St. Clair along Route 19 (Washington Road). The move will provide great facilities and increased visibility for Horses with Hope. The group also plans to add new programming that will include gardening, animal care education, and more. Horses with Hope will house its horses in Gilfillan’s big red barn, using free-standing stalls that both work for the horses and preserve the integrity of the historic structure. Now, as residents enjoy a walk on the wood-chipped surface of the 1.25 mile perimeter trail at Gilfillan, they’ll also be greeted by Rex, Rein, and the other Horses with Hope “therapists,” grazing in the same fields where the Gilfillan family’s animals grazed for generations. Gilfillan Farm will also become home to Horses with Hope’s donkeys and goats, and the group also plans to add more goats (likely “fainting” goats), as well as sheep, once they’ve settled into their new home in Upper St. Clair. Rachel Carlson, HSUSC president, is excited about animals returning to Gilfillan Farm. “The partnership with Horses with Hope helps us to fulfill Margaret Gilfillan’s wishes for the property... that it continue as an operational farm, as well as a historical, cultural, and educational resource for the community,” she said. “Plus,” she added, “we’re thrilled for what Horses with Hope will bring to the community.” Horses with Hope volunteers have already held several working days at Gilfillan Farm, preparing the buildings it will use, as well as clearing fence lines of decades of overgrowth so that the fields will be safer and better for the animals. The group also built a new “sensory trail,” an outdoor, circuitous path filled with objects and activities where the therapeutic riding lessons take place. The trail was completed as an Eagle Scout project of Michael Walsh of Bethel Park. But, additional grounds work needs to be completed in time for when the lessons resume this April, and additional money is needed to complete the work. If you would like to donate in any capacity, visit the Horses with Hope website for further information. So, when residents of and visitors to Upper St. Clair walk the Gilfillan Trail this coming spring, they’ll have some new sights to see... goats, sheep, donkeys and, of course, horses... horses with hope. n
A view of the barn where the horses will be housed; photo by Alison Payne
You can learn more about Gilfillan Farm by visiting http://gilfillanfarm.org/ or phoning 412-835-2050 and Horses with Hope by visiting www.horseswithhope.org/.
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Meet Sven at Gilfillan Farm In the coming months, equine therapy horses will graze the fields of Gilfillan Farm, along with other farm animals. One beautiful horse you might see as you walk or drive by is Sven. Gentle, kind, and hardworking, Sven is a favorite with both the kids and the volunteers. His dual-colored mane, a characteristic of the Norwegian Fjord breed, makes him easy to recognize. While Sven has since been retired from the riding program, he is flourishing in the unmounted programs. A recurring feature new to the magazine, Horses with Hope will Sven, one of the horses making its profile another wonderful home at Gilfillan Farm animal making its home at Gilfillan Farm in TODAY’s upcoming summer edition. n Visit Facebook @HWHTherapeuticRiding to see more animals that will be coming soon to Gilfillan Farm! Spring 2021
UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY
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