{"id":220528,"date":"2023-04-12T14:55:20","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T18:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=220528"},"modified":"2023-05-03T11:35:59","modified_gmt":"2023-05-03T15:35:59","slug":"students-take-mini-break-to-horse-around","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2023\/04\/12\/students-take-mini-break-to-horse-around\/","title":{"rendered":"Students Take Mini Break to Horse Around"},"content":{"rendered":"

Friends Meghan Redfern and Aniella Martin waited almost an hour for their turn to meet, pet and pose for photos with the ever-popular Alexander the Great and Ravi, two miniature horses brought to the ÌÇÐÄvlog campus to help students de-stress on Monday, April 10.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was worth it!\u201d the two sophomore Psychology majors said in unison afterward.<\/p>\n

They were among more than 200 students who checked in and waited for their turn at a meet-and-greet with the equine pair on the Student Center patio. Mini horses have not been on campus since before the pandemic, when Hope\u2019s Promise farm brought them to Montclair during finals week in December 2019, said Marie Cascarano, assistant director of Health Promotion, which co-sponsored the event with Commuter Life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe turnout was actually bigger than we expected. It\u2019s really great,\u201d said John Han, a Health Promotion specialist who had the task of letting students know it was last-call for selfies, as he ushered in another group of students for some horseplay.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was so much fun,\u201d said Martin, adding that \u201cthe horses were making some funny faces.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Students pet sneaker-clad Alexander the Great as dozens of other students wait their turn in line in the background.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Faith-Laray Johnson and friend Ruqiya Sabry also didn\u2019t mind standing in line for their turn. \u201cIt was definitely worth it, even for a couple of minutes. It was for the experience,\u201d said Johnson, a sophomore majoring in Business.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the friends ran out of time for horse selfies. \u201cBut it was a really good experience,\u201d Sabry said. \u201cA 10 out of 10,\u201d added Johnson.<\/p>\n

Amy Day, a junior majoring in Education, burst into laughter as Ravi, a 5-year-old miniature horse whose name means \u201csun\u201d in Sanskrit, nuzzled against her hair. Her friend Sofia Idrissi captured a photo of the moment. \u201cI came because I miss my dog,\u201d said Idrissi, whose cavalier-poodle mix Toby is at her home in Jersey City.<\/p>\n

Roommates Jack O\u2019Dell, Kyle Faulkner and Nick Batista, all juniors, said they especially liked Ravi\u2019s shoe style. \u201cThe shoes are awesome!\u201d said O\u2019Dell, a Product Design major, who pulled out his phone for a close-up photo of Alexander\u2019s black, orange and gray sneakers. Ravi wore four black high-top boots.<\/p>\n

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Roommates Nick Batista, left, and Jack O\u2019Dell pet Alexander the Great, a 6-year-old miniature horse.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shirool Hamid, who waited with friend Joanelle James for about 25 minutes to meet Alexander and Ravi, agreed wholeheartedly. \u201cThe shoes were my favorite!\u201d she gushed.<\/p>\n

As it turns out, the horse shoes are manufactured for a different (non-living) species altogether: \u201cI order their shoes from Build-a-Bear,\u201d said Hope\u2019s Promise Director Maureen Coultas.<\/p>\n

While the shoes are admittedly fashionable, they do serve a purpose, Coultas explained to students: \u201cIt\u2019s just for cuteness, but when they\u2019re inside, we don\u2019t want them to slip on tile and wood floors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cascarano said Health Promotion staff want students to de-stress as often as possible, so that this year they decided to bring the horses in before finals week, while therapy dogs will be on campus for finals. \u201cWe decided to be more intentional and spread it out. The more opportunities we talk with students, the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hamid and James said they both came to curb their stress. \u201cI have so much on my shoulders,\u201d said Hamid, a sophomore Medical Humanities major. \u201cWith the semester coming to an end, it\u2019s crunch time, definitely,\u201d James chimed in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was able to get some knowledge on horses,\u201d James said, adding that Alexander stood only two feet tall.<\/p>\n

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Joanelle James, a sophomore Marine Biology major, had a great time petting Alexander the Great, who was sporting sneakers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hope\u2019s Promise board member and volunteer horse handler Cris Gronke explained that miniature horses stand no taller than 38 inches at the shoulder (their height is measured in inches and not hands as all other horse breeds are measured).<\/p>\n

Gronke also educated students on proper horse etiquette. \u201cNo, no, no. You don\u2019t want to be behind a horse,\u201d she softly warned one student. \u201cThey can kick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t touch his mouth or his nose,\u201d she told another.<\/p>\n

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Even Vice President for Student Development and Campus Life Dawn Meza Soufleris got a selfie.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coultas explained that it\u2019s natural for a horse to kick its hind legs if startled. As for not touching the duo\u2019s nose and mouth, she said, \u201cthey\u2019re not like dogs, their noses are very sensitive. Also, they\u2019re very nibbly, so it\u2019s just a safety precaution. They use their top lips like we use our fingers \u2013 to feel stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

At one point, there was an added bonus: A visit by Montclair\u2019s popular puppy mascot or \u2018pupscot\u2019 Pebbles and mascot Rocky. \u201cIt was my first time meeting Pebbles,\u201d Redfern said excitedly.<\/p>\n

Student chants of \u201cPebbles! Pebbles! Pebbles!\u201d announced the appearance of Montclair\u2019s pupscot. Director of Student Communications Cindy Meneghin brought Pebbles to the equine break for a photo session with the mini horses. The pup was less interested in Alexander and Ravi than they were in her but they did meet nose-to-nose.<\/p>\n

\u201cI needed a dog fix today,\u201d said Jacqueline Gallego, a senior majoring in Business, applauding Montclair\u2019s decision to acquire a pupscot: \u201cOh my god, this was the best decision ever!\u201d<\/p>\n

When informed that Pebbles has her own Instagram account, Gallego\u2019s friend Sydney Bragg, a senior majoring in Biology, immediately pulled out her phone for a follow. \u201cI didn\u2019t know she had an Instagram! Look at Pebbles! Yay, Pebbles!\u201d<\/p>\n

Gallego was already among Pebbles\u2019 more than 1,700 followers. \u201cI\u2019ve been following her since her first post.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A
There was no shortage of selfies and photos as students took turns petting a boot-clad Ravi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Under the tent nearby, the miniature horses, which are used for equine-assisted therapy to help people of all ages reduce stress and anxiety, as well as assist with social and emotional learning, were unfazed by all of the attention. They especially enjoyed the petting and scratching from their admirers. The minis are shedding their winter coats, so many students left with lots of horse hair on their clothing, which they didn\u2019t seem to mind. They also left with beaming smiles. Even the student, who rubbed her hands together and turned to her friends as they made their way off the patio: \u201cOK, can we go wash our hands now?\u201d<\/p>\n

Photo Gallery<\/h2>\n
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Story by Staff Writer Sylvia A. Martinez<\/a>. Photos by University Photographer Mike Peters<\/a><\/p>\n