Little horses with big hearts

Magic, Aladdin and Peanut encourage youngsters to read

Photo 1: Youngsters gathered around Magic, a miniature therapy horse and the star of Gentle Carousel, and Gentle Carousel Inc. Executive Director Jeorge Garcia-Bengochea at High Springs library summer reading program kick off Tuesday afternoon.; Photo 2 – L-R:  Shelby DuBose, 11; John E. Ritch, 8; and Sydney Cadrain, 10, were introduced to Magic, the star of Gentle Carousel, by Gentle Carousel Inc. Executive Director Jeorge Garcia-Bengochea.

With well over 200 children in and out of the High Springs Library throughout the event, Gentle Carousel made the summer reading program kick off a huge success.

Gentle Carousel brought with them three of their miniature therapy horses including America’s Most Heroic Horse, Magic, for all the children and parents alike to enjoy.

Debbie Garcia-Bengochea, who is Educational Director for Gentle Carousel, Inc., an all volunteer 501(c)(3) non profit organization based out of High Springs, and handles most of the school-related programs, said it’s nice to come back and do an event like this in your hometown. It gives the volunteers a chance to relax from all the traveling.

High Springs Library hosted the event on Tuesday and the program’s theme was geared toward getting children to read and visit the library as often as possible.

“Encouraging children to read is a huge thing,” Garcia-Bengochea said. “A big thing we push is the reading program we have called “Reading is Magic” and we really encourage the parents to read to their children just 15 minutes a day every day. It makes a massive difference.”

The “Reading is Magic” program brings real miniature horses inside a library or classroom to inspire young readers to want to read. This award-winning program helps to motivate children to check out a book or even ask their parents to read to them.

They are 19-27 inches tall and visit hospitals, schools, care programs and patients in hospice care all around the world.

Magic, the star of Gentle Carousel, was named One of History’s Ten Most Heroic Animals by Time Magazine and CNN, Most Heroic Pet in America by AARP the Magazine, Ten Most Heroic Animals of 2010 by Newsweek and The Daily Beast, and selected as Power of One Hero by Reader’s Digest and AmericanTowns.

Along with Magic, two other horses, Aladdin and Peanut, visited the library as well and the director and staff handled the program and the tiny equine stars with ease.

This all-volunteer, non-profit organization touches the lives of many people around the world.

Ann Ritch, librarian in High Springs, said she loves what Gentle Carousel does for the library and all the children.

“We’ve been doing this for several years and Gentle Carousel always does a great job,” Ritch said. “They’re big supporters of the library and are enthusiastic about reading.”

Taylor Roberts, 7, just finished first grade in High Springs. Along with numerous other children, she went up and had her pictures taken with the horses.

She said she really liked the horses, especially their cute outfits and big blue eyes.

Part of Gentle Carousel’s success involves a reading list they distribute to the children.

“We have reading lists with books about horses and use them to try and get the kids back to the library,” Garcia-Bengochea said. “We have horses that match all the horses in the classic children’s books.”

She said the staff will read a book about a horse and then bring out a horse that looks just like the one in the story.

In total, Gentle Carousel has 26 miniature horses in their program, which has been running for about 10 years.

Garcia-Bengochea said she’s happy with the effect the program has on the children at the library.

“A lot of library cards are signed up for the summer, horse-related books are checked out, and the kids use our book list,” she said. “We get a lot of kids here and the main thing we want to do is to get them to the library. If we can get them here, get them signed up, get them checking out books, and letting them see what else is available in the library, then that’s worthwhile. That’s what we’re here for.”

Anyone interested in making donations, or learning more about Gentle Carousel and the miniature therapy horses can visit the Web site at www.horse-therapy.org for information.