Croatian NGO for equine-assisted therapy based in Zagreb, Croatia. We’re open for everyday visitors, tourists, horseback riding and volunteering as well as cooperation in international projects.
e-mail: donkihot@donkihot.hr | our farm location: Šimunčevečka cesta bb, Sesvete, Zagreb
About “Don Kihot”
Don Kihot, our association for equine-assisted therapy, was formed in 2009, and with its new president Marita Mučić and members today it takes care for six therapeutic horses in Šimunčevac. Our major goal is to offer free therapy to children and adults with disabilities. At the moment there are 30 riders in our therapy program, who see us several times a week. Don Kihot is a nongovernmental organization which provides the sort of complementary therapy that the health-care system can not yet provide to children and adults with disabilities. Unfortunately, for now we are unable to offer equine-assisted therapy for free because of our regular expenses. And that is what we want to change.
We have prepared the plan for managing our own expanses in 2016 and we will find a way for securing the financial means which are necessary to maintain our goals. We will organize various events, including rides for those who are interested, open days, and team efforts for decorating our farm. We have employees funded by the Employment Bureau. We are cooperating with the Ministry of Justice Probation office by providing community work for several people who are sentenced to it. Also, we cooperate with the Faculty for Education and Rehabilitation Sciences via the Rehabilitation Through Movement course. Every semester, we have students from the faculty coming to do their course-required volunteer work.
Visit us for:
In addition to the goal outlined above – to enable free equine assisted therapy for our riders with disabilities – investing in Don Kihot is investing in young people´s knowledge, too. All our members are highly educated. Our president is a biologists, Marita Mučić, we have three educated hippotherapists: Matea Drempetić and Maja Vuga, who graduated from the Faculty for Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, and Branka Pokrajčić, a physiotherapist, working in the neurology department of a hospital. Our everyday work, our principles and attitudes speaks for themselves, and they clearly show why you should invest in our association.
How to donate or become a sponsor?
According to the law, corporations or persons who donate cannot be advertised, but we would present them as the friends of our association because they really are Don Kihot friends! Corporations that are going to became sponsors can generally opt for some project or animal. We are open for all options. You can write to Bojan Gazibara about all the details bojan.gazibara@donkihot.hr!
Short-term goals in 2018:
– building bigger toilets for children and adults with disabilities, and building shower place for volunteers
– building a playground with sensory equipment
– making a garden and compost heaps to exemplify sustainable living; building an educational trail
– fencing in the whole estate and cleaning the creek (because of flood prevention)
– building a hay barn (our current barn in which we store hay does not have enough storage space for the whole year, so we have to buy hay in the most expensive time of the year; the same goes with storing sawdust which we use as bedding for our horses)
– utilizing three more meadows
– attracting more volunteers and educating them to became a horse guide during therapies
Our animals
Feniks
Our little one, now six years old, “Don Kihot’s baby”. He came from the NGO Pegasus from Šibenik together with his grandpa Sokol when he was just one year old. Feniks was very insecure, curious and playful. He grew up in Don Kihot with members who gave him plenty of love, care and attention through the ground work, walks through woods etc. A great deal of his training was done by Ivana Manenica and Marita Mučić. He became a real therapeutic horse for challenged children. Parents, be careful because Feniks will search your pockets to see is there are any apples or carrots!
Maro
A long, elegant neck, harmonious body and beautiful noble head show us that Maro is a Lipizzaner. In his home town the young Dalmatian completed his high school for young horses, and today he is a therapeutic horse who makes everyone proud. It may seem that Maro is a little arrogant, but it is not true. He is a real darling and maintains peace in his herd. If he sees that you have a morsel in your hands, he will immediately gallop over and start cuddling with you. Maro is the tallest horse in the herd so adults with disabilities can ride him. Cooperating with Maro is a real pleasure because his calm gait is a reflection of his big experience and patience. His nickname is Spotty, and it was given to him by one of the members of Don Kihot and a a great admirer. You will recognize her because their relationship is too hard not to notice.
Shani
Shani is the only mare in the stable. She is also the leader of the herd. She is tiny but explosive, but first of all one playful soul. Shani curiously investigates every new object in her environment. She looks for attention and follows you around like a puppy. Shani is not very big, she has a short and fast gait so she is perfect for the little ones. She is very active, obedient and calm during therapy. You just have to adore her!
Sokol
With his ideal behavior, Sokol set the example for Feniks on how to be a great therapeutic horse and how to behave to children. He is our first therapeutic horse, and had shown his potential working in Šibenik. You cannot miss him: he is the pinto with the thick mane and tail. A life without stress makes him reliable in any circumstances: on the road, in the woods or in the riding arena. Sokol is a good horse for beginners, this kind-hearted giant with his calm gait gives us a feeling of safety.
Sugar (LK Sugar Man Glo Bar)
Sugar is a new member of the herd who came in December 2015. This beauty is an American Quarter horse who attracts interest with his color and big muscles. He came from a Western ranch where people called him Spirit because of his temperament. Besides his curiosity and kindness, he is very intelligent so you should not be surprised when he starts to open your pockets in the search for carrots! It didn’t take long for him to became a part of a herd in which he found his best friend, Maro. Sugar has great experience in riding schools so he will soon become a real therapeutic horse.
Nacika
The good grandpa is enjoying his retirement in Don Kihot after 24 years of life and over 20 years of service. We are not using Nacika for riding anymore, but it doesn’t matter because the youngest call him their favorite horse! He is ideal for grooming, cuddling and feeding with carrots and apples. Nacika has the status of the horse used for demonstrating grooming and saddling to our new volunteers. He adores rolling in the mud and that’s why our volunteers have their hands full trying to make him look nice. Everyday walks make him zestful, and when he is with the other hoses, he doesn’t miss a chance to make them run. We are very happy that years didn’t take away his great spirit. Before you go home, Nacika will always say goodbye putting his head on your shoulder.