2005 (Autumn) Newsletter

The High Hopes

• Autumn 2005

I

Board President & Executi've Director M e~sa,ge ..

Spotlight On Success

, A Wager for Commun it y Improvement

The Spirit of Giving How'd They Do That?

Wou ld Your Horse Be - ~~it ab le?

From the Horse's Mouth Poncho Gets Adop t ed

High Hopes Happenings Take a Swing "Fore" High Hopes

Ways to Give

In accorda nce w it h the America ns with Disabilities Act , The High Hopes Rider is avai lab le in alternative for mats upon request .

Please contact Judie Driscoll at Ext. 19.

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HI G H ,·H O PE S . < ~ . -~ /

Therapeutic Riding, Inc. Phone : 860.434 .1974 Fax: 860 .434.3723 www .highhopestr .org

Hippotherapy Progran1 Funded by Major Grant The variety of

ways in which the horse is invo lved in improving the lives of peop le with disabi lities includes engaging a horse as a modality for treatment in physical, occupational and speech/language therapy.

This form of treatment is called Hippotherapy - Hippo being the Greek word for horse, and therefore the actual meaning of the word is "treatment with the help of the horse."

Hippotherapy is particular ly effective in serving people with physical and cognitive disabilities, developmental delays, speech delays, scoliosis, etc., and is provided by a licensed professiona l (Physical Therapist, Occupational Therap ist or Speech/Language Therapist) practicing in conjunction with, or as, an instructor certified by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).

At the direction of High Hopes Honorary Board member and retired orthopedic surgeon, Wayne Southwick, MD, High Hopes received one of its largest grants to date, from a special fund, which is distributed by the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven. This generous and important grant w ill allow High Hopes to expand its Hippotherapy services and programs to our participants in the future. Specifically, it will enable us to futher er:igage the professional services of licensed therapists so that we may offer

Richard n. Lightfoot. Barbara Schafferand Dr. \VayneS011thwirkat the 1995 Speci11I Oly111pi, · Games.

Hippotherapy sessions to an expanded base of participants.

Therapeutic Riding has many aspects and beneficial f unctions, all of which are integrated into the programs that we provide at High Hopes. As the needs of our participants change and grow, High Hopes continues to seek ways to further the positiv e outcomes and benefits that can be realized through Therapeutic Riding. High Hopes sincerely thanks Dr. Southwick and his colleagues on the Board of Directo rs of the Community Foundation Fund for bestowing this generous gift which will have a tremendous impact on the lives of our participants.

from

Board President Executive Director In a few

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JohnDmcol~caretaker Judie:Drlscolt..Delllllopment Assoc/ate JoMie Edwards,lnsftUCtOr

A.LnY ~r; EquineProg111m Coordinator K~Gl,l_e -~• lritf;iuctor QJ'o~ JagJ_elskt. l'tiyslcalTherapist lJ!rNelligl!n, /nst,uc:tor

short weeks you will receive an inv itation to High Hopes' Annual Meeting and some of you will wonder why it was sent to you and if this is an event you should take the time to attend. First, please know that you are sent this invitation because we consider you an important member of the High Hopes family and our Annua l Meeting has become an important yearly milestone, much like a family member's annual birthday celebration. It is a time for us to come together as a community and understand how much each of us contributes to the life of this valuable organization. It is a time to take stock and the time to plan ahead. The next question some will ask is why are you a part of the High Hopes fami ly, and to answer that question is to understand who all of "you" are! You are the vo lunteers that assist our participants, care for our horses, file our correspondence and orchestrate our benefit events. You are the board members who provide leadership, expertise and generous support. You are the instructors who share your love and knowledge of rid ing with our participants. You are the staff members who maintain our database, manage our finances, care for our buildings and grounds and schedule our programs. You are the corporations that underwrite our benefit concert and purchase foursomes at our golf tournament. You are the foundations that provide the necessary financia l support to keep our riders mounted, our horses fed and our bui lding heated. You are the horse lovers who adopt a horse or donate one to our growing herd. You are the ticket buyers to our events and the donors to our annual appeal. Last, but not least, you are our riders and families who show us on a daily basis your strength and courage.

On behalf of the governing Board of Directors of High Hopes, we would like to invite YOU to our 31st Annua l Meeting. We sincerely hope to see you there.

:lfa!l.,l)!'f>ellll'IO,! ~lcmteer Coordinator JCrl$\ln Pargaf,s,,«1at Prog111ms Coatdrnatar

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Und!1, l'lcnl9. iut/.,iess -Manager LandonPotts, Deililo('ll'lellt Assistant

amProut.tnstnid.or SaraQua.Directorof.Developmertt Instructor RollyRjdgway, Bus/nm ManagerEmeritus PiltraSl!ea(l!r; IOtty ,Sta!sliufg.

Prog111m Director HolfY. SUndmatker, BamManager MaryWashbum, fnstnlctor Coordinator LomaYoung,Lesson

tdeCleased •wrrently seiving as a Director

High Hopes

would li l<eto give a very special t han ks to Essex Television Group for generously donating their time, talent and professional services in the production . of our new promotional video "The Power to Heal," which was premiered at our benefit concert on June 11th. This inspiring video will be used to cultivate new sources of support for High Hopes' mission and future growth. If you would like to view a copy of this video, please contact Sara Qua in the Development Office at 860-434-1974 ext 22.

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ot on1

t Success

Penny. "Our challenge is to structure the lessons so that they can carry over to Matt's everyday life." She tries to incorporate horse racing, one of Matt's favorite interests, into every lesson.

A Wager for Community Improvement

D

uring a spring Friday afternoon, Matt Sarti walks through the High Hopes doors.

He stops and quickly turns to find his vocational volunteer, Penny Nelson.

After settling in to begin their lesson and during a quick lunch, she tests him "What kind of horse is Latino?" Matt is quick to respond "Shire . S-H-1-R-E."

"Always a smile on his face and ready to talk," says Penny "this lunch time is an important start to the lesson because it is a time where we can review all of the previous lessons." These vocational training lessons at High Hopes are based on three tracks - employment, lifelong learning, and education.

Working with our staff, volunteers and horses, participants learn specific life and job skills. "I like making Matt's lessons meaningful for him, adapting it ¡ to his interests so he can share what he does here with friends and family," said

"The vocational training aspect in this field is unique" said Kitty Stalsburg, Program Director, "in that we are now using the High Hopes facility; the barn, tack room, paddocks, pastures, trails, along with our trained personnel and their levels of expertise, and we're expanding that for a greater good."

During their time at High Hopes, participants have the opportunity to study horse care, equine health care, horse usage, stable management, barn cleaning/upkeep, and farm landscaping.

"Our vision for the program is to fulfill the High Hopes mission in a new way and to respond to a real need in our community for vocational training," said Alison Zack Darrell, Executive Director. "There are not many places in our community where people can get the unconditional support that we give here at High Hopes, and where people are accepted despite what they can or cannot do."

Mall Sarti and Holly FOJt,rwith Periwinkl e.

For the participa nts, the 1 to 2 hours a week they spend with a trained job coach is a special time where they can achieve success. People join the program from school-to-work programs, assisted liv ing homes, child guidance clinics, and other vocational education programs. Matt will be one of over 15 expected participants in the unmounted equine-assisted activities at High Hopes this fall. "I didn 't have a bet on it so I didn't watch it" jokes Matt when Penny mentions the Preakness, "but I watched the pre-game! The next one is the longest race, the Belmont Stakes."

By incorporating racing into his lessons, Matt leaves High Hopes each week with something new to discuss with his friends and especially, his father.

"I think people join the program because they like horses and because we have a very unique environment in whic h to serve people wit h disabilities," said Alison. "We want to really make a difference for people with disabilit ies in enabling them to achieve success in their lives through their work with horses."

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1v1n How' d They Do That?

When the dust

settles

after our annual benefit event, the thought "How'd They Do That?" easily comes to mind. It's people like Mary Mille working tirelessly behind the scenes who make it all possible. A volunteer for over 10 years, Mary Mille exemplifies the many ways to give as a High Hopes volunteer. She came to High Hopes after developing a fear of horses resulting from a fall. Hoping that working with horses again would help her overcome that fear, she responded to an advertisement for volunteers that High Hopes placed in a local newspaper. Mary began volunteering in a half hour class, once a week, and was soon helping in the barn coordinating daily chores and mentoring new volunteers. Not only did Mary overcome her fear, but she developed lasting friendships with her fellow volunteers, program participants, High Hopes staff and of course the horses, averaging 20 volunteer hours per week.

About four years ago, Mary was asked if she could help us in organizing our largest mailing - invitations to our annual benefit event. In typical Mary style, she coordinated friends and fellow volunteers, and started a yearly "stuffing party" that has become an enjoyable social gathering that has incredible benefits to High Hopes.

Hosting 15-20 ladies, she plans the work and provides lunch over the course of several days. Everyone works hard, ensuring that over three thousand invitations get stuffed, sealed and stamped, which in turn saves High Hopes hundreds of dollars in mail house fees and countless staff hours.

She even makes sure that Bill Doane,

Mary's yearly gatherings are full of

her partner, gets involved. Mary says that Bill mostly stays in his home office when the ladies show up, coming out only for lunch, but truth be told, when the work is done, Bill takes it all down to the Old Lyme Post Office. Bill also helps High Hopes by volunteering as a bartender at the benefit event. Through his professional connections, Bill also helps High Hopes procure high quality

laughter, smiling faces and incredible teamwork (not to mention fabulous food). This team of volunteers has gotten so good at this job, that what

paper for the printing of our public relations materials at little to no cost.

A few years ago, Mary found that the physical demands of working in the barn were getting to be a bit much for her, so she discovered a new way to help by hosting the annual "stuffing" party. Mary says "This is a great opportunity for me to continue to give as a volunteer and stay connected to High Hopes." Most of the same folks come back each year and it is an eclectic group of women spanning all ages and backgrounds.

Those who didn't necessarily know each other now look forward to seeing each other, and new faces are always welcome. People pop in and out doing what they can and we just have fun."

used to take 4 to 5 days, now takes a day and a half! In fact , this year Mary called to make sure she hadn 't missed any invitations and there were twinges of disappointment in her voice when we replied that she had gotten them al l done. However, it also seems you could hear a sigh of rel ief in the background coming from Bill! Thank you Mary & Bill for helping to be . part of the mystery and magic that is High Hopes.

Alt11 J /\Ii/le ll'ith Poncho.

Would Your Horse Be

Suitable?

This article is excerpted from one written by High Hopes Instructor Katie Guernsey for Dressage Today Magazine

T

herapeutic Riding is for people of all ages with all disabilities.

For horses however, the invitation is much more restricted.

When considering a horse for use in a therapeutic riding program there are specialized and high expectations.

Specialized Requirements for Therapy Horses Therapy horses need to be intelligent, well conditioned, unflappable, sensitive, patient, hard working, versatile, tolerant of unpredictable noises and positional changes made by riders and responsive to their horse handler's instructions and sound.

These qualifications are critical to the successof meeting the diverse needs and goals of people with disabilities, such as improving physical strength, flexibility, coordination, self-esteem, refining motor skills, increasing expressive language and learning riding skills. What kind of horse can meet the multi-dimensional needs of the therapeutic riding population? All too often people think that any older, mild-mannered, semi-sound horse of any size fits the bill. On the contrary, the ideal therapy horse is between the ages of eight and twelve, around 15 hands, sound, easy to handle, athletic, supple and balanced. The therapeutic riding herd should be composed of horses of different breeds and conformations to offer a wide variety of movement types. It is helpful to have one or two large, weight carrying horses in a program. Daniel Feeney, Equine Veterinarian at several therapeutic riding centers in Connecticut, sums it up by noting tha:t "given the variability of the work therapy horses are asked to do, the ¡

overall most important characteristics are safety, predictability and soundness". "In the best of all possible worlds" as Voltaire would say, the characteristics described above would be feasible. However, the reality is that most therapeutic riding farms have to compromise to some extent .

Many of these organizations are nonprofit and significant portions of funds raised go to supporting the costs of riders. Luckily, therapeutic riding centers across the country get phone calls on a regular basis from horse owners looking to give or lease their horses to them. Each center has their own methods for processing these offers to determine if the horse will meet their needs.

Evaluating a Potential Therapy Horse At High Hopes the first step taken to evaluate a potential therapy horse is to obtain a background and medical history on the animal. Once this is completed we request a video of th~ horse being ridden, that at minimum, shows the walk, trot and canter in both directions. Once the video has been watched and discussed by the instructors, barn and program staff, the decision is made whether or not to do a site visit to evaluate the horse in person and/or bring the horse in for a trial period. There is no one background that a therapy horse

should have to best prepare t hem for the work that is required of them.

Greco is a 16.1-hand 21-year-o ld Oldenburg gelding whose owner donated him to High Hopes for use in our therapy program. Prior to coming to High Hopes Greco was a Grand Prix dressage horse that according to his owner Karen Horn, "was ready fo r a change of pace". She "could not bear to retire him" with her other horses at her farm because she "wanted him to be able to continue to interact with people, because he thrives on being admired." Greco has fit perfectly into the program where he is asked to use his athleticism and intelligence in different ways than the dressage arena requires. Instead of doing piaffes and turns on the forehand with his riders, he does beautifully controlled transitions and gives balanced, forward movement with plenty of impulsion to challenge his rider's balance. When a rider with poor trunk control leans one way, Greco leans the other to compensate.

As you can see, the ideal therapy horse is hard to come by and as a result centers accept horses that come closest to meeting their criteria and then use specialized training programs to target areas of weakness.

If you are interested in donating, leasing or selling your horse to High Hopes please call 860-434-1974.

SUIT1n1er Ha

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en1ngs

Everyone Wins at the 20th Annual High Hopes Horse Show igh Hopes riders showed their "TRUE COLORS" at the 20th Annua l High Hopes Horse Show on Saturday, June 4, 2005, impressing the audience, family members, friends, volunteers and staff with their horsemanship.

Congratulations riders and thank you to the folks w ho helped make our 20th Horse Show a success!

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crafts, stable management, lunging and long -lining. In addit ion, High Hopes was fortunate enough to have three wonderful interns helping us this summer with instructing, unmounted activities and productio n of a weekly

O

n July9th, High Hopesheld its

fourth annual " Day in the Country" Summer Camp in memory of FDNY Ladder 7 fireman George C. Cain.

George gave his life helping others i n the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and was the brother of High Hopes instructor and long time volunteer Erin Cain.

Ladder 7 fireman, friends and fami ly merrybers came together to enjoy a relaxing day of horseback riding, vaulting lessons, food and crafts. This day is made possible through donations made to the George C. Cain Memorial Fund at High Hopes.

newsletter that the campers too k home to share with their friends and fami lies.

Thank you Krist ina, Lauren and Eva Mar ia as well as all of our wonderfu l vo lunteers who made our summer camp sessions educationa l, fun and excitin g !

High .Hopeswishesto thank the entire Cainfamily for their generosityand continuedsupportof our programsand extendsa heartfelt thank you to the manyvolunteersand staff who helpedto makethis specialday fun for everyone.

Dancing the Night Away On June 11th , approximately

550 guests danced the night away to the exciting, swing music of the seven member Big Bad Voodoo Daddy band at the 2005 High Hopes Benefit Concert. The festive evening, presented

by Sovereign Bank, started off with cocktai ls, hors d'oeuvres and a silent auction on the front lawn of High Hopes' Town Woods Road campus. Guests then moved into the indoor riding arena, transformed for the occasion by an army of talented volunteers into a concert hall with stage, lighting , two dance floors and cafe style seating for a gourmet dinner catered by La Cuisine. One of the hig hlights of the evening was the premier of High Hopes'

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presentation, generously underwritten by Essex Television Group .

Next up was Master of Ceremonies Joe Rhodes, Jr., who conducted a spirited Live Auction and successfully led the audience into our first ever scholarship challenge.

In addition to Sovereign Bank, High Hopes would like to thank the Mohegan Sun, Chelsea Groton Bank and other corporate sponsors for their overwhelming commitment to this event. Know that it takes many hands and a great leader to make an event like this happen. High Hopes wou ld like to tha nk Event Chair, Cheryl Kelly Heffernan, who led numerous Committee Chairs and over 100 volunteers and staff members who worked together for many months to ensure a fun and successful evening for High Hopes.

out Poncho Gets Adopted Hi,

For those who may not know me, my name is Poncho Q. Horse - the Q is for Quarter. I was asked to say a few words about something very exciting that happened for me recently - being "adopted" through the High Hopes "Adopt A Horse" program. Being a horse of few words, I can assure you that I ~nâ&#x20AC;˘t be longwinded, but I must tell you that the Adopt A Horse program offers individuals and groups the opportunity to "adopt" a member of the High Hopes herd, by helping to pay for hay, grain, shoes, supplements and medication for us therapy horses.

Many of us have special needs, ju st as our riders do, so some of us require a little extra TLC. I've been adopted by the employees of the Connecticut Light & Power Company (CL&P). I am very flattered that a nice group of people li~e those at CL&P have chosen me - and delighted to know that I will have plenty of hay and grain this year because of their generosity. I've gotten to know the CL&P folks over the years, as some of them volunteer at High Hopes, and the employees at the local Waterford and Madison offices have chosen to help out at High Hopes on the annual United Way "Day of Caring" each September. On the "Day of Caring" these sturdy guys and gals help us by installing and repairing fences, painting sheds, cleaning paddocks, mowing, tree trimming and anything else that needs attention.

Since I have the opportunity, I'd like to tell all of you a bit about me. I came to High Hopes in the summer of 1995

for the Special Olympics World Games.

Previously living in Colchester, I had been actively showing in Youth an~ Amateur Divisions. I've been shown both English and Western. When I came to High Hopes, I haa my tail kept in a tail bag - when it was unwrapped it was a surprise to many as it was so long that it touched the ground. I enjoy being a part of the learning that takes place here at High Hopes. What do I like? Well, treats, apples, carrots, attention from people, and hanging out with my pasture pals. I also like . it when my riders and handlers are gentle with my m<:>uth.What don't I like - well. .. being inside when the grass is green and waiting my turn to trot . What don't people know about me? My real name is "Sangee

Marshall." I was born on April 8, 1983 in Central City, Iowa. My other parents, Sire - Dan Marshall, and Dam - Miss Beams Cho ice were wonderful role models, teaching me the value of kindness, patience, and respect for others.

I think I've said enough for now, but in closing I want you all to consider "adopting" one of my friends here in the High Hopes herd. We w i ll put your name on your adopted horse's stall, and you will receive an update from your horse during the year. And, of course, we hope you will stop by and see your adopted friend. We would be happy to arrange for a visit. Adopt A Horse and make a new frie nd today!

uft 10righ1: Deborah Whalm of CL&P,Gary Borlaand AlisonZack Darn/I wilh Poncho.

Poncho

High Hopes

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Take A Swing ''Fore" High Hopes Corporate Sponsorship foursomes begin at $2,000. If interested, please contact Sara Qua, Director of Development, at 860-434-1974 Ext. 22 or squa@highhopestr.org

e among the first to experience world class golf at the Mashantucket Pequot's new Lake Of Isles South Course on Monday, October 3, 2005 at the High Hopes Second Annual Golf Classic.This private golf course, located in North Stonington, CT offers rolling terrain, island greens and tees and extraordinary views, all blending with the incredible natural landscape of a 90-acre facility. This half-day Golf package includes: 18 holes of golf with cart, welcome package , barbeque lunch, participation in Longest Drive and Closest to the Pin contests and an awards ceremony at the conclusion of the tournament with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Only 15 foursomes remain available to take advantage of this beautiful setting and recreational opportunity in support of High Hopes.

Individual player's foursomes are $1,000 and

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Please join us for the 31st Annual Meeting of High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc.

Sunday, October 16, 2005 At the Sis Gould Center for Therapeutic Riding 36 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm 3:00 4:00 5:00

Annual Meeting & Presentation of Awards Guest Speaker

Refreshments

Please RSVPto High Hopes at 860-434-1974 by October 10, 2005 Sign language interpretation is available upon request.

Please reserve thi s a ccommodat ion by contact ing High Hopes no later than October 10th.

In addition to volunteering your time or making a direct donation, the following opportunities are currently available for giving to High Hopes:

CountrySupply.com

Donation

If you shop at CountrySupply.com you can donate up to 5% of your purchase to High Hopes by entering the group code: HighHopes. This money is used to support the care and maintenance of the High Hopes herd, which is so valuable to our programs. To start shopping or find out more about this program, go to www.countrysupply .com If you know of similar programs at other companies or have connections

High Hopes Wish List

Contributors Autumn 2005

There are a few specific items that are needed at this time. If you can help with any of these, please contact

Photos & Articles : Gary Borla, Alison Zack Darrell, Judie Dr iscoll, John C. Evans, Katie Guernsey, Bryant Heffernan, Cheryl Heffernan, Poncho Q. Horse, Eva Maria Janerus, Kristin Elliott Leas, Eric Northrop, Heather Leigh Northrop, Sara Qua

Sara Qua at 860-434-197 4 Ext. 22 or squa@highhopestr.org • Shop vacuum • Power washer • Laptop Computer

Editor: Heather Leigh Northrop

• Video Camera • Small (chi ld's) Wintec Saddle

Designer : Kelley Cahill

• Standard duty impact wrench • S-curve Safety Stirrups (all sizes)

This newsletter is underwritten by

which may prov ide donations of supplies for the horses, please contact Heather Northrop at heathernorthrop@sbcglobal.net

· Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc.

Old Lyme, CT Permit# l

Sis Go,dd Centerfor Therapetttic Riding 36 Town Woods Road

P.O.Box 254 Old Lyme, CT 06371-0254

A Traditionof Excellence in TherapeuticRiding