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National Center For Equine Facilitated Therapy (NCEFT)
Aldi’s Background:
Aldi was bred by a Norwegian Fjord breeder in Wisconsin in 2010 (NFHR 10-6391-M) and found her way to Sunnyside Farm where she gained extensive therapy and driving experience. She went on to join a lesson program at Footnote Farm in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. There Aldi was part of their lesson program but the program was not what Aldi enjoyed. Her owner felt Aldi was better suited returning to a gentler life with a focus on therapy and the owner reached out to NCEFT to see if we would be interested in Aldi for our physical therapy and occupational therapy programs.
Having just lost one of our Fjord therapy horses to colic, we were anxious to bring another Fjord into our herd. Aldi seemed like a good prospect. We evaluated Aldi at her home in British Columbia and knew very quickly she would be a good fit for our program. We arranged for her to be transported to California and she arrived just one week prior to the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order going into effect.
Aldi’s Life as a Therapy Pony:
Our plan when Aldi arrived was to spend two weeks getting her acclimated to her new home and training her for her new job as a therapy pony. Since our facility was closed for a few months (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), we were able to take our time letting Aldi adjust to her new surroundings and introducing her to her new job. Aldi had been long lined (ground driven) previously, so we practiced with her on a regular basis, teaching her new maneuvers and increasing her repertoire. Aldi settled in easily and was amazing to work with. Frequently our therapists use toys in sessions, so we introduced a variety of toys. She was confident with all of the balls, rings and other toys. We did mock sessions to get her accustomed to having sidewalkers in sessions. Since Aldi is very personable, she enjoyed having more people around her. Once NCEFT was able to resume therapy sessions, we used Aldi on a regular basis and it became clear she will be a part of our team for a long time.
A year later, Aldi is well settled in her life here and enjoying her job. She is a very sweet mare who loves attention and responds well to positive feedback. With regular work she has become a consistent, reliable partner. Additionally, Aldi’s natural movement at the walk provides a great deal of input for patients offering them unique physical challenges, a great asset for our therapists.
At NCEFT, and other therapy centers, we ask our equine partners to do a very special job. They help treat patients with physical, learning, emotional and social disabilities. Many of the patients are not well balanced or may have behavioral challenges that affect the therapy horse. Aldi, and our other therapy horses, work each day to help improve the lives of our patients. It is challenging to find therapy horses that are mentally well-suited for the job, and sound. NCEFT is lucky to have Aldi in our program.
Aldi’s Health History:
Well bred and built for therapy work, Aldi is a very solid pony with good conformation. At age 11 she has had few health issues. She does have a regular labored breathing that is unrelated to her work level. This has been diagnosed and no cause has been found. This Spring, she presented acute lameness in her right hind leg. After a veterinary exam we determined she had strained the patella. Ten days of rest resolved the lameness.
Aldi is a very valuable equine partner and she is loved by the many patients she helps treat. We strive to give our horses the best care possible, and would love the opportunity to supplement her diet with Platinum Performance to provide her with excellent nutrition to keep her healthy and enjoying her job.
Relationship of Nominator to Nominee
The description below was written by Marty Raynor, NCEFT's Barn & Facilities Manager. Aldi is owned by and used in NCEFT's equine-assisted therapy programs.
This application is being submitted by the Development Team at NCEFT. Thank you very much for your consideration! -- Cherie Hammer
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