite with Stormy and Hercules because now they all share the responsibility of showing our participants the world of cart driving.

Playboy
Playboy is a 14.2 hand sorrel quarter horse gelding donated by Colleen Hoffman in
November of 2006. Playboy has become a bombproof legacy at the NAC and a favorite of many. Masha, a rider with Cerebral Palsy rides Playboy every week.
Masha’s confidence and riding skills have dramatically improved as Playboy takes her for independent rides around the arena. While Masha trots, an instructor must hold her weaker right foot in the stirrup; however, Playboy has learned to respond to her voice commands as she tells him to walk or trot.

Playboy came to us with a reputation of being a lady’s man and he has not lost that reputation here at the NAC. He is not only a favorite of the mares, but also the little girls. Because of his calm nature and willingness he is ridden by adults, teenagers, and children, especially little girls. He takes care of each rider who ends up on his back and provides a worry-free lesson to all our participants.

The Hoffmans also recently donated their three-horse aluminum trailer, a much-needed item for the program. Thank you to the Hoffman’s for their many years’ generosity and service to our program.

Rebekka Dill
The NAC’s own movie star, Rebbeka Dill is one of the featured Fjords in the
movie, “The Thirteenth Warrior”. Being on the movie set provided a solid
foundation for Dill to become a rock star in our therapy program, her patiently
waiting on the set for periods of time waiting to perform her scenes and than play
her role proved to be beneficial in our program. Dill basically stepped off the
trailer and right into lessons. One of Dill’s first experiences at the NAC was with a
visiting adult to the Ranch. Drew never thought that he could experience riding
since he had partial quadriplegia. With Dill’s draft pony build and the
determination of Drew, riding horseback proved to be a reality for him.

Rebekka Dill has become one of the foundation horses for our program, not only
does she provide Hippotherapy lessons, she also is the work horse for our
Therapy Riding Program. She consistently goes out and does her job and enjoys
the students and especially the treats she gets at the end of her lessons.

Thank you to the Burton family and its foundation for purchasing and sponsoring
Dill for our program.

Rocky
Rocky is an adorable Pony – half Pony of America and half quarter horse.  He was foaled in 1998 and is 13.3 hands tall. He is currently under long term lease from Nancy Sutton from Oakley, Utah. Rocky grew up with Nancy’s daughter. When the daughter went to college, it was time to find a good home for Rocky. As a jumper, Rocky came to us with a calm, fearless temperament that serves well in lead walking, walk-only lessons, independent walk, trot and/or canter lessons and jumping. He is a versatile pony that has captured the hearts of many of our riders. Rocky is also used in Hippotherapy lessons. His easy lead walking and fluid movement make him a desirable horse for our Occupational Therapist to use. 

Because of his good looks and charm, Rocky is easy to fall in love with. Also, his rocker hair style keeps him in vogue with the teenage riders. His young age and personality prove that he is, and will continue to be for quite some time, a solid member of our horse therapist team.  

Sage quickly went into lessons, and everyone who rode him loved him right away. His smooth gait is perfect for our riders who are trying to gain confidence trotting. We are very excited to watch Sage change lives and help many of our riders achieve their dreams.

Since coming to the National Ability Center, Shelby has made many new friends, both horse and human. He has been instrumental in exciting, educating, and endearing many new people to the world of horses, mustangs, and therapeutic riding. Shelby has shown an excellent aptitude for learning and working with people. We love watching Shelby learn, grow and change people’s lives on a daily basis. He is a very promising horse who certainly has a very bright future.

The National Ability Center Equestrian Program would like to thank the Salt Lake City BLM Field Office for their support and assistance in helping Etta and Shelby find their potential. If you would like to know more about mustang adoptions, please call Jan or Abby at 435.200.0992.

Since Soda has been at the NAC, she has been working very well in all of our lessons from beginner to advanced levels. Due to her extensive show experience, we hope she will help many of our participants compete in mainstream horse shows and competitions.

Thank you Mike and Peg for allowing us all the years of enjoyment from Stromy.

Tulip
Tulip is a Welsh Arabian pony born in 1995 and donated to the National Ability Center is 2001 by Alan Agle. So far, Tulip is the longest working horse in the program. She has been with us since she was six years old and is still going strong. She has previous work as a show pony in the hunter-jumper world. Among the young girls Tulip is one of the most requested mounts, and with her sassy attitude, “Surfer Girl” looks, and feisty spirit of a true red head she is one of the favorite ponies. Tulip loves to work in any type of lesson from dressage to barrel racing, and she also has a “special” way of keeping her students in the correct riding position.

Tulip was once married to Shasta, another one of our star ponies, who passed away November of 2006.