The High Hopes
•
Inside this issue:
Spring 2006
Partners Forever
Board Chairman & Executive Director Message
Anya's partner in Pony Club has been Cinderella, a Welsh Cob. Together Cinderella and Anya are working their way thro ugh the nine stages of Pony Club, designed to test knowledge and riding abil it y. Having earned her D1 cert ification at a Pony Club Rally last fall, Anya is on her way to proving herself as a skilled horsewoman.
Spotlight On Success A Successful Partnership : High Hopes and Mitchell Farm
The Spirit of Giving Honoring a Loved One
Ways to Give
Par111er1 Anya and Cinderellapracticingtheirj11111p1.
From the Horse's Mouth
she can remember, Anya Mummert has liked horses. It was this attraction that first brought her to High Hopes at the age of 5. Now 13, and her school books covered with pictures of horses, she expresses this love through a variety of activities. High Hopes continues to be one of her favorite venues - particularly if it involves cantering or jumping on her pal Knight! She also can't wait until she's old enough to be a High Hopes volunteer.
For as long as
Grow ing Up with Jasmine
High Hopes Happenings High Hopes Horse Show Symphony is on its way !
In accordance with the Amer icans with Disabilities Act , The High Hopes Rider is avail able in alt ernative formats upon request . Please contact Judie Driscoll at Ext . 19.
Therapeutic Rid ing, Inc . .
1
.. ..·Phone: 860.434.197,4 ...,:.·, Fi x: ~6~~-~1·~123·:;.;·
~t' \~---.wr•-; i~:~I
:;
_,;t~.~'.t.:"w.
'►0:
~ www.highho~estr .org .-,c.;7--. _ ·.·r~··.;·-·---~r=-•.1~• k-'::i'~,.,.·!,,,-::....._
Anya's other horse-related passion these days is her involvement in the Connecticut Valley Pony Club, of which she has been a member for 2½ years. Pony Clubs are one of the leading junior equestrian organizations in the world, being represented in 30 countries and with more than 600 clubs in the United States alone. Pony Club provides opportunities for instruction and competition in English riding, horse sports and horse management for children and young adults up to 21 years of age. The term "pony" reflects the age of the members, rather than the size of the n:iount so horses and ponies of many different breeds, shapes, and sizes are seen in Pony Club activities. Over the past year,
In addition to her lessons at High Hopes, Anya takes riding lessons at Marvel Farms with instructor Terri Schenk. Anya was recentl y named Grand Champion at the Marvel Farms Horse Show and subsequently honored at her school by having the Honor Flag raised on her behalf. She has also participated in the Lord Creek Farm Hunte r Pace for the last 2 years and received a ribbon in honor of her accomplishments. Despite other horse-related activities, High Hopes continues to be an important part of Anya's life . She is good friends with her fellow riders during their Friday evening lesson. Riding with the same group of ·people for so many years has brought a sense of security and safety to these lessons, as well as given Anya a rewarding social venue. She also enjoys riding with High Hopes Instructor Jonnie Edwards at Lord Creek Farm, where she is work ing on her jumping skills. The next few years may find Anya succeeding her way beyond High Hopes' riding program but you can be assured that her partnership with horses will continue forever.
" ... always treating my horse with consideration due a partner." From the Pony Club pledge
essa Spring
is an especially exciting and inspiring time for us at High Hopes. We have more than 220 riders starting their 12-week therapeutic riding lesson program, wit h a "grand finale" in the final week, of Rider Demonstration Days and the Annual High Hopes Horse Show. It is a time when our riders are work ing extra hard to achieve their goals, and our Staff and Volunteers are highly energized in supporting their riders and offering them new challenges. Seeing our participants presented with new challenges and watching their extraordinary determination to take charge of their lives and overcome adversity motivates everyone active in the High Hopes mission. Those of us who contribute to this work are constantly saying, "We get back so much more than we give". A moment last week highlighted this in a special way, when one of the afternoon classeswas given a chance to drive Big Al, the miniature horse. Carriage Driving Instructor Mary Washburn and Instructo r Jonnie Edwards incorporated a carriage driving session into the lesson. A number of us were lucky enough to be there wh ile a mother watched her six-year-old daughter leave her crutches behind and "take the reins" of Big Al from the driver's seat of his little cart. Mom was proud, and daughter was glowing with such confidence and strength in herself that everyone there experienced, yet again, the beauty of the High Hopes mission in action. Seeing a rider accept new challenges w ith open arms does as much for all of us as it does for our riders and their families. Here's to the rejuvenation that Springtime brings, and the rewards that come to us all from being part of High Hopes. P.S. Taking the reins with Big Al is our story illustration on the back cover of this Newsletter.
•
ot on1 A Successful Partnership: High Hopes and Mitchell Farm. This is the story of two nonprofit organizations working together on behalf of a very special horse. High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. and Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement, Inc., have different but complimentary missions, and they have joined together to bring a happy retirement life to a well deserving therapy horse named Dandy. It begins with Dee Doolittle, who is a former Barn Manager of High Hopes, and currently the founder and Executive Director of Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement, Inc. in Salem, CT.Throughout her life, Dee has been fundamentally involved with horses. Through her work with another nonprofit dedicated to equine rescue, Dee was acutely aware of the need for options for horses in later life. All too often, horses tend to be a "disposable commodity". After their serviceability decreases, they are often passed from owner to owner which causes them harm in their later years.
t uccess
Dee dreamt of developing an equine retirement facility that could provide an option for these horses. A determined force, Dee gathered her resources and founded Mitchell Farm in August, 2004. Mitchell Farm currently has 16 horse retirees with a wait list of 27. High Hopes has been the home of Dandy Bar King for 13 years. Dandy worked as one of our primary therapy horses until 1997. At that time he was placed in a home that we thought wou ld be a wonderful ret irement option for him. Unfortunately, the situation changed and within 2 years, he returned to High Hopes in poor health. Upon Dandy's return, the staff made a vow that his remaining years would be filled with caring support and lo ving attention. After a long and careful discussion, it was decided that Dandy's last years would be best spent under the watchful care provided by Mitchell Farm. Previously Mitchell Farm had taken on care of Julianna who was
High Hopes Founder Sis Gould's faithful pony. From this we knew that Dand y would be among friends. An equine "retirement village", such as Mitchell Farm, provides the perfect solution in cases such as Dandy's and will continue to provide a necessary venue as High Hopes considers the retirement of some of our olde r horses w ho have been serving our riders for many years. We are thr illed to have the perfect partner in Dee and Mitchell Farm to provide for some of our well deserving equine retirees. We wi ll be seeking funding, both from individuals and foundations, to build a future fund for this purpose. If you would like more information about equine retirement, Mitchell Farm or contributing to Dandy's reti rement, please contact Sara Qua at 860-434-1974 Ext. 22 or squa@highhopestr.org .
Dandy is mjoyi11ghis retirement with Dee. I,, fact, he is c11rre111ly sharing a field with J11lia1111a .
•
•
•
•
1r1TIJ 1v1n Honoring a Loved One Each year
when High Hopes produces it's Annual Report you see lists of names of people who are being honored or remembered at High Hopes with a donation in their name. Some of these honorees are current participants who have been working hard at High Hopes to overcome the effects of a physical or emotional disability. Perhaps this was the year they made a significant gain in their riding skills or successfully took on new tasks ih horse care and maintenance. Other honorees are
volunteers and staff members who have given much of their time and energy to make our programs successful and the donor wants to say "thank you" in a meaningful way. On occasion, one of our very special horse,s is honored in recognition of the bond that has developed with the donor or their family. The Cain family honored the spirit of George Cain, a NYC firefighter who died in the World Trade Center Towers on September 11, by creating a memorial fund that has supported
many aspects of our daily operations. Over the past five years the Cain Fund bas provided High Hopes with a state of the art audio/visual system for use in our classroom, scholarship money to enable a young boy with Cerebral Palsy to attend our summer camp, and funding for a research project High Hopes conducted demonstrating the beneficial effects of equine therapy on children with autism. Because of the nature of some of these gifts, their impact has meaning well beyond the walls of our center in Old Lyme. Similarly, Robert and Pauline Knoll established a scholarship fund in memory of their son, Peter, and that gift provides tuition support for new therapeutic riding instructors to take part in the Instructor Training courses at High Hopes. Instructors who have benefited from this scholarship are now making vital contributions to the successof many other programs throughout the United States and the world. Hopes Hopes is grateful and honored to have our program s reflect the symbols of love and remembra nce that these gifts represent. They have special meaning to us. They are personal, tell a story and make the work of High Hopes more real to us all. Making a donation to High Hopes in honor or memory of someone is a wonderful way to acknowledge the importance of our mission and its significance in that person's life. If you would li ke more information on making a gift in honor or memory of someone, please contact Sara Qua at 860-434-1974 Ext. 22 or squa @highhopestr .org .
s• Special Skill Volunteering While High Hopes appreciates all its vo luntee rs, there are times when we need people with specific skills. Currently we need people with experience in data entry, photography and v ideograph y. If you have any of these skills and are willing to share them with High Hopes, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Jeanna Pellino at Ext. 16 or jpellino@highhopestr.org
Donate or Buy a Book High Hopes has an amazing resource to offer participants and their families in its library. We have compiled a wish list of books that wou ld greatly enhance the usefulness of the librar y. These books cover topics such as horse care and training, horsemanship, rider fitness and disabilities. Training Videos and DVD's are also on the list wh ich is available by contacting Judie Driscoll at Ext . 19 or judriscoll@highhopestr.org . This is a great opportunity for you to clean out your own collection or purchase a special gift for High Hopes. In order to avoid duplication, please call ahead before you purchase.
Adopt-A-Horse Many individuals and organizations have experienced great joy and satisfaction in participating in High Hopes' Adopt-a-Horse program w hich supports the care and maintenance needs of the herd. If you are interested in information on how to adopt a hor se from the herd, contact Sara Qua at Ext . 22 or squa@highhopestr.org .
The Votes are in! Thank You to everyone who cast their
vote in EssexSavings Bank's Community Investment Program. We are pleased to announce that High Hopes came in third place (an all time high!!) with 351 votes out of 9,193 votes cast. On April 11th at a beautiful reception, we received a check for $2,860. We are honored by the support of the community and look forward to putting these funds to good use in scholarships for participants who need financial assistance.
Growing ¡up with Jasmine Our beloved equine partner Jasmine passed away in March 2006. She will be sorely missed by our volunteers, staff and the riders who she so proudly & gently carried. The following is an excerpt of an essay contributed by Jasmine's owner, Amanda Thomson
JaSffl ine
be~e part of our family in 1989 when she was seven years old, and was purchased from Flavius Brinsfeld of Timberneck Farm in Faulkner, Maryland . Details of her first seven years are uncertain , but Flavius told us that before she came t o him, Jasmine and her sister Magnolia had been a combined driving team owned by none other than FDR,Jr. While we can't document the story, news articles at the time seem to corroborate some of those facts and Jasmine and her sister could well have been the horses involved. We brought her home to Long Island as a hunt horse and pleasure mount for my mother. When my dad's older mare was retired, Jasmine became his mount. Theirs was a true partnership. Jasmine took amazingly good care of my dad, and carried him safely over challenging country for the next five years. As Fieldmaster, Jasmine and my dad led countless horses and riders in the hunt field, and despite her size, it was a challenge to keep up with them when we were on a run! She even had her "fifteen minutes of fame" when she starred in a Japanese sportswear commercial featuring the hunt! As my Pony Club horse, Jasmine w as the perfect demonstration horse. She would circle endlessly around as
I982-2006 child after child learned how to hold the lunge line . She'd also stand patiently for hours as a team of youngsters groomed her, sometimes using stepladders to reach her back. She gave many people their first riding lessons, and was always quiet and steadfast to give the beginners confidence. At the same time, she always gave me a fun and exciting ride as we competed successfully in a number of local horse trials and hunter paces. In spring of 1998, I brought her to my home in Connecticut, and out of semiretirement , w orking slow ly over the next year to get her back in shape. At the age of 16, she returned to competing in some local events and hunter paces, but more importantly, she and I were once again having a blast! During the winter of 2002, a skiing accident prevented me from riding, and Jasmine quickly lost her conditioning . Thinking of how far we had come, and how much she loved to work , I knew she needed a new job.
I absolutely believed that she wou ld be a great fit for the therapeutic riding program when she came to High Hopes in the spring of 2002. While it was a little tough to give her up, I was also excited about being able to share her with so many wonderful and deserving people , who ultimately got to know her as well as I did . I was so proud to watch her carry her riders in lessons. I was moved to tears when in one lesson, her rider had a seizure, and Jasmine stood completely still as the episode carried out. It made me realize just how important her role at High Hopes w as. I have no doubt that Jasmine loved her job at High Hopes, and am so grateful that so many people took such great care of her. I'm blessed that she was able to spend the twilight years of her life at a place that is as special as she was. It also occurred to me that while I often say I "grew up" with Jasmine, she also w atched me grow from an awk ward, bratty teenager into the adult I am now. I find it poignant that her time of passing coincided closely with the birth of my daughter . Part of me thinks maybe she figured that she didn't need to keep an eye on me anymore. I'll never forget how warmly and gently Jasmine nic~ered over Joselyn when I brought her into the field to meet her. I will miss my good friend Jasmine very much, and that perhaps is the hardest part . She has been a constant for mo re than half my life. Thank you to everyone, who did so much for her, and fo r me, too.
{ High Hopes Horse Show Please join us for the 21st annual
.
---..~ ... ,. -
.. ·•:=-·
High Hopes Horse Show & Family Day on Saturday, June 3, 2006 from 9am-1pm. This year's theme is "Community of Hope" . There will be activities for all to enjoy!
Symphony is on its way! inal preparations are underway for the 2006 Symphony in the Meadow s, to be held on the evening of Saturday, June 10. Mar k and Dorinda Winkelman have once again graciously agreed to host the event on the grounds of their lovely home on the Connecticut River in Essex. (In case of rain, the venue w ill be switched to the indoor ring at High Hopes). High Hopes is proud to have EssexSavings Bank and EssexFinancial Services as the lead Event Sponsors for this year's gala concert.
F
The New Haven Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jung-Ho Pak, will presenta program with the theme Around the World in 80 Minutes. Guestswill enjoy horsd'oeuvresfrom fine area eateries,a box supper catered by PastaVita of Old Saybrook, Columbia Crestwines donated by UST
and liquor provided by Centerbrook Package Store. A perennially popular feature of Symphony is the auction. Over 40 items, destinations and services will be offered, including a Ralph Fey! painting, houses in St. Croix, the Bahamas and Santa Fe, and a private cooking demonstration w ith famed chef Jacques Pepin.
Symphony in the Meadows is High Hopes' most important annual fund raising event, and it aga in promises to be a memorable evening under the stars. If you're interested in attending, please call Judie Driscoll 860-434-1974 x19. The deadline for buying tickets is Monday, June 5th. Tickets for Symphony start at $125 per person.
Taking
rhe
reins of hope. ' 1 /; { ••:
-~~.:-:-c
·-•·.~
Contributors to the High HopesRider Spring 2006
This newsletter
is underwritten
by
Photos & Articles: Alison Zack Darrell, Dee Doolittle , Judie Driscoll, Jack Evans, Anya Mummert, Eric Northrop, Heather Leigh Northrop, Anne Peterson, Landon Potts, Sara Qua, Kitty Stalsburg, Amanda Thomson, Tony Thurston, Jeanna Pellino, Mark Winkelman Editor: Heather Leigh Northrop
Designer: Kelley Cahill
Non·Prof it Org . U.S. Postage
PAID High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc.
Old Lyme, CT Permit#1
Sis Gould Centerfor TherapeuticRiding 36 Town Woods Road P.O. Box 254 Old Lyme, CT 06371·0254
A Traditipnof Excellence in Therapeutic Riding