Horse and Buddy

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New Hill, NC
Horse and Buddy

Enriching the lives of individuals with diverse needs through equine assisted activities.

08/31/2026

What happens when some of the Horse & Buddy staff and volunteers head downtown to Cary for a night at the movies? A whole lot of fun… and a familiar face on the big screen!

This weekend some gathered to see the amazing film Horsegirls — and you might recognize someone special in this photo… Matthew Schwab! ⭐️

Matthew is a local celebrity, Down syndrome advocate, and international speaker who was part of the Horse & Buddy community for many years. It was so much fun to see a familiar Horse & Buddy face featured in this wonderful film! We are so proud of Matthew and all that he continues to accomplish.

It was a great evening in Cary filled with friendship, laughter, and a little movie magic! 🎥🐎

Not pictured: the Moms — both Janet’s AND Laura’s!

If you haven't seen Horsegirls, we highly recommend it! Check your streaming services — Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Disney+.

Have you seen it yet? Let us know what you thought! 👇

08/28/2026

🍎FRIYAY at Horse & Buddy! 🍎

When a thunderstorm rolls in, the rain starts pouring, and the plans for the day suddenly need to change… you PIVOT! 🌧️

We are so lucky to have such creative, resourceful, and flexible equine specialists and instructors who can turn an unexpected rainy day into an opportunity for learning, connection, and FUN!

Yesterday’s EAL session was a perfect example. With the weather putting a pause on some of the original plans, our participants turned their attention to an important question:

Which apple does your horse like best? 🍎🤔

Participants worked with our horses to taste-test different varieties and discover their preferences. And as it turns out, our horses have opinions!

But this simple activity had a bigger lesson behind it. Just like horses have different preferences, people do too. We may like different foods, have different interests, learn in different ways, or see things differently—and that’s okay! Learning to notice, understand, and accept those differences is an important part of building relationships and connecting with others.

And the official barn consensus?

🍎 Cosmic Crisp appears to be the favorite! 🍎

Who knew our horses were such apple connoisseurs? 😂

A big FRIYAY shoutout to our amazing ES’ and instructors for always finding a way to turn “Well, that wasn’t the plan…” into “Look what we can do instead!”

That creativity and flexibility is pretty special.

08/26/2026

WHAT’S GOING ON WEDNESDAY?

This Wednesday, we’re celebrating something you’ll find plenty of around the barn… SMILES!

From riders to volunteers, staff to families—and, yes, even our horses—there’s something pretty special about the smiles that happen at Horse & Buddy. A smile can say "I’m happy to see you", "I’m proud of myself," "I feel safe," or simply "I’m having a really good day!"

And we’re taking a little inspiration from the late, legendary Dolly Parton, who said:

“If you see somebody without a smile, give ’em yours!” 💕

We think that’s pretty good advice. Around here, smiles are contagious—and we’re happy to share them!

So, for today’s What’s Going On Wednesday, we want to know: What made YOU smile today? 😊

Share it in the comments and let’s fill the feed with a little more joy!

08/24/2026

🐴 A Summer of Horsemanship with Akira! 🌟

Akira is a regular therapeutic riding participant at Horse & Buddy, but this summer she took her horsemanship skills to the next level—from the ground up!

Over six weeks, Akira explored the fundamentals of horse care and horsemanship, including horse body language, grooming, colors and markings, basic care, and the nuances of tack. She also learned about how Horse & Buddy evaluates, selects, and integrates horses into our programs.

Christie, our Equine Specialist, said it was “lots of fun exploring Horse Foundations with Akira!” And after getting to know our horses a little better, Akira has made her choice: Cooper is a go!

We’re so proud of Akira for completing her six-week session and earning her Horsemanship Foundations certificate! And thank you to Bobbi who was Akira's regular horse leader

What a fun way to spend the summer learning, growing, and getting to know horses from the ground up! ❤️

08/21/2026

🌈 Back-to-School… Horse Style!

🎒✏️ BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING! 📚🐴

New shoes? ✔️
New backpack? ✔️
New pencils that will mysteriously disappear by October? ✔️
Rainbow reins for a Horse & Buddy horse? 🤔🌈 YES PLEASE!

And Marley is ready for her back-to-school first day photo! 🎒🎀🐴 Backpack? Check. Bow? Check. New sneakers? Check. Lunchbox? Check. Now she just needs to find her classroom! 😂

Most of our riders use rainbow reins, and our colorful reins are getting a little… well… faded. 😅 Between all the hands, all the lessons, and our very important commitment to continually cleaning them to keep our participants safe, those rainbows have seen better days!

But these reins aren't just pretty! 🌈 Our instructors use the different colors to help participants know exactly where to hold their reins during lessons.

🛒 Want to add a little Horse & Buddy shopping to your back-to-school list? Our nylon rainbow reins can be purchased at Chick's Discount Saddlery for $33.99 each. Just search “nylon lesson reins” on their website and you'll find them! Link in comments.

And before anyone calls the Horse Police… 😂🚨🐴 Marley's back-to-school accessories were electronically added to this photo! The original photo is simply Marley being her beautiful, natural horse self. No backpacks were strapped to horses, no lunchboxes were packed with goldfish crackers, and no Quarter Horses were harmed in the making of this very serious back-to-school photo shoot. 😉

We just wanted to have a little fun while showing you what your back-to-school shopping could help provide for our riders!

🌈 Help us keep our reins looking sharp—and our riders holding on in style!

08/19/2026

A Step Forward for Our Community 💚🐴
We’re excited to share some wonderful news! Our Equine-Partnered Play Therapy services will now be covered by Healthy Blue (effective September 15) and Alliance Medicaid.

This is an important step forward that will allow us to reach and support more children and families in our community, making this unique and meaningful therapeutic approach more accessible to those who need it.

We are so grateful for the opportunity to expand access to care and continue helping children grow, heal, connect, and thrive—with a little help from our amazing equine partners. 🐴💚

Please help us spread the word and share this exciting news with families, caregivers, and professionals who may benefit from our services!

08/17/2026

🎉 We’re celebrating 25 years of Horse & Buddy! 🐴

We’re inviting YOU to celebrate with us! For 25 years, horses, participants, volunteers, families, staff, and supporters have made Horse & Buddy the special place it is today—and we’d love to celebrate this milestone with our whole community.

Join us for our 25th Anniversary Celebration as we look back at where we’ve been, celebrate where we are today, and look forward to the years ahead!

📅 Save the date and RSVP today!
👉 https://go.levitate.ai/?s=78e0uaLeXC&source=event

Come celebrate 25 years of friendship, connection, and FUN! We can’t wait to see you there! 🎉🐴

08/15/2026

National Relaxation Day

Did you know National Relaxation Day, celebrated on August 15, was created in 1985 by Sean Moeller, a fourth grader from Iowa? We think he was onto something!

Today is a great reminder to pause, take a breath, and give yourself permission to slow down. A quiet moment, some time outside, or simply being present can make all the difference.

Sadie seems to have this figured out! Here she is taking a moment to relax between her Equine Partnered Play Therapy sessions. No rushing. No agenda. Just time to pause and reset.

Take a cue from Sadie today: pause, breathe, relax, and enjoy the moment.

08/13/2026

Meet Cat! We’re so excited to officially welcome Cat to Horse & Buddy’s Mental Health Team as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL)!

Cat first began volunteering with Horse & Buddy in 2023, bringing together two things she loves—horses and the equestrian world—with her passion for supporting mental and physical health. She has been riding competitively for more than 17 years, but she especially loves slowing down and creating meaningful connections between horses and people. That made Horse & Buddy her dream environment!

In 2025, Cat began working toward her ESMHL certification and proudly completed it in 2026. 🎉 We’re thrilled to have her experience, heart, and love of horses as part of our growing mental health team.

When she’s not at the barn, Cat is a master’s in public health student at UNC Chapel Hill with hopes of becoming a doctor one day. She’s also an avid reader, baker, foodie, and traveler—so if you have a great adventure or restaurant recommendation, Cat is all ears!

Please join us in welcoming Cat to the Horse & Buddy family! We’re so happy she’s here.

08/11/2026

Happy Horses, Healthy Horses!

Monday morning brought a little extra TLC to the barn as we welcomed Dr. Patrick Rebadow of Restored Chiropractic to Horse & Buddy! Dr. Patrick spent the morning working with several of our horses, helping them stay comfortable, balanced, and feeling their best.

Just like human athletes, our equine partners benefit from regular care to support their mobility, comfort, and overall well-being. These horses give so much to our participants each week, and making sure they feel their best is an important part of caring for them.

We’re especially grateful for our relationship with Dr. Patrick and the expertise and care he brings to our herd. Having trusted professionals who understand the unique needs of our horses is an important part of our commitment to their health and happiness.

Because our horses work hard for us, they deserve the very best care in return.

Thank you, Dr. Patrick, for taking such great care of our four-legged partners!

Address

4728 Old US 1 Highway
New Hill, NC
27562

Telephone

+19193677740

Website

http://www.horseandbuddy.org/

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