(AKA Jaxon)
Jasper came to Ravenheart from Parkland Ranch in Manitoba. Parkland Ranch is the dream of Judith Graile. Visit their website here: www.parklandranch.com Judith is a gifted and experienced horse woman who trains horses using kind, respectful, and gentle methods, with no bits, spurs, or harsh methods. She rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes many horses, dogs, cats, and the occasional wild one.
Judith messaged me one day to ask if I would like to add a sweet horse to my herd. She said he is only 8 years old, fully trained, and she wasn’t in a hurry to rehome in, but thought he would be a perfect fit for equine assisted learning at Ravenheart. She described him as a very gentle, sweet, quiet horse, and handsome too!
Jasper is a 13 year old Paint gelding adopted from Parkland Ranch in Manitoba in the fall of 2016. At Parkland Ranch he was an easy going trail horse until he started to get footsore on longer rides. Because of his kind, gentle, curious and steady nature, Judith, the owner of the ranch, thought he’d make a perfect addition to our equine-assisted learning team at Ravenheart and she gave us a call. She was right!
If Jasper had a theme song I think it might be Lean on Me by Bill Withers. Lean on Me (w/lyrics) ~ Bill Withers – Bing video
“Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there’s always tomorrow
Lean on me
When you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on…”
When Jasper first came towards me I saw such majestic beauty , then as he looked straight at me, it’s his strength that I see . As he stands closer I feel safe and protected. Words to describe Jasper are strength, protector, beauty, confident, and last but not least majestic.”
Jasper is grounded and steady. In fact, some of our clients will tell you that he has “sticky feet”. He’s the herd leader, and he’s not about to be pushed, or pulled, around. He needs to be convinced that you are kind, confident, and know where you are going.
He’s chosen often for his good looks and gentle eye. And he likes to be included and volunteers often too. He’s best pals with Sugar and they are rarely far from each other. Although Jasper thinks he is the leader, we know who is really in charge here. Hint; we’ll introduce her in our next post.
This fall two of Jasper’s previous herd mates at Parkland Ranch joined us. We wonder if you know who they are? Their stories are coming up sometime soon. If you can name them before we introduce them, we’ll send you a gift certificate for an introduction to equine assisted learning at Ravenheart, and a “meet the herd” experience for you or a loved one.
Jasper loves his treat bowl and is quite the clown when his bowl is empty. He’s always first in line at the feed room, and starts the musical bowls once his is empty, moving everyone around for more bits for himself. For this reason we always put down an extra bowl so no one misses out.
Jasper loves to be brushed and is a bit of a “brush me” hog. He doesn’t mind asking for what he wants, even when he has already had a turn. As we often are grooming the horses without tying, so they can choose to leave if they don’t want to be brushed, Jasper will wander over knowing the other horses will make space for him and ask for more.
Jasper gives people a sense of comfort and safety. He’s like a big fun-loving father figure, always there to keep order and protect his family, and yet be charming, silly, and a reliable friend who you can really lean on. ♥
