Arabian club honors REINS horse as horse of the year

The Tierra Del Norte Arabian Horse Association initiated its “Horse of the Year” award for a special Arabian horse December 18 and chose a therapeutic riding horse registered as Southern Comfortt and known as Mickey.

Mickey, who is 25 and a full-blooded Arabian, is stabled at REINS (Riding Emphasizing Individual Needs and Strengths), where he provides two to three lessons daily for children or adults with special needs.

“He’s certainly well-deserving of it. He’s done just about everything in every walk of life, and I’m just glad he ended up at REINS and is giving back to a whole other world,” said Debbie Shinner, the executive director of REINS.

Before Mickey was donated to REINS seven years ago, he was a hunter/jumper horse who taught children how to jump. “He had taught a lot of children to ride, probably over 40,” Shinner noted.

It is estimated that Mickey took more than 30 children to championships. “That’s kind of special, too,” Shinner remarked.

A pinched cervical in his neck caused him to stumble occasionally and ended his jumping career. Owner Lisa Dasher donated Mickey to REINS, which provides weekly horseback riding lessons for disabled children and adults in San Diego County and Southern Orange County. “It’s quite a thing to go down and see what they do,” said Faye Hall, the president of the Tierra Del Norte Arabian Horse Association.

REINS is a member of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). The disabled participants gain flexibility, muscle strength, coordination, and range of motion from their rides as well as the relaxation, respiration, and circulation benefits of the horse’s movement rhythm. The riding also improves balance and encourages concentration and posture, and riders who can groom and tack their horses also gain a sense of responsibility and self-esteem.

“It’s therapeutic for the animals, too,” Hall added. “They give them a life again, which is great.”

A visit to REINS spurred Hall’s interest in Mickey. “I noticed that he was coming out every day,” she said.

Hall learned that Dasher had been the previous owner of the horse, which gave her some basic information to search the Arabian Horse Association’s Website for additional information on Mickey. Hall learned that he was 25 years old, that he is a purebred Arabian, and that his registered name was Southern Comfortt.

“A very versatile Arabian horse, which is what we like, so we were really happy to give him that award,” Hall remarked.

Hall shared the history of Mickey with REINS. “They’ve learned toappreciate him a little bit more, too,” she noted.

REINS already appreciated Mickey. “They’re very proud of this horse,and they’re so proud of this award,” Hall said. “Nobody’s ever singled out a horse.”

Dasher had called the horse Mickey, but Shinner is willing to use Southern Comfortt. “I like Southern Comfortt better,” she noted. “Southern Comfortt brings up the Southern gentleman, and I think he is a gentleman.”

Mickey’s disposition has made him one of the favorites at REINS. It also made him a favorite for the Tierra Del Norte Arabian Horse Association when they bestowed their first Horse of the Year award. “We wanted to have an award for an ordinary horse which does extraordinary things,” Hall explained. “That’s what’s good about this one.”