Author: Saratoga TODAY

Hello, my name is Reeley Misbehaving, and I am a therapy horse at Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga (THS).

I was adopted here in the summer of 2019 and am loving my new life so far. I get to live outside in the paddock with my friends and enjoy fresh air and yummy hay all day long. My favorite pastime is rolling in the mud and getting really dirty. This is easy to do because I am a white horse, and everything shows up on me.

Every day after breakfast, my caretaker and trainer, Laura, comes out to the paddock to bring me to our training session. She takes me to the round pen where we “join up,” which means that she asks me to move around her in a circle and connect to her through our movements. I enjoy this process because it means that Laura wants to get close to me and build trust. Then we begin my favorite part of training – prop desensitization. Laura shows me a series of objects that I experience daily as a therapy horse like trotting poles, tarps, pool noodles, and hula hoops. I pass with flying colors over these obstacles because I trust Laura and she would not do anything to endanger me. But still, I am a horse, so I must investigate everything to make sure it is not a threat. The pool noodle was the easiest. Once I realized that all I had to do was let her rub me with it and walk over it, it was a piece of cake. After every session Laura gives me a good grooming, which is by far the best portion of training.

My favorite part about being a therapy horse is spending time with my clients. I am a very social horse and I enjoy getting neck scratches and playing fun games with my human friends. I sense what my humans are feeling and can give them whatever they need, whether it’s a challenge or a nice long cuddle.

At the end of the day, us horses enjoy a delicious dinner and settle into our evening routine of hay-eating and naps. We have the best job, don’t you think?

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Each May at the Annual Meeting, the Preservation Foundation celebrates National Preservation Month by recognizing building owners with Preservation Recognition Awards.

Unfortunately, due to the uncertainty of the impacts of the Coronavirus, the call for nominations was delayed and the awards ceremony will not be able to take place in person. The Foundation does not want to delay any longer the recognition of projects. Therefore, it will announce award winners in June digitally. 

The Foundation seeks nominations for projects that reflect a dedication to preserving, developing, and reusing historic buildings and landscapes. Those nominated may be individuals, organizations, businesses, or community representatives. Nominations will be assessed by the Awards Committee according to the following criteria: project design sensitivity to the historic character and environment of the property, project execution represents appropriate techniques and preservation practice; degree of difficulty faced and appropriateness of solutions applied.

The project must be located in the City of Saratoga Springs, but does not have to be located in a historic district. Projects are to incorporate exteriors of private property, interiors or exteriors of public spaces, and must be 50 years or older. Additions to historic buildings and new in-fill construction can also be nominated. All projects must have been finalized within the past year.

To nominate a project or ask any questions about the awards please contact Nicole Babie, Membership & Programs Director, at nbabie@saratogapreservation.org. Please submit nominations by June 5, 2020 and include the address of the project; a description of the work completed; and, if possible, name of the property owner and photographs.