our pets: SINCE PAULA FOUND FAITH
Paula Mower Trains Horse Faith for Therapy Work
By ALYSSA “PEPPER” PURPURA
A
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dog riding in a basket at PetSmart or a service animal
out working is a heart-warming sight, but the variety
of animals welcomed in pet-friendly establishments aren’t
limited to house pets. If ever you run in to Paula Mower
in a feed or home improvement store, don’t be alarmed
to find the end of her leash (or reins rather) attached to an
animal that isn’t of the canine variety.
Instead, she and her miniature horse, Faith, enjoy
visiting places like their local Tractor Supply, Lowes and
Home Depot as a part of Faith’s training to become a
therapy animal.
After retiring from Fort Worth ISD as a speech
pathologist, Mower knew she couldn’t stop giving back
just because she wasn’t working anymore, but she didn’t
know what she had to offer that could help. “I just kinda
sat back and thought about what I might want to do next.
What do I want to do to give back?” said Mower. “I love
horses, and I have big horses and little horses and a little
donkey, so I’m surrounded by equine. I have such a
passion for them, and living in Parker County, I thought
it was just a natural fit.” So, she decided the best way to
combine her passion and her calling was to train horses
as therapy animals, and chose miniatures for convenient
transportation and visits.
The next step was finding the right animal. Though
therapy training teaches a horse how they’re supposed to
behave, they should have a natural gentleness and mild
manner so that people are comfortable approaching and
touching them. Eventually, Mower discovered Daniel
Crider of Sunset Mountain Miniatures in Lipan, and began
discussing her idea and how she could make it a reality.
“I told him what my dream was in an email and he wrote
this long, involved, detailed response to my questions
about therapeutic horses,” said Mower. “He talked about