My daughter started riding at 8; horse was the third word in her vocabulary, after Mama and Daddy. She's 11 now, an equine athelete. Last November we bought her a horse, an 18-year-old Russian Arabian mare.
Our lives for the past 2+ years have been virtually impossible: my last 2 grandmothers, my husband's mother and father, and my father all died within 14 months. There were other issues occurring as well. My daughter has had Natasha there for her through all of the first year of recovery from grief times 5. I started riding Natasha this spring, but she was way to spirited for me.
Last month I purchased my own horse, a 5-year-old Quarter Horse gelding named King (but I call him Boris.) He's basically a riding couch, large and comfy. I LOVE horses for my own therapy and grief recovery. There's nothing quite like a horse hug or a horse kiss to lift your spirits.
Very cool. (Sorry about your losses)
But horses are THE BEST therapy.