Horses with Hope Animals Return in May Kristin Culp, Horses with Hope In just a couple of months, the Horses with Hope animals will return to the historic barns and fields of Gilfillan Farm. In addition to the herd grazing the fields last year, this year will include a few new arrivals of the Halflinger breed. When driving or walking around Gilfillan Farm, look for their striking chestnut coat color and light mane. The Haflinger is a small horse, standing just under 15 hands, with ancestors dating back to the Middle Ages in Austria and northern Italy, where farmers and villagers relied on them to access narrow mountain paths. Today’s Haflingers trace back to a stallion named Folie in 1874. From the late 1800s throughout the World Wars, Haflingers were bred and crossbred for variations in height and frame. Today’s Halflingers are primarily bred for leisure and recreation. Their calm nature and size make them a perfect fit for therapeutic riding. One of the horses returning to Gilfillan Farm this year is Miracles, a six-yearold Haflinger gelding. Miracles 360 Foundation, a nonprofit providing support for therapeutic programs and families, provided funding to Horses with Hope for his purchase and gifted him the name Miracles. Horses with Hope is excited to bring Miracles into the program this year and knows he will be a favorite among participants. In preparation for the start of therapeutic riding at the end of May, work is in progress to construct a covered round pen to provide protection from the elements and reduce the number of program cancellations due to weather. In addition to therapeutic riding, Horses with Hope
Miracles
Rendering of a covered round pen
will offer three weeks of summer camp this year. Visit https://www.horseswithhope. org/summercamp for more information. Fundraising Opportunities Save the dates and stay tuned for more information on upcoming Horses with Hope fundraising events. Attend the walk with Horses with Hope at The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community 2022 on Saturday, May 7 at Heinz Field. Ladies, get your hats, and gents, get your ties ready for the Belmont Jewel on Saturday, June 11 at St. Clair Country Club, while you watch the Belmont Run for the Carnations, and enjoy a wonderful evening of cocktails, appetizers, dinner, games, and raffles. Then, on Sunday, November 13, get ready for raffles, bowling, and pizza at the annual Horses with Hope bowling fundraiser at the Meadows Lanes. Volunteer Opportunities Be a part of the Horses with Hope team this year as a volunteer. “I have been volunteering at Horses with Hope for more than ten years,” said Jackie Rutledge. “When I go there, I disconnect from all the stresses in my life and connect with the horses, riders, their families, and fellow volunteers. This program is therapeutic for everyone involved, including me; it is a place to heal. Since I’ve been volunteering, I’ve
noticed that I have become calmer, more focused, and physically and emotionally better. Horses with Hope means the world to me. It is an amazing program and my happy place!” Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age and are welcome in the areas of riding programs, grounds help, sensory garden, fundraising, community events, and more. Come by yourself, bring your family, or attend as a group to help make a difference at Horses with Hope. n
Volunteer Jackie
For more information on the Horses with Hope programs and volunteer opportunities, visit www.horseswithhope.org.
Meet Rocky
A Haflinger at Horses with Hope Rocky
A group of volunteers 74
UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY
Spring 2022
True to his breed personality, Rocky is full of character and charisma. Extremely intelligent, he easily adapts to change. While he may act like a grumpy old man in the pasture, Rocky is a huge fan of the attention that the kids give him. n
