Meet Our Herd

 Delfinia is a registered Norwegian Fjord mare owed by Lift Me Up!  She was born on May 3, 1998 and is the typical (and immediately recognizable) brown dun color. Also very typical, she has a dorsal stripe and two-tone mane, (just like the Norwegian Fjord in the movie Frozen). Before coming to Lift Me Up! Delfinia was an eventer and pony clubber.  You can find her videos on Youtube, if you search. Don’t be fooled by her diminutive stature (approximately 13.3 hands), Delfinia has a strong neck and shoulders made for pulling a sled or cart, and she can use them to her advantage when she decides to take her handler for a drag over to the nearest patch of juicy grass.
She continues to take care of her beloved riders after all these years.. 

 Finn is one of two Norwegian Fjord geldings (yes, we have three Fjords in total), and like the other two, has the instantly recognizable brown dun coloring with a dorsal stripe and two-tone mane and tail. Before coming to Lift Me Up!, Finn pulled a sleigh in Wisconsin -  remember that Norwegian Fjord conformation of strong neck and shoulders? This strong little guy can at times have a different agenda than his leader and may decide to change the plan, especially if the grass is greener elsewhere. Finn is on a special diet so please do not give him anything (including hay) without first checking with the staff.

Hoffman is a Thoroughbred-Gypsy Vanner cross. You may have heard of the Thoroughbred breed from horse racing, but have you ever heard of a Gypsy Vanner? This smaller draft breed was bred to pull a cart or caravan (hence the name "Vanner")! 

Because of the Thoroughbred breed mixed in, Hoffman is a little taller than most Gypsy Vanner horses, standing at 16.2hh. Hoffman's color pattern is called tobiano, a pinto pattern in which large splotches of dark color cover the flanks and neck. At 20 years old, Hoffman has retired from his previous career of fox-hunting with his owner, Lynn. That means that in his prime, he loved galloping at top speeds through the countryside, jumping over all kinds of natural obstacles!

Now he is ready for a slower-paced lifestyle in retirement as a therapeutic riding horse. He came to LMU in May 2021 and is already a favorite among our riders!

Jewel is a beautiful grey Irish Sport Horse on lease to LiftMeUp! since 2015. At roughly 16 hands, Jewel is one of our biggest horses in the barn and is loved for her well-mannered, sweet personality.

Before coming to LiftMeUp! she was a First Flight Hunt horse with the Fairfax/Loudoun Hunt and took wonderful care of her rider. 

Jewel continues to take care of her LiftMeUp! therapy riders, and tempers her big walk and forward disposition when working with them. However, for a change of pace, she also loves to go on trail rides or over a few jumps at the cross-country course at Turner Farm.

Shiloh is a Missouri Fox Trotter! This breed is known for its very unique gait - the "fox trot" - a smooth, four-beat gait that looks and feels like a power walk. This gliding gait made him an excellent trail horse for novice riders, which was his previous job before coming to LiftMeUp in July 2021!

Shiloh's sweet and personable temperament makes him an excellent addition to our therapeutic riding and unmounted wellness programs. He loves belly scratches, stands quietly for grooming, and is unfazed by noise and commotion. He is an "in your pocket" kind of horse - always looking for pets and attention, but respectful of boundaries. He makes a great addition to our herd!

Shimmy (a.k.a. "Shim-Shim") is a grey Percheron/Oldenburg gelding and the largest horse in our barn, standing at over 16 hands. Prior to joining LiftMeUp! Shimmy received dressage training and is capable of some lower level movements. Shimmy is a truly kind and sweet-natured horse. He takes great care of his riders and has been known to stand like a rock when needed - even though he is a very forward horse who likes to be on the move. His BIG walk gives his riders a lot of movement input, and his bouncy, metronome trot is a great teacher for those learning to post. He loves to spend time with his favorite volunteers and enjoys being groomed. A sensitive boy, he does notice things that some of our other horses ignore, but he handles himself well - he may prick his ears forward and open his eyes a little wider if something surprises him, but he’s sensible and listens to his rider or leader. Being on a special diet, Shimmy is not allowed to have treats. Apples in particular cause an allergic reaction which will give him hives.

Sloan was born in Virginia on April 29, 2013, and is registered with the American Paint Horse Association under the name: Princess Sloan Barr. A Tobiano/Overo, Sloan is powerfully built, with beautiful markings and a sweet and friendly nature. Paint horses have been around for a long time and can be traced back to 500 AD in Europe. Brought to North America in the 1500's by the Spanish conquistadors, Native American Tribes soon developed a preference for these beautiful horses due to their flashy coats, athletic ability and temperament. Sloan has quickly become a much loved part of the LMU herd, and we are looking forward to her joining the lesson program this year. 

 Thorin is a new arrival who came to us as a Free Lease in April 2023. He is a rich bay color with beautiful dappling during the summer. Thorin, who has the same mother (owner) as Hoffman, is leased to LMU at no charge, so these fine equines can enjoy a second more leisurely career in therapeutic riding. Both horses knew each other in their past roles as hunter/jumpers, when Thorin was a Three-Day Eventer and Hunt Horse. He hunted with Loudoun-Fairfax, Blue Ridge, Middleburg, and Piedmont Hunts. Thorin will quarantine for a short period, and then will be familiarized with the adaptive equipment used in therapeutic riding before beginning in lessons.

Tina is a stunning liver-chestnut Dutch Warmblood mare, with a large white blaze and two white socks. Prior to retiring from fox hunting and being leased to LiftMeUp! Tina was a high-level show horse and competed at some of the country’s top venues including Madison Square Garden, in New York, and the Washington Horse Show, in DC! Her extraordinary experience in the show ring has given our riders the thrill of taking home many ribbons as well as Division Winner from the annual Therapeutic Riding Association of Virginia (TRAV) show and she was honored with the title of TRAV Horse of the Year 2016. 

Tina has advanced dressage training and is capable of many of the higher dressage movements, but being one of our "grande dames," we keep her work level appropriate. However, Tina has been known to offer up a beautiful half-pass when asked for a lateral movement across the arena.

The third Norwegian Fjord at our barn, Titan is also the newest and youngest horse. He is almost 12 years old.

Titan is built “like a tank” and is capable of carrying quite a heavy load. His has a huge chest and very strong neck, exhibiting true traits of the Fjord breed.  With his steady and quiet walk, and sweet demeanor, we have high hopes that he will be a fantastic therapy horse. Every once in a while, he needs to be reminded of his training to be patient and stand quietly in the wash stall, and with time, we are sure he will get better and better.

Vizi was born in West Virginia on May 8, 2005 and, like Sloan, is registered with the American Paint Horse Association. Vizi's registered name is Visionsantreasures, and she is a Black Tobiano. Smaller and daintier than Sloan, Vizi is also friendly and sweet natured, but allows Sloan to approach visitors first before saying hello. Paint horses are like snowflakes - each is unique, if only by a small degree. Luckily our two mares are quite different and easily distinguishable from one another.