MEET THE HERD

Each horse at Challenged Champions plays a special role in helping riders grow in strength, confidence, and connection. Our herd is carefully selected and trained to provide safe, therapeutic experiences for individuals of all abilities. From gentle giants to playful ponies, every horse brings something unique to our program.

A brown and white pinto horse standing in a grassy field on a sunny day.

Patch
22-year-old APHA

Patch has tons of energy and loves to go trail riding. He can outpace horses much younger leaving everyone in the dust! He is a wonderful addition to the CCEC family.

A brown horse standing in a grassy field near a white fence, with trees and blue sky in the background.

Peanut
18 year-old Quarter Horse

Peanut was a cutting horse at the University of Findlay's Western Equestrian Farm. He has a quirky personality and will be your best friend for a treat! When he is feeling silly you will catch him playing with his tongue and running with his tail in the air. Of course, that is only after he has a long nap!

Close-up of a brown horse in a grassy field with a fence, white building, trees, and a blue sky in the background.

G-Dub
16-year-old Quarter Horse

G-Dub started his journey as a teaching horse at the University of Findlay's Western farm as a reining horse. He has a calm demeanor and loves people. He is a faster version of Nic, but just as loving and sweet. He is just as popular here as he was at the university, not just with people, but the other horses too.

A brown horse with a white stripe on its face standing in a grassy field under a partly cloudy sky.

Ted
14-year-old Quarter Horse

Ted is a show horse with a pleasure background. He loves his job and the attention he gets from his riders. He has been wonderful for our independent riders, since all his gates are so slow and smooth! Ted was shown at Quarter Horse Congress, which is the largest single-breed horse show in the world. The word that describes him best is FANCY!

Leased to the program by Paula Berry.

A brown horse with a white stripe on its face walking in a field with dry grass. Buildings are visible in the background under a clear sky.

Neeko
6-year-old Mustang

Neeko was rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management in 2019 at Red Rock, Nevada. Mustangs are made up of several different breeds, Neeko is Criollo, Quarter Horse, Rocky Mountain Horse, and Morgan. Neeko is quickly becoming known for his goofy and affectionate personality. We think he will become a barn favorite in no time!

A brown horse standing in a grassy field with a blurred background of trees under a blue sky.

Little Man
26-year-old Quarter Horse

Little Man formerly showed in the reining and taught students at the University of Findlay’s Western Equestrian Farm.  He has worked hard for CCEC for many years and has earned his retirement from riding classes.  Little Man still enjoys seeing participants in the summer camps and loves being chosen to be groomed. 

Donated by University of Findlay

A close-up of a brown horse with a white blaze on its face standing outdoors in a field with a fence, trees, and a building in the background.

Willy
29-year-old Quarter Horse

Out of all of our working horses, Willy has been here the longest. His recent retirement in 2024 was well deserved. No worries though, you'll still see him for grooming groups throughout the year, and for Horse Powered Reading and the Self-Regulation Camp in the summer. Wherever Willy is, his bestie Little Man is not far behind.

Donated by Barb Fargusen

Close-up of a brown horse with a white blaze on its face standing in a grassy field under a blue sky with white clouds.

Huey
27-year-old Belgian Warmblood

Huey is the second biggest horse at the farm! Even though he is big, he is as gentle as they come. Huey used to be a show jumper in Colorado. As a matter of fact, he has even traveled the world and shown in Europe!

Donated by Jacqueline Kramig.

Close-up of a brown horse with a white stripe on its face, standing outdoors during sunset.

Nic
25-year-old Quarter Horse

Nic has a heart of gold! He deceives everyone because he is so slow and steady in class. Don't let him fool you though! Nic used to be a reining horse and showed competitively. Reining horses must be agile, quick, and responsive. If you don't believe he can be fast, we do have the videos to prove it!

A white horse with a blonde mane standing in a grassy field, facing the camera under a blue sky.

Sylvie
29-year-old POA

Sylvie is the smallest riding horse in the program, but do not let his size or age fool you! He has an amazing work ethic, great personality, and enjoys hanging out with his pal, Little Bit.

Donated by the Horsemaster's 4H club.

Two donkeys, one gray and one dark brown, standing behind a white fence on a grassy area with trees in the background.

Banjo & Zimme
16&17 year-old Mini Mediterranean Donkeys

Banjo and Zimme are partners in crime. They do everything together, if you can find one of them the other one isn't too far behind! Banjo is the lighter donkey and Zimme is the darker of the two. If you need a good laugh, these are the guys to visit.

Close-up of a dark brown to black horse with a white marking on its nose, standing in a green field under a blue sky with clouds.

Eclipse
23 year-old Quarter Horse

Eclipse has done a little bit of everything before coming to CCEC. He was a trail riding horse at Mohican, a show horse for his kids, and now he is ready for his career at Challenged Champions! His jet-black coat easily helps him stand out from the herd and catch lots of admiring looks.

Donated by his owner, Bruce Schroeder.

A palomino horse grazing in a field of white flowers under a cloudy sky.

Olaf
19-year-old Halfinger/Belgian cross

Olaf is our gentle giant and the biggest horse on the farm. He wins over the hearts of everyone he meets. Even though he is a big boy, he is very graceful. He is always ready to work and super dependable.

Anonymously donated.

A white horse with a pale mane stands outdoors at sunset, with the sun low on the horizon and a partly cloudy sky.

Wilson
11-year-old Haflinger

Wilson is the second youngest horse in the program. Not only do we use him for mounted lessons, but he can also pull a cart for participants who are not able to ride. All the horses on the team are hard workers, but when you watch Wilson, you can tell he loves his job and is ready to go!

A close-up of a gray horse with a white mane standing outdoors in a field with a red gate in the background.

Rocky
18-year-old POA

Rocky joined the farm in May 2019, and came all the way from Pennsylvania.     Before coming to CCEC Rocky was a kids’ pony and used for trail riding, jumping, and Western and English riding.

A small pony with a blonde mane and a brown and white body standing in a snowy field, with snow on its nose, under a cloudy sky.

Lil Bit
OLD mini

Little bit is the smallest, and the oldest horse at the farm! While he may be old, he is still spunky and loves to kick up his heels! We estimate that he is at least forty. He steals the show whenever he is around. He loves to pose for paintings or paints portraits himself. He is our wise artistic genius!

Close-up of a brown horse on a farm with a blue sky and white clouds in the background.

Frank
15-year-old Appaloosa

Frank came to us from Cleveland, Ohio. Nothing seems to bother him, whether it be bubbles, loud noises, or props we use in the arena. It is very impressive because for a very long time he was a pasture pet spending his days outside. He is a wonderful fit for our program!