Our Horses and Friends
Cherokee
Cherokee is a 15-year-old gaited-cross gelding. He's a goofy gelding who loves attention and doing his tricks. Cherokee was our founder's first horse, and though he isn't a thoroughbred, he has the competitive spirit and energy of a thoroughbred. Cherokee has had some trials physically and is an overcomer. When he isn't helping clients, Cherokee enjoys dressage, mounted archery, learning new tricks, socializing with his herd, and doing obstacles.
Olive
Olive, or She's Simply Sweet (her Jockey Club name), is a 19-year-old thoroughbred mare. She is a retired racehorse and retired broodmare. She is the first of our thoroughbreds. She has been off the track since 2010. Olive has the most powerful story of all our horses. When our founder first met her in 2014, this mare was an anxious mess who had a lot of distrust towards people. It took a year, buy by spring of 2015, she was a totally different horse! Olive is still picky about her people, and she can still be body-protective, but she has healed mentally and has learned to trust, and she is thriving! Olive is very sensible and sensitive, and gravitates towards clients who need her. She picked our founder as her person before Kristen knew how much she needed Olive. She's a sweet mare who loves her people, socializing with her herd, jumping, and trail riding with a buddy when she's not helping clients. She is the most job-focused horse in our herd.
Nicholas
Nicholas is a 16-year-old Quarter Horse. Prior to coming to us, he was an outriding horse at Keeneland Race Track in Versailles. He, like Olive, enjoys having a job. He enjoys things that make him think. He is shy, but once he picks his person, he warms up quickly. When he's not helping clients, he enjoys trail riding with a buddy, dressage, and schooling through things that make him think. He has a very active brain and enjoys having a challenge to focus on. He can get overwhelmed easily in large groups and reverts back to his days on the track, feeling like he has to make sure every horse going faster than him is safe and doesn't need his help. Though he's a stoic gelding on the outside, he's a giant teddy bear with a huge heart.
Lady Denisse
Allow us to formally introduce the new girl in town at Restore Ranch! Meet Lady Denisse (as she's known from her former career as an Off Track Thoroughbred). She's a big girl, with a bigger heart, and personality to match! Lady Denisse is currently working on earning her "Unicorn Horn," as she's in training to begin working with Restore clients. She'll be starting her second career VERY soon! Lady Denisse is proving to learn at a lightning pace! We are confident this girl is going to accomplish big things with Restore. She is AMAZING and reminds us just how special (and Grace filled) she is daily! So Amazing in fact, she's earned a new "Barn Name." Be on the lookout for videos and posts documenting her progress and journey here at Restore Ranch!