At first glance, one's attention is immediately drawn to Petey's beautiful blue eyes and unique markings, but the striking gelding is much more than meets the eye. Petey is a Medicine Hat Paint, a breed known for its mostly white coat with colored markings on the ears and top of the head, which resemble a hat. The breed is particularly special as it is thought to be lucky, extremely intelligent and possess superior abilities to other equines, all of which are certainly true when describing Petey.

A beloved therapy horse at Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding in Milford, Ohio since January 2016, Petey was honored at the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) National Conference in Orlando, Florida, as the PATH 'Equine of the Year' and the PATH 'Region 4 Equine of the Year' in November 2018.

Prior to becoming a therapy horse, Petey was a Pony Club mount living in Kentucky. His new role as a therapy horse has been instrumental in helping numerous disabled children participate in hippotherapy programs and adaptive recreational riding. Petey has had a positive impact on individuals with a wide range of disabilities and challenges including cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, autism, Down Syndrome, brain trauma, cognitive and emotional issues and post-traumatic stress disorder.

"He is very patient, nearly bombproof and has wonderful fluid movement for riders that need a smooth ride," said Beth Compton, Executive Director of Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding. "Our favorite thing about his personality is that he is always ready to work and is calm and collected. He is our 'go to' horse when we have very difficult riders."

Thanks to Petey's quiet and patient demeanor, his riders have improved physically, mentally and emotionally. Petey is able to pick up on his rider's energy and make them feel at ease, while his smooth gaits allow riders to improve their balance and position. Some of his riders have been able to accomplish things that they were never physically able to before, such as sitting up unattended, holding the reins to steer and squeezing their legs to signal him to move forward.

"For the past several months, a 10-year-old girl with profound weakness in her left arm and leg has been riding him," said Beth. "When she wants to go right, she uses her right arm to pull the rein and her right leg to cue, but when she wants to go left, he listens for her tiny voice cues and he responds every time."

Petey's patience knows no bounds, as he is always accepting of riders even when they are frightened, loud, or lacking balance. He also enjoys helping out children in the inpatient psychological unit at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

The gelding is just as popular with other horses as he is with people. When he is not spending time making a positive impact on children and adults, Petey enjoys relaxing in his paddock with two miniature horses, who he adores and fiercely protects.

Petey's tolerant nature and sweet disposition will continue to make a difference in the lives of each and every child and adult who meets him. His incredible and patient personality makes him an ideal and very worthy addition to the Horse Stars Hall of Fame.