A Horse is a Horse, of Course, of Course

For thousands of years horses have been both our faithful companions and hardworking partners. From newborn foals taking their first brave steps to venerable elders quietly grazing in well-earned pastures, they are noble creatures of grace and beauty who always win our hearts. Here are a few famous examples of this majestic animal.

Hideaway’s Erin Go Bragh was a Connemara stallion who competed in the sport of eventing at the highest level. Also known as “The Little Horse that Could”, Erin Go Bragh stood just 15.2½ hands (1.59 meters).

Go Bragh was known not only for his great athletic ability, which helped the little horse compete at the international level in the sport of eventing, but also for his great character, gentleness, and heart. Although smaller than 16 hands (1.63 meters), he had great confidence, and would reportedly jump anything he was pointed at.

Remarkably, Go Bragh began his competitive career not in eventing but in pleasure driving, where he was very successful. After jumping a 5-foot jumper course, the great show jumper Anne Kursinski told his rider that the tiny horse had talent.

Go Bragh began his eventing career, and won four events in a row at the Preliminary level in 1991—including the MCTA Horse Trials with its notorious cross-country—before taking 1st at the Ledyard Three-Day in 1992. By this time, he was also a proficient second-level dressage horse. As an Intermediate horse, the stallion won Fair Hill, before moving up to the Advanced level in 1995. His performance that year won him the American Horse Shows Association (AHSA) Advanced Horse of the Year award for Zone II, and the United States Combined Training Association (USCTA) Connemara of the Year award, that same year.

Go Bragh was retired at the age of 16, as the most winning stallion in eventing history in North America. He was officially retired at the Genesee Valley Hunt Race Meet, on October 9, 1999. He continued to breed mares at Hideaway Farm. Go Bragh died at age 30 in October 2013.

The little stallion has sired nearly 200 foals, and his offspring have been extremely successful.

Beautiful Jim Key was a famous performing horse around the turn of the twentieth century. His promoters claimed that the horse could read and write, make change, do arithmetic for “numbers below thirty,” and cite Bible passages “where the horse is mentioned.”

Beautiful Jim’s trainer, “Dr.” William Key, was a former slave, a self-trained veterinarian, and a patent medicine salesman. Key emphasized that he used only patience and kindness in teaching the horse, and never a whip. Beautiful Jim became a celebrity thanks to the aggressive promotion of A. R. Rogers. The horse performed at large venues from Atlantic City to Chicago.

Beautiful Jim Key and his trainer periodically toured the United States in a special railroad car to promote the fledgling cause of the humane treatment of animals. They performed in the best venues in most of the larger American cities, including New York’s Madison Square Garden. The horse was among the most popular attractions at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

President William McKinley saw Beautiful Jim Key perform at an exposition in Tennessee and declared, “This is the most astonishing and entertaining exhibition I have ever witnessed.” The President also commented that it was an example of what “kindness and patience” could accomplish.

The horse was made an honorary member of George Thorndike Angell’s American Humane Association.

Magic is a female miniature horse working as a therapy horse inside hospitals and hospice programs. In March 2011 she was named one of History’s Ten Most Heroic Animals by Time Magazine/CNN (the only living animal on the list). Magic was also selected The Most Heroic Pet in America by the AARP and included in Newsweek/The Daily Beast’s Most Heroic Animals of 2010. In addition, Magic was selected a Reader’s Digest/American Towns Power of One Hero (the only non-human hero).

The tiny blue eyed mare works inside hospitals, assisted care programs, programs for Alzheimer’s patients, group homes and with patients in hospice care. She also works with sheriff’s officers in high crime neighborhoods as part of a community outreach program and helps children with developmental delays and at risk and abused children.

Magic’s is a member of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, an all volunteer nonprofit charity whose award winning literacy program “Reading Is Magic” brings real horses inside schools, at risk youth programs and libraries to inspire young readers and “bring books to life”. The tiny horses in the program look like the horse characters in loved children’s books. Magic receives e-mail from children around the world. Gentle Carousel’s team of 26 therapy horses visit thousands of adults and children each year.

The courage, intelligence and generous spirit of these animals is an inspiration to us all.