Hooved Companion Retires From Duty

After nearly two decades of service, a special horse with the We Can Ride program has retired.

Haji joined the herd in 1992 as a 6-year-old and now, at the ripe old age of 25, has done his last lap around the Minnetonka ring as a therapy horse.

“Haji's career– as many who knew him then will tell you– began with a bang,” said Andrea Dahl, barn manager. “He was a bit of a ‘hell cat’ to work with– spooking at paper, running into walls and being very difficult to handle. Due to the patience and love from the We Can Ride community, a lifetime of training was poured into Haji, molding him into the gentle, loving member of the herd that we know today.”

In 2009, Haji won the Region 6 Horse of the Year award from the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International for overcoming great odds and continually serving his riders.

is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is serving children and adults living with physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral disabilities. Their goal is to enhance their clients’ skills and well-being through challenging programs of therapeutic horseback riding and carriage driving. The barn is located at 14300 County Road 62 in Minnetonka.

Haji's History
Haji's life started with a family who wanted him for their young girls. The family lost interest in Haji for the children and instead tried to get him onto the racing circuit. This was also not his cup of tea. The family became disappointed and angry that Haji couldn't fill any of the roles they had wanted him for, so they donated him to We Can Ride to work primarily with the residents in 1992.

During his We Can Ride training, a brief look through his volunteer conditioning files reveals notes like this one, from 1994: "Haji began shying at shadows in the arena. Better after an hour of riding," and this one, from 1998: "Jumpy when asked to stand still. Head constantly tossing when not happy with something. Need to work on his MANNERS!"

In 2011, volunteers noted the following in his yearly evaluation: "Calm and steady. When riding, happy to canter all day long or just walk for hours."

Haji has served many clients, been a steady member of the team for demonstrations and public events and has helped many Home School residents learn about the power and friendship of a horse. “He is a favorite of so many people,” said Dahl.

Over the years, Haji has sustained some damage to his hind suspensory ligaments and has limited range of motion in his hips. Like many older horses, he has some tough arthritis in his back and neck. He's seen regularly by a horse chiropractor to help manage his discomfort and help him move freely. However, Haji still sometimes struggles to stand if he has napped in the wrong position out in the pasture and displays discomfort during the mounting process.

“Because Haji is a horse we all care about deeply, providing him comfort in his daily life is a big priority,” Dahl said. “Haji will be adopted by a WCR instructor and spend his days enjoying pasture life with his new family.”

A retirement party was hosted for Haji last Friday, complete with snacks for people and horses.