BOK Ranch - News

Straight from the Horse's Mouth

Fun and Fast Horse Facts

The oldest horse on record was named Old Billy, a Cleveland Bay that lived to be 62 years old.
Adult horses only sleep 3-4 hours in a 24 hour period.
The tallest horse was named Samson back in the 1850's. Samson stood at 21.2 hands high.
The smallest horse in the world is Thumbelina (aptly named). She stands at just 17 inches tall!
A horse can see in all directions except for directly in front and directly behind him.
The highest successful jump ever was made by a horse named Huaso in Chile. He jumped 8 feet!
A mule is a cross between a male donkey (known as a jack) and a female horse (mare). Mules are always sterile.
Horses cannot breathe through their mouths.

Western Day 2008 was a huge success!

A wonderful day was had by all.

Thank you to everyone who was involved!

The B.O.K. Ranch family is excited to announce our newest member!

B.O.K.'s Friday and Sunday instructor Brooke Davis gave birth to Ilan Davis, Thursday night, the 21st of February, at 11:56 pm. He was 7.02 lbs and 19.5 inches long and healthy!

Congratulations to Brooke and her husband PJ!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE B.O.K. HORSES!

Sugar: 3/27/88
Dan: 4/11/88
Sadie: 4/1/85
Mighty: 3/7/99
Jackson: 1/23/00
Louie: 4/9/87
Shale: approximately 1975ish

The B.O.K. horses love receiving special treats on their birthdays. One of their favorites is home made cookies.

Horse Cookie Recipe

1 cup carrot, grated
1 apple, grated
2 tablespoons corn oil
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix carrot, apple, corn oil, and molasses together. Then, fold in salt, oats, and flour until mixed well. Spread dough out in one big piece on a cookie sheet. Score dough with a knife to make it easier to break apart after baking. Cook for 20 minutes or until brown. Let cool, break apart and serve.

Or, try rolling dough out, cutting shapes with cookie cutters, and then baking.

DISCLAIMER: Please do not feed any of the B.O.K. horses if there isn't a staff member present. Thank you.

Thank You to the Horse Park at Woodside!

A special thanks to The Horse Park at Woodside and to the park’s new executive director Larry Gimple. When The Horse Park was approached about once again providing land so that the B.O.K. Ranch could provide services they welcomed the B.O.K. program back with open arms.

Mr. Gimple made sure that within about 1 week’s time the B.O.K. horses had a comfortable barn, electricity, water, a new roof, a manure removal system, new tack room, arena space, and a new feed room. AMAZING. He also made sure that everything was extremely accessible for our riders including the purchase of an accessible bathroom.

The staff, volunteers, and riders of the B.O.K. Ranch couldn’t be happier about the move back to The Horse Park. This vast and equine friendly property is the perfect venue for the pre-existing B.O.K. programs as well as the newly developing program’s of B.O.K. to take off and flourish. THANK YOU HORSE PARK.

Horse Donations

The B.O.K. Ranch’s equine staff is made up of an extraordinarily gifted group of horses. Each horse in our program fits a special niche and is able to rise to any occasion, even when asked to go into stressful situations.

At B.O.K. we consider our horses service animals, similar to service dogs who work with people with visual impairments and mobility issues. When our horses are in the arena they are at work and are not treated as pets during that time. When they are outside of the arena they are able to mingle within a heard and just be “regular” horses.

The B.O.K. Ranch does take Horse Donations and even on occasion has the financial means to purchase potential therapeutic riding horses.

Any new horse coming into our program must fit within this basic list of criteria:

Must be 100% sound at all gaits.
Must be considered a “been there, done that” type of horse.
Must be level headed and able to pass extensive temperament tests.
Must be available to enter our program on a 30 day trial.
Must be able to be tied.
Must be excellent with the farrier and veterinarian.
Should be between 14.1 hands and 15.3 hands tall.
Should be between the ages of 9 years and 18 years old.

All breeds are welcome; there is no particular breed or training discipline that makes for an ideal therapeutic riding horse. An excellent therapeutic riding horse is a special breed unto itself.

Employment with B.O.K. Ranch

The B.O.K. Ranch is currently looking to hire:

NARHA certified riding instructors: As a premier accredited center, all of our riding instructors must successfully complete and obtain a minimum of a registered level instructor certification from the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.

B.O.K. Ranch does offer mentorship programs for NARHA instructors in training.

A vaulting coach: Vaulting coaches are needed to support interactive vaulters ages 7 and up. Vaulting coach qualifications: Must hold a NARHA instructor certification and a NARHA vaulting certification. Familiarity with the American Vaulting Association is a plus.

A therapeutic carriage driving instructor: Inquire within

Working Students: Working students are needed in assisting the equine director, groom and school the horses. Working students must have an excellent equestrian knowledge base. In exchange for helping with the horses, working students are offered riding lessons with Ashley McIntyre, B.O.K.’s head riding instructor.

Volunteers: Volunteers are always needed! Please visit our volunteer page to learn more about ways to help.

These are some of the basic differences between Hippotherapy and a Therapeutic Riding program. These differences and similarities are reflective of NARHA certified centers only. There are many facilities throughout the country not affiliated with NARHA that are conducting programs for people with disabilities that most likely differ from the following list.

Hippotherapy

Therapeutic Riding

Known as therapy
Usually 30 minute treatment sessions
Conducted by a state licensed physical, occupational, speech therapist, medical doctor, or specially trained mental health professional
Horses are long lined from the back by a paid staff person
Goals are reflective of traditional therapy
Person on the horse is referred to as a patient
May be covered by medical insurance
Costs are based on normal and customary PT, OT, and SLP rates.
Patient is subject to discharge
Environment is generally tranquil.
Horses must be in top physical form, possessing a variety of lateral, posterior, and anterior movement
Horses are long lined on the bit
Patients are rarely in a saddle or hold reins

Known as recreation or sport riding
Usually 1 hour riding lessons
Conducted by a NARHA certified riding instructor
A volunteer leads horses with a halter in the front
Goals are reflective and adapted from traditional equestrian lessons.
Person on the horse is referred to as a rider
Never covered by insurance
Cost ranges are reflective of typical riding lessons
Riders can graduate into a mainstreamed riding program or be demitted from riding if they no longer meet eligibility requirements
Environment is faster paced and energetic
Horses must be schoolmasters able to listen and respond to the rider’s most subtle movements
Horses are trained in a bit, but during lessons are ridden in a sidepull
Riders may start the program in a bareback pad, but are encouraged to ride in a saddle and generally always are given reins

*There are always exceptions to the rule, many of these differences and similarities are changed and modified on an individual basis.*