As we look forward to the gentle rains of April, singing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” in our classes and venturing out onto the trails when the sun comes out, we leave the distant roar of the cold March winds behind. The horses are quickly shedding their winter coats and gazing longingly at the greening grass.
Change is in the air and on the ground as our participants continue to expand their riding and horsemanship skills each week. Whether it be more complicated reining patterns, more time trotting, or learning to clean tack, there is excitement and learning happening everywhere.
May your April showers bring you a May of beauty!
Kitty
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Volunteers are the backbone of High Hopes |
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April brings us National Volunteer Appreciation Week!
April 18th-24th we will be celebrating the backbone of High Hopes: our volunteers! A big "Thank You!" is being sent to all the High Hopes volunteers. We are so grateful to work alongside each and every one of you. We couldn't do what we do at High Hopes without you!
Follow along on social media to see the major impact that our volunteers have on our day-to-day, by clicking below.
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Deb Heminway
Deb Heminway has been a horse leader in our lesson program since 2018! Deb brings a wide range of professional knowledge and horse experience with her as a volunteer.
Deb promotes independence in her riders, is flexible to any changes that need to be made, and brings an easy going, positive attitude while she volunteers!
"Thank You to our volunteer, Deb!”
-- Gracie says
To get to know Deb better, we asked her a few questions:
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What are your favorite foods?
A fresh-from-the-garden tomato and peanut butter sandwich.
What does your “Best Day Ever” include?
Working hard outside and relaxing at the end of day with friends and family and eating a meal prepared by someone else!
What is the best part of volunteering at High Hopes?
Watching the horses acknowledge their student's pat at the end of a lesson.
What is your favorite thing to do at High Hopes?
I really enjoy leading horses back to their paddocks at the end of the day; we enjoy the air and scenery after patiently caring for the students.
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A big thanks to new 1000-hour volunteer,
Rebecca Haller
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A big “Thank You!” to Rebecca Haller as she has hit the 1,000 hour mark in her volunteer service at High Hopes!
Rebecca has been a staple in our Carriage Driving program for many years, and we are so grateful for her continued support!
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Good biosecurity is good for our horses. We’re all pretty tired of thinking about PPE, hand washing, and keeping our distance from our own kind. But in order to keep our horses safe and healthy, these are things that we can never really stop thinking about.
While they are not susceptible to COVID 19, horses have several infectious diseases of their own that they can catch from other horses. We have many systems in place to keep our herd safe!
Click below to read more on biosecurity and to see how you can help.
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Save the Date
The Big Barn Tailgate on June 12th is quickly approaching and we can't wait to welcome everyone back to High Hopes!
Don your dancing shoes or cowboy boots and let’s kick up our heels (socially-distanced of course!) to the sound of local music sensation Sugar! Enjoy gourmet boxed dinners with dessert, beverage service, and VIP packages.
Many thanks to Dominion Energy and Benchmark Wealth Management for leading the herd as Event Partners.
For more info on what to expect, click to the right!
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STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY |
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We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut (CFECT) for the generous support they have given High Hopes and our community over the challenging past year. In 2020 the CFECT, in collaboration with the United Ways of Southeastern CT and Central and Northeastern CT, created the Neighbors for Neighbors Fund to support the pressing community needs resulting from the COVID-19 crisis. In a little over a year, $1,482,322 in grants have been awarded to numerous regional non-profits that have provided food, housing, and healthcare, along with support for schools and art and cultural institutions that are essential to the life blood of our community.
High Hopes was fortunate enough to receive a gift through this fund that allowed us to meet a significant increased need for financial aid for our vulnerable participants. The creation of the Neighbor for Neighbors Fund is just another example of how the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut enriches our lives and makes this region of Connecticut such a special place to live and work! To learn more about the CFECT and the Neighbor for Neighbors Fund, click below.
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We are so excited to share that High Hopes has been selected to be a part of the Big Y Community Bag Program, which is designed to make it easy for customers to contribute to their local community while supporting the environment.
For the month of May, each time a $2.50 reusable Community Bag is purchased at the Big Y located in Old Lyme, $1 will be donated to High Hopes (unless otherwise directed by the customer through the Giving Tag.) This is a great way to raise awareness, support the environment, and fundraise for our cause!
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Below is a listing of our upcoming
workshops and certifications
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Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning Workshop
June 2021
The Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning workshop is a three-day workshop offered to equine professionals and therapeutic riding instructors who work (or would like to work) with students with mental health and/or learning issues. The workshop is a requirement of the ESMHL certification. It is beneficial to have horsemanship skills and experience when attending the workshop, but it is not required.
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PATH Intl. Onsite Workshop and Certification
June 2021
PATH Intl. OSWC is hosted at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. With education and certification changes in progress, be sure to sign up and complete your certification under the TRI method prior to June 2021.
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Looking for CEU Hours for 2021 or something to do from home?
Purchase the recorded version of some of our latest educational webinars:
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