HORSES | mareridingcenter

Meet our therapy horses

Duke is sponsored by

Shaffer Family Foundation

HORSE OF THE YEAR

by Paige Balding

Duke came to Joe and Rhonda Ghyselinck as an 8-year-old team roping head horse, originally from a ranch in Texas. Rhonda and Duke made a great team together doing ranch sortings, team pennings, brandings, and trail trials. She said he had taken her places, emotionally and physically, she had never been before. As he started to age, she knew he needed less, and she needed more. Rhonda and Joe are great supporters of our program, and Rhonda wanted other people to get to experience the same feelings Duke had given her. In 2016, Duke took up his residency at MARE. He is a favorite. He is loved by staff, riders, and volunteers. His heart shines bright through his happy eyes. Duke’s gentle nature makes him great for our small riders, yet his big Quarter Horse stature lets him give our adult riders the opportunity to experience those same feelings Rhonda had with him. His gaits are smooth and forward, his mind shows patience and certainty, and his heart is big and bold. The talk around the barn, by anyone, is always that they want to take him home, and the reply is “get in line.” So for 2019, it went without saying, that Duke was our Horse of the Year!