Douglas R., a marriage and family therapist, was on a mission to find the right horse — one calm and intuitive enough to become a trusted partner in his animal‑assisted therapy practice. He had been leasing a retired, 20‑year‑old Dutch Warmblood from a stable near his home and had even purchased a saddle for the future horse he had in mind when his wife, Sheryll, suggested they visit Equine Affaire , a four-day equine adoption event held each spring in Ohio and each fall in Massachusetts. The couple, who live on Cape Cod, attended the Massachusetts event last November. Walking down the rows of stables, they stopped when they saw Bless Me, also called Pepper, a 5-year-old registered Thoroughbred available for adoption from the Susquehanna SPCA, an ASPCA Right Horse Partner . “When we left the building, I said to my wife, ‘Do you mind if we go back and look at that horse?’ Douglas recalls. “So, we looked at her again.” Sheryll and Douglas valued Bless Me’s temperament and potential.…