Summer /Fall 2011
Inside this issue: Board Chairman & Executive Director Message "Research Trends in the Field" Spotlight On Success ■
Buil ding Self Confidence
The Spirit of Giving ■ An ■
Except iona l Equine Friend Ho nori ng a Courageous Soul
Ways to Give ■ A Special Garde n for All ■ Wish List
Here Come the Mummies Horse Show Days From the Horse's Mouth High Hopes Happenings ■
Ice Cream Social
■ Lord Creek Horse Trials ■
Lord Creek Hunter Pace Meeting ■ Hoedown
Research Trends in the Field embers of the High Hopes community have always believed strongly in the need to support and encourage scientif ic research in the field of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT). On a daily basis we witness the benefits of therapeutic riding and other equine assisted activities: we watch a child with Autism sit astride a moving horse and become calm enough to make eye contact for the first time that day or we see an adult with Multiple Sclerosis able to maintain a posting trot down the long side of the arena and leave High Hopes feeling successful and rejuvenated.
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When the staff and volunteers at High Hopes witness these accomp lishments, our belief in the validity of our work is reinforced. However, many looking in from the outside, such as physicians and insurers, require additional evidence that substantiates the benefits we observe each day.
HHRF BoardMembers
■ Annual
In accordancewith the Americans with Disabilities Act, The High Hopes Rider is available in alternative formats upon request. Pleasecontact Wendy Knight at Ext. 19.
HIGH
HOPES
The rapeutic Riding .Inc. Phone : 860 .434 .1974 Fax: 860 .434 .3723
www.highhopestr.org
Active research endeavors are taking place all over the world. For example, the Horses and Humans Research Foundation (HHRF) was founded in 2002 specifically to support scientific research that explores the benefits of EAAT. High Hopes maintains a strong affiliation with HHRFthrough the involvement of both staff and volunteers. Kitty Stalsburg, our Executive Director, sits on the Advisory Council, Judy Lightfoot, a founding volunteer and past Chairman of the Board of High Hopes, is the current President of HHRFand Alison Zack Darrell, former Executive Director of High Hopes, has recently joined the HHRF Board. Additionally, Dr. Donna Latella, High Hopes Instructor and Professor in the Occupational Therapy Department of Quinnipiac University, serves on the HHRFScientific Review
Committee. Following are some key studies funded by HHRF: Changes in Dynamic Trunk/ Head Stability and Functional Reach after Hippotherapy, The Effect of Equine Assisted Activ ities on Social Functioning in Children with Autism, Hippotherapy to Improve Postural Control in Children with Cerebral Palsy and Effects of Hippotherapy on Balance and Gait in Ambulatory Childr en with Spastic Cerebra l Palsy. Over time, High Hopes has taken part in a number of research studies. During the past two years, for example, we participated in a collaborative research project with LEARN which focused on the effects of therapeutic riding on the behaviors of children with Autism. High Hopes Instructor, Professor Donna Latella, works with her students to conduct research on a wide range of topics specific to equine assisted activities. Most recently, Barbara Abrams, High Hopes Instructor, LPCand PhD candidate, is planning to focus her upcoming doctoral study on military veterans. During the development of our new Strategic Plan, we considered our ro le in research and established a dedicated Task Force which is currently working to determine how High Hopes can most effectively continue to support the validation of EAAT. Scient if ic validation will result in increased credibility and wi ll enhance the value of our services to a wider audience. Additionally, the results of research will help to provide clear indicators of best practices within our field. This is an exciting time for our profession and we look forward to a growing body of scientific support for the benefits of all forms of equine assisted activities and therapies.
ess from the
Board Chairman & Executive Director
is past year has been one of
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KittyStalsburg,EJtecutille DlrecttN Barbara Abrams,I.PC,lnstructorl&press/ve Arts Th«aplst LizAdams, ProgramDltector Alida~ ~Assistant LauraBrown,Spec/a/ ProgramsManager SarahCarlson,Sp«M/ Programs
Coonllnamr Renya Craig.flffllptlonl_st~t JonnieEdwards,/nstrucror LaurenFltzgerald.1.essanCoordlnamr
C.rolril Jaglelslcl, PhyskalTheraplsrf /nsttvctor
WendyKnight.Dewlopment.Asshtant DonnaLatella,Occrlpdona/ ~plst/ lnsttu<tor Anna Lenanl,Sam Assistant Dawn Nelligan,, /nstrucfOr
JuanitaParis,Sam As:slsrant JeannaPelllno, llb/u/llNr Manager PattiePeoples.lnstrucror KaranPrell,1/b/untMrCootdinamr Undll Plcazlo. Finance Dlr«tor SaraQua, Dewlopment Director HollyRidgway, lnstrucror 5usan Shulman. OfficeManager HollySundmacker. EquineOperations Director KathrynVine,lnstructorlBamStaff
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Summer/ Fall 2011
Moving from Stability to Sustainability:
tability for High Hopes. -----or the first time in three years, we have been fully staffed in all areas. This June, High Hopes celebrated the one year hiring anniversary of Liz Adams, our terrific Program Director. With Liz on board we have made significant progress on Strategic Planning initiatives . The newly created Program Task Force has been working on initiatives identified at the onset of our planning process. One project that Liz was engaged in this spring was conducting survey meetings with participants, caregivers and educators to get a sense of how they prioritize High Hopes' activities.
As we enter the third year of our strategic plan, we have developed a five year budget and staff project ions in key areas such as Development, Program, Training and Education and Facility Management. These projections provide a discerning and realistic blueprint for the future. This enables us to effectively analyze, pr ioritize and implement strategic goals. The High Hopes Board of Trustees and staff are critically analyzing all of the factors that enable us to fund our programs, compensate ou r professional staff, provide scholarship support to our participants as needed, maintain our facility and provide the best possible care for our equine partners.
As part of our effort to build staff stability High Hopes has supported professional development in many areas this year. Over the last 12 months we received grants to provide training in areas ranging from management supervision to strengthening basic computer skills. High Hopes staff attended and presented at the NARHA National Conference and this April our Special Programs staff attended the first annual National Inclusion Conference in North Carolina . High Hopes has also supported the ongoing professional education of our in structors with two receiving advanced level training and additional staff pursuing specialty credentials in carriage driving. All of this growth in knowledge and skill enhances our daily programming, improves our training and education offerings and strengthens our reputation for
Fiscally, this was a challenging year for many nonprofits and High Hopes was no exception. Through the amazing generosity of our Board of Trustees, our Annual Appeal received an inspirational boost with the Board Matching Gift of $25,000 towards new and upgraded appeal contributions. Overa ll the High Hopes Board increased their giving by an incredible 43%! We are very grateful to all who participated in the Board Match for our Annual Appeal Campaign. Through their generosity the Annual Appeal was able to meet its critical budgetary goal of $255,000. Thank you to all our donors - individual, foundation and corporate - who have given High Hopes the financial capability to underwrite over 70% of the cost of our services which allows us to fulfill our mission, regardless of a participant's financial circumstances. Thank you!
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BuildingSelf Confidence orina is a rare young equestrian who possessesan "insatiable desire to learn" according to instructor Lauren Fitzgerald. She began riding at High Hopes over five years ago when she was referred by her school district. The hope was that riding would help Corina to discover her talents and potential beyond her learning disabilities allowing her to become a socially confident individual. That hope has been exceeded and Corina has found new strengths through her equine accomplishments .
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As is the case for most young people beginning their relationship with High Hopes, Corina's first mount was Petra, the uniquely beautiful and reliable Fjord pony. The High Hopes instructors quickly noticed Corina's natural feel for the horse and her drive to progress to independent riding. Over time Corina had the opportunity to ride many members of the High Hopes herd: Apache, Geri, Gordy, Buddy, Latino, Candy, Rocky, Half Pint .... each teaching her new lessons of horsemanship. In less than two and a half years Corina was successfully cantering on her own!
In recognition of her passion and growing skill, Corina received a birthday present that would further accelerate her skill development, a trail ride at Lord Creek Farm. This gift opened yet another door for Corina. In addition to participating in programs here at High Hopes, she began to ride cross country at Lord Creek Farm with Jonnie Edwards, a High Hopes Instructor. Riding cross country in an open environment provided Corina with a new freedom and a more solid riding position. Most recently, for the Spring 2011 session, Corina reached another milestone. She began riding Hummer who offered new and different challenges for her equestrian skills. After just six weeks on Hummer, Corina participated in a program demonstration, cantering a pattern in front of a crowd. The accomplishments of this event were two fold. Corina showed refined control of a challenging horse and, after the ride, there was Corina in a crowd of unfamiliar adults, socializing and accepting compliments with grace no sign of the shy young girl who rode Petra many years ago!
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ach year High Hopes is th e beneficiary .of hund reds of indiv idual s' gen erosity . Ma ny donate to t he High Hopes Annual Appeal and hundreds attend our special events. We also benefi t from many generous unsolicited gifts that come to us because t he donor f elt a special conne ct ion t o High Hopes. The
following letter illustratesone such donat ion. " I wo ul d lik e to p resent yo ur orga n izat i on with the enclosed check fo r $250 in m emory of my beautif ul, flea-b itte n gray A rabia n geld ing, Tubby. Tubby was one in a million, and I was so very fortu nate to have been his human, his mom. He was proud, humble, sweet, sassy, lo ving, funny and very gentle . His eyes were big, dark and kind and really were the mirror to his soul. Wha tever I'd ask of him, even if he was afraid, he would try to do. Tubby and I went a long way together and we won many, many blue ribbons and troph ies. I will miss how, on most every night, I would go into his stall and he'd rest his head
on my shoul der. I wo uld talk to hi m and let him know how much he bro ug ht into my life. What an amazing connection we had and how lucky I am to have been partnered with such a beauti f ul soul. This do nation is being made on beha l f of my Tubby, but it comes from my wonderful, generous family of coworkers at Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield. They wanted a way to remember Tubby and make the memory special. Tubby was my horse, my partner, my trusted friend, my heart. As connected as we are and as we were, I honestly think he would be very prou.d to be a part of this contribution. · Donna and Tubby
High Hopes would also like to thank the family of NYC f irefighter George C. Cain for their support of High Hopes' programs and participants over the years. George Cain was a beloved son, brother, uncle and friend who tragically lost his life on September 11, 2001. For the past 9 years George's family and friends have honored his memory and paid tribute to his courage by hosting a golf tournament near his mother's home on Long Island. The proceeds from this tournament have been directed to High Hopes and have been used to provide scholarships for young participants, helped to underwrite our Annual Horse Show and supported crit ical capital improvements in our facility. This year marked the final year for the tournament but George 's spirit will continue to touch the lives of many at High Hopes for years to come. We thank you Rosemary, Dan, Nancy and Erin for making High Hopes a part of your fam ily and bringing George into our community.
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Thank You, Donna Wasserman"
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1ve We welcome donations of items or gift cards. Your generosity enables us to alloca t e financial resources to other areas of need.
Books: Our library offers books, videos and CDs for reference use or for loan. Renya Craig at the reception desk maintains a list of titles that have been recommended in addit ion to the collection. Consider as well a g ift card to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders or a local book store . Consultingexpertise: Have experience and
Am, Koiz
expertise in market ing? Web site design? Social media? Video product ion? Consider donating your t ime to consult in these areas.
The Gift of a Garden
Classaccessories:Orange plastic traffic cones for use in the arena; balls, bean bags, toys for use in classes. (See Liz Adams) Gardenand outdoor tools: This summer we have a vegetable garden and there is always maintenance to do on our borders, the Memorial Garden and the paddocks. Rakes, garden clippers, tomato stakes,shovels,
pailsand other outdoor tools are always appreciated. Or considera gift cardto Home Depot, Lowe'sor a localhardware store. (See Holly Sundmacker)
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his spring High Hopes has been the beneficiary of the talent and labors of an extraordinary horticulturist, Anu Koiv. Through her business, Peletiah Foster Homestead, Anu specializes in organic gardening and creating natural landscapes with plants indigenous to our locale. For High Hopes Anu has created a vegetable garden with raised beds and wide spacing between planting areas. The raised beds help prevent soil compaction and make it easier for our smaller summer campers and participants to explore the garden and help with weeding and harvesting. Anu has given special consideration to plants that will engage the sight, smell and taste senses of our young gardeners and would love any help the High Hopes community can provide. If you have extra plants that are seeking a home or have some spare time to help with weeding and watering over the summer then please contact Sara Qua in the Development Office at 860-434-1974 x 22. High Hopes w ould also like to thank Will Garnicas for his hel p in prepar ing the site and Susie Childs for the don ati o n of 1O(!) tomato plant s. High Hopes looks for w ard to our summer bounty! Summer I Fall 2011
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On Saturday, June 11th High Hopes was invaded by one of the most amazing groups of musicians to ever hit the shoreline . From the moment Here Come the Mummies marched int o our transformed arena to the sound of their pulsating drum beat the crowd was up and dancing - and neither the crow d nor the Mummies ever sat down! Once again High Hopes would like to thank Event Sponsors Essex Savings Bank and Essex Financial Services along with other area businesses for their generous corporate sponsorships, auction and hors d' ouevres donations in support of this wonderful event. The hard work of over 100 volunteers, led by Event Chairs Patty Ganey and John Evans, ensured that our 500+ guests had an evening to remember. Please visit the High Hopes web site to view a slide show of the event and to see a complete list of business supporters.
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The High Hopes Horse Show Days are an exciting event for fill of our riders. Our participants work incredibly hard during the year and look forward to demonstrating their skills for friends and family. This year, as always, an entire week in May was dedicated to celebrating each of our riders' achievements. At the conclusion of every classspecial High Hopes guests awarded ribbons to the participants. Then everyone was invited to the Giddy Up Cafe for snacks, beverages and a chance to participate in the tea cup raffle. With over 250 riders, 50 presenters, and friends and family too numerous to count, Horse Show Days 2011 was considered a huge successby all.
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Fron1 the,
orses BreedAll About It!
The American Quarter Horse at High Hopes
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he High Hopes herd is made up of horses of all shapes, sizes, colors and breeds. For this edition of "From the Horse's Mouth" we highlight the breed that has the largest representation at High Hopes: the American Quarter Horse. Seven of our 26 horses are registered with the American Quarter Horse Association. It just so happens that six of those seven are chestnut colored geldings! The Quarter Horse is recognizable as a compact, muscular horse that earned its name for the ability to run the quarter mile at blazing fast speeds. The original Quarter Horses were called Celebrated American Quarter Running Horses by English colonists in the 17th century. A blend of English breeds (including Thoroughbred) and Spanish Barb horses, the fastest Quarter Horses are able run the quarter mile (440 yards!) in 21 seconds or better! The trait of the Quarter Horse most desirable to our programs is their unflappable, personable demeanor. Many Quarter Horses (including all of ours) were foaled in the south and mid -west
(Nebraska, M ississippi, Florida and Georgia .. .to name a few of ours) and have had exposure to many places and jobs in the ir lives. This lends a wisdom that can only come from having "been there and done that". If horses can have a sense of humor, it is the Quarter Horses who are the funniest. But when it comes time to work, they are all business. Cody's Mean Machine (aka Cody), a lovely grey Quarter Horse gelding who served High Hopes faithfully for 17 years and retired in 2008, was the NARHA Region One Horse of the Year in 2000 and was the First Runner Up in the AQHA's Silver Spur award in 2002. The national Silver Spur award is given to a registered Quarter Horse who has made significant contributions to the horse industry. Sangree Marshal (aka Poncho) was a High Hopes herd member for 14 years. He retired in 2009 and was the NARHA Horse of the Year in 2006.
Poncho and Cody are just a fe w examples of the many Quarter Horses who have served High Hopes since the program began over 35 years ago.
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High Hopes
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2nd Annual Ice Cream Social Thanking Our Volunteers provided by High Hopes and staff members were the scoopers (and taste testers, of course!). The evening included a testimony by longtime High Hopes rider Alexa Agostine and her father, Vince, about how much riding at High Hopes and the support of her volunteers have meant in her life. We also honored Barbara Longo, who was named the Nancy Cash Program Volunteer of the Year; Any Bodelin as Barn Volunteer of the Year; Jackie Mildrum, Office Volunteer of the Year; and Julia Kenny as the Youth Volunteer of the Year. We also expressed special appreciation to our Team Captains and volunteers Linda Rogers , Jea1111a Pelli110, Patti Peoplesand SharonTormti at last August'sevmt.
who had reached 1000 hours of donated time received a pin honoring this milestone.
When it's time to thank volunteers, it's always a challenge to identify the best way. Volunteer
This year's Ice Cream Social and Awards Night is scheduled
support at High Hopes is tremendous, consistent
for Thursday, August 13th , and will be similar to last
and inspiring, and it's simply hard to find words,
year's event with speakers, awards recognition and,
trinkets or tangible gestures that seem adequate
of course, ice cream! It will be one of many volunteer
to truly express what volunteer support means to this organization.
While it's true that for many
the year which include
volunteer t-shirts or periodic small gifts, a celebration
volunteers, the best thank you comes from getting to witness or participate in a rider's success,the
during Volunteer Appreciation Week each April, a Youth Pizza Party, and seasonal treats provided by the Volunteer
staff at High Hopes does want to honor our volunteers regularly throughout
appreciation efforts throughout
Auxiliary.
the year. Simply
put- these volunteers deserve the recognition!
This
We live in a time when people have busy lives and
organization, and the many life-changing success
many find it challenging to take the time to help
stories, simply could not happen without volunteer
others. High Hopes Therapeutic Riding is the recipient
magic.
of the invaluable gift of volunteer time and energy, which in turn facilitates oppo rtunities for our riders
Last August, High Hopes hosted the First Annual Volunteer Appreciation Ice Cream Social and Awards Night. The sun hung low but warm in the still evening sky while approximately 75 volunteers gathered on the lawn for ice cream sundaes and celebration.
Ice cream with all the fixings was
and connection to the broader community. The perfect gesture to express gratitude for this gift may never exist, but we can certainly enjoy a fun and delicious evening trying to find the way!
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August 18th - Save the Date for the 2nd Annual Ice Cream Social
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a ~ ~ en1n ~ HorseTrialsSunday , August21,2011 HunterPaceSunday,September 25,2011
. LORDCREEK t4Rl'r!
Mark your calendars for November 20, 2011 and the High Hopes Hoedown. This year's Hoedown promises to be exciting and filled with lots of fun for the entire family. On hand will be more food , more children's activities, more music and, new this year, an eclectic assortment O O of some of Connecticut's L L v ., E • c T best "farmers market" vendors . Check the High Hopes web site www.hi hho estr.or for updates and more information as the event gets closer.
Please join the High Hopes Family Board, Staff, Volunteers, Participants, Friends and Supporters on
Sunday, October 16, 2011 for two great free events
37 th Annual Meeting of High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. I to 3pm Demonstration & Awards Ceremony Reception immediately after the awards ceremony
High Hopes 3rd Annual Open Barn Day from 3to4pm Activities include barn tours, carriage rides and the chance to meet members of our fantastic herd The Sis Gould Center for Therapeutic Riding at High Hopes 36 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme Please· reply by Monday, October 10th at 860-434-1974
Summer / Fal l 2011
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Post age
PAID High opes Therapeutic Riding, Inc.
Old Lyme , CT Permit # 1
Sis Gou/,d Center for Therapeutic Riding 36 Town Woods Road Old Lyme, CT 06371
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July 5-7
Specialty Week
July 11-14
Summer Camp Week 2
July 16
AHA SLPWorkshop
July 18-21
Summer Camp Week 3
July 25-28
Summer Camp Week 4
July 29-30
High Hopes at Midsummer Festival
August 1-31
Community Riding and Driving Lessons
August 1-4
Horse Sense Week 1
August 8-11
Horse Sense Week 2
August 10
High Hopes Schooling Show
August 11-14
Registered On-site Workshop and Certification
August 15-18
Horse Sense Week 3
August 18
Volunteer Appreciation and Awards Ceremony
August 21
Lord Creek Farm Horse Trials
August 24
Instructor Training Course Begins
August 26-28
Connecticut Horse Shows Association (CHSA) 2011 Finals
September 12
12-week fall program begins
September 25
Lord Creek Farm Hunter Pace
October 16
High Hopes Annual Meeting
November 9-12
P.ATHlnt'I Annual Meeting, Lexington , KY
November 20
High Hopes Hoedown
December 3-6
Registered On-site Workshop and Certification
Co ntr ibut ors to th e
High Hopes Rider Sum mer / Fall 2011