Our Team
Therapeutic Riding Coach - Sandra Schmid
Sandra enjoys working with people, and her great passion are horses, animals in general, and nature. At Hairy Henry's she is bringing one of her dreams to life - to create a safe therapeutic space where people can engage with animals and nature, learn from them, grow with them.
Sandra learned horseback riding when she was 9 years old, and has been around horses ever since. She has owned horses for the last 20 years. She holds certificates in horse handling skills and horse riding and is a passionate long-distance rider. She enjoys taking her horses to small local competitions in show jumping, dressage, cross country and 'Trec' (orienteering and versatility on horseback). She also uses her horses for ploughing and carriage driving and runs courses in working with horses in farming and forestry.
Sandra qualified as a Therapeutic Riding Coach with Festina Lente/Co. Wicklow in 2013 (www.festinalente.ie). She has been working in this area for 10 years.
Sandra is a certified independent Level 3 Horse Boy Practitioner, implementing Rupert Isaacson's 'Horse Boy Method' (www.horseboyworld.com) into her sessions.
Sandra has been awared the Stage 2 Foundation Coach in Complete Horsemanship by the BHS (British Horse Society). This award includes Stage 2 Ride Leader, Horse Care, Ride and Lunge and Teach.
Sandra also holds FETAC qualifications in Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning. She was trained in this area by Dr. Allan and Jane Hamilton of Rancho Bosque Equine Assisted Therapy. She has been working in this area for the last 12 years.
Sandra holds a Degree in Social Work and Pedagogy and is a professionally qualified social work practitioner with 23 years experience in various fields of social work, social care and community work with the HSE, Tusla and a few local charities. She also holds a Postrgradutate Diploma in Advanced Fieldwork Practice and Supervision (Social Work), and used to work as part-time tutor for the School of Applied Social Studies in University College Cork.
Sandra is registered as a social worker with CORU (Registration Number SW 000337), and she is also registered with the Teaching Council to provide Home Tuition and Summer Provision Programmes.
Sandra is fully trained as an occupational first aider, she has completed Safeguarding 1&2&3, and she is Garda vetted.
Sandra's premises are registered with AIRE (Association of Irish Riding Establishments) as an Equine Enterprise, and with Tusla Child and Family Agency as a School-Age Service.
Sandra learned horseback riding when she was 9 years old, and has been around horses ever since. She has owned horses for the last 20 years. She holds certificates in horse handling skills and horse riding and is a passionate long-distance rider. She enjoys taking her horses to small local competitions in show jumping, dressage, cross country and 'Trec' (orienteering and versatility on horseback). She also uses her horses for ploughing and carriage driving and runs courses in working with horses in farming and forestry.
Sandra qualified as a Therapeutic Riding Coach with Festina Lente/Co. Wicklow in 2013 (www.festinalente.ie). She has been working in this area for 10 years.
Sandra is a certified independent Level 3 Horse Boy Practitioner, implementing Rupert Isaacson's 'Horse Boy Method' (www.horseboyworld.com) into her sessions.
Sandra has been awared the Stage 2 Foundation Coach in Complete Horsemanship by the BHS (British Horse Society). This award includes Stage 2 Ride Leader, Horse Care, Ride and Lunge and Teach.
Sandra also holds FETAC qualifications in Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning. She was trained in this area by Dr. Allan and Jane Hamilton of Rancho Bosque Equine Assisted Therapy. She has been working in this area for the last 12 years.
Sandra holds a Degree in Social Work and Pedagogy and is a professionally qualified social work practitioner with 23 years experience in various fields of social work, social care and community work with the HSE, Tusla and a few local charities. She also holds a Postrgradutate Diploma in Advanced Fieldwork Practice and Supervision (Social Work), and used to work as part-time tutor for the School of Applied Social Studies in University College Cork.
Sandra is registered as a social worker with CORU (Registration Number SW 000337), and she is also registered with the Teaching Council to provide Home Tuition and Summer Provision Programmes.
Sandra is fully trained as an occupational first aider, she has completed Safeguarding 1&2&3, and she is Garda vetted.
Sandra's premises are registered with AIRE (Association of Irish Riding Establishments) as an Equine Enterprise, and with Tusla Child and Family Agency as a School-Age Service.
Our horses
(Hairy) HENRY
Henry is a 18 year old Irish Cob gelding. He came to live with us when he was only just over a year old.
Henry likes to do things slow and steady. He is friendly and patient, especially with children.
He has been trained for Therapeutic Riding, but he also can do other things like ploughing and pulling the cart.
Henry offers a hairy warm hug to anyone who wants it!
Henry likes to do things slow and steady. He is friendly and patient, especially with children.
He has been trained for Therapeutic Riding, but he also can do other things like ploughing and pulling the cart.
Henry offers a hairy warm hug to anyone who wants it!
WINNIE
Winnie is an 17 year old Irish Cob mare. She was born here.
Winnie is very sociable and patient and enjoys the company of people.
Like Henry, she is trained as a Therapeutic Riding horse, but also works in the field with Henry in front of the plough.
Winnie had five foals so far. One of her daughters, Flora, still lives with us.
Winnie also is soft and hairy and a wonderful horse to hug!
Winnie is very sociable and patient and enjoys the company of people.
Like Henry, she is trained as a Therapeutic Riding horse, but also works in the field with Henry in front of the plough.
Winnie had five foals so far. One of her daughters, Flora, still lives with us.
Winnie also is soft and hairy and a wonderful horse to hug!
FLORA
Flora is a 11 year old Irish Cob mare. She is Winnie's and Henry's daughter and was born here.
Flora is the most multi-skilled of our horses. She is brilliant at her job as therapy horse, but she also goes out to dressage, show jumping and cross country events as well as orienteering and versatility competitions with 'Trec'. And of course, she helps Henry and Winnie with any field jobs there are on the farm, like harrowing the pasture.
Flora is the most multi-skilled of our horses. She is brilliant at her job as therapy horse, but she also goes out to dressage, show jumping and cross country events as well as orienteering and versatility competitions with 'Trec'. And of course, she helps Henry and Winnie with any field jobs there are on the farm, like harrowing the pasture.
Flora is a great and generous hugger and never says no to a cuddle!
DAISY
Daisy came to live with us a few years ago. She is in her mid Twenties but still young at heart. She is an experienced and extremely sociable pony with a cheerful and friendly attitude.
She loves to be hairstyled, and by rolling in the mud, she makes sure that she always gets a lot of attention through brushing and cleaning her again.
She also is a wonderful pony to take to shows with some of our young riders.
She loves to be hairstyled, and by rolling in the mud, she makes sure that she always gets a lot of attention through brushing and cleaning her again.
She also is a wonderful pony to take to shows with some of our young riders.
DOLLY
Dolly only joined our team in 2021. She is now 13 years old. She is a very pretty black pony mare, but when you look at her in the right light, she is also copper brown!
Dolly is very gentle and patient with children. She loves to move and is quite fast when she gets the chance, although she has been practising going slow and standing - and is getting quite good at it these days!
She enjoys playing horseback games with the children.
Our miniature donkeys
NELL, EE-ORE, GORDON and GULLIVER
Nell and Ee-ore are mother and daughter donkeys who have come to live here about 6 years ago. They love to have their noses rubbed and alway welcome a treat (or two...).
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Nell also comes with us to outreach visits to hospitals, care homes and schools. She is an expert at navigating around narrow hospital corridors, cramped classrooms and small bedrooms, and has the perfect miniature height to meet people in wheelchairs and beds. She has abundant patience and wisdom, and likes meeting new people and places.
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Gordon has come to live here 4 years ago all the way from Wales.
He is wonderfully fluffy and gentle and loves hugs.
He is wonderfully fluffy and gentle and loves hugs.
Gulliver was born here in 2021, his parents are Eeyore and Gordon. He was very sick when he was a baby donkey and Eeyore was unable to nurse him, so he was bottle raised, and now he thinks he is half human!!!
This here is him as a baby, and below is a photo of him now as a teenager. He is being trained to join our team on hospital visits as well, and as he loves people and is a very cheerful chap, this is the perfect job for him.
This here is him as a baby, and below is a photo of him now as a teenager. He is being trained to join our team on hospital visits as well, and as he loves people and is a very cheerful chap, this is the perfect job for him.
Our sheep HARRIET, TILDA, SEAN and OTTO
Harriet and Tilda are gentle and friendly and love it when people come to visit them in the field.
They usually have lambs in spring who stay on the farm until autumn. They are also milked once a day during the summer - they are Friesian dairy sheep and produce a huge amount of tasty milk!
Otto is the ram of the herd, and for most of the year, he hangs out with Sean, our wether (neutered boy sheep), to leave Tilda and Harriet minding their lambs in peace.
All sheep are friendly and like meeting people, especially if we bring a cabbage leaf or carrot with us!
They usually have lambs in spring who stay on the farm until autumn. They are also milked once a day during the summer - they are Friesian dairy sheep and produce a huge amount of tasty milk!
Otto is the ram of the herd, and for most of the year, he hangs out with Sean, our wether (neutered boy sheep), to leave Tilda and Harriet minding their lambs in peace.
All sheep are friendly and like meeting people, especially if we bring a cabbage leaf or carrot with us!
Sean (above) sometimes goes on Outreach Visits, either on his own, or with a lamb or two - to Family Days, Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Schools.
Our dogs TRUDI and TURNIP
Trudi and Turnip are best friends and are our welcome crew in the yard. They are first up to any car arriving - with their tails wagging excitedly, because they love meeting people.
They are Airedale Terriers - a very affectionate, clever and active breed.
Trudi is gentle and quiet and after a first hello she usually blends into the background, observing everything carefully. Turnip likes to get involved and is always up for a 'fetch the ball' game'.
They are Airedale Terriers - a very affectionate, clever and active breed.
Trudi is gentle and quiet and after a first hello she usually blends into the background, observing everything carefully. Turnip likes to get involved and is always up for a 'fetch the ball' game'.
Trudi and Turnip are both also trained as visiting therapy dogs. They regularly visit nursing homes and hospitals as well as schools and care centres, where they help lift everyone's emotional, social and physical well being.
Our rabbits CLOUDY, PEACH and FLASH
Our three rabbits are all extremely soft and fluffy and love to be fed treats. They can be met in our spacious indoor rabbit run.
They also come along on any outreach visits we do to hospitals, nursing homes, schools and care centres. They have a special rabbit harness for this so that they can explore and meet new people safely on the ground, and they also love being held.
Our guinea pigs KIWI, CARROT, BLACKBERRY, FROSTY, VANILLA, ROSETTE and SLINKY.
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All guinea pigs like meeting visitors on the farm, and Kiwi and Blackberry also travel with me to some Outreach Visits.
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Our hens and geese live on the lawn in front of the house. The geese in particular can be noisy but mean well, they always like visits from people, especially when this involves a treat like a slice of apple or a handful of oats.
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Volunteer helpers
In some sessions, if necessary, helpers will join us, to assist with mounting and leading and to walk along the side of the horse, to ensure the rider's comfort and safety.
Our helpers are all fully trained and Garda vetted.
We always like to hear from people who are interested to join our volunteer team - please get in touch for more information!
Our helpers are all fully trained and Garda vetted.
We always like to hear from people who are interested to join our volunteer team - please get in touch for more information!
In memory - Bob and Annie
Our dear Old English Sheepdog Bob died at the end of 2018. He was with us for many many years and one of the founder members of the Hairy Henry team, with his bubbly, energetic positive nature. He is greatly missed, but we feel very lucky to have had him on our team for so long!
Sweet Annie died in October 2021. She was the most gentle affectionate creature around, always up for a cuddle. She was very calming around everyone and loved by all. Sadly, she got seriously injured in a road accident and we had to make the hard decision to let her go. She will always be remembered as the soft black shadow following us around, generously offering hugs and cuddles.
Text and Images: Copyright Sandra Schmid 2016
