Meet Our Herd

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Delfinia is a registered Norwegian Fjord mare owned by LiftMeUp! 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 LiftMeUp! Delfinia was an eventer and pony clubber and you can find her videos on Youtube if you search for her. 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.

Delfinia underwent surgery on her left hind leg in 2017, and she has recovered well. She is back in business, better than ever, and taking care of her beloved riders like nothing ever happened.

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 being purchased by LiftMeUp! 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. Being a Fjord, Finn has strong opinions and likes his side walkers to stay close to his rider’s leg where they are needed. If they get too far back towards his hindquarters, he will let them know with a stomp of his hind leg. Finn is on a special diet so please do not give him anything (including hay) without first checking with an Instructor. He prefers to be groomed in cross-ties as he likes his stall to remain just that - his stall.

Jax is a dappled grey registered American Quarter Horse gelding with a white left hind pastern and hoof, and darker mane and tail. 

His registered name is "JTW Cowboys Romeo" and he was born on April 11, 2002 in Greenville, Alabama. Owned by LiftMeUp! since 2013, Jax is a chill guy, with that typical QH movement - easy jog and slow lope.

He generally likes to hang out by the fan in his stall when the weather gets warmer, but if you want to see him perk up, just offer him some watermelon or a mint candy cane - those are his favorite snacks.

Jax has a beautiful fine coat and sensitive skin, so he dislikes being curry combed or brushed roughly, and like Finn he prefers to be groomed on cross-ties.  He stands approximately 15.2 hands high.

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.

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 just turned 8 years old on August 16, 2019, the day before his official "gotcha" day at LiftMeUp! in 2018. Similar to Finn and Delfinia, 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. The staff members at LiftMeUp! diligently worked with him during his trial period, to make sure he passes all of his “tests” to become a great therapy horse. 

We are happy to say that he has recently graduated from his trial period and is now officially in rotation to be used in therapeutic riding lessons. 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.