HIGH HOPES
Rider
S U M M E R
2015
WWW.HIGHHOPESTR.ORG
It’s Like They Give You A Best Friend
Anyone who has had that one day, that one
highly stressful situation filled with anger,
tears, and the feeling of barely holding
it together can understand how hard
it was for Skylar.
little afraid, but she worked past her
fear and kept riding. Six years later, she
continues to take lessons at High Hopes
twice a week. “It’s like they give you a
best friend,” she tells me.
This was how she felt all the time. Riding
changed that. Learning to control and
maneuver her horse gradually taught
Skylar how to control her behavior.
Learning through experience and
with her whole body allowed Skylar
to absorb important lessons that she
could not take in from just an exchange
of words. Gracie, her horse, provided
instant feedback about whether her
behavior worked or not.
Skylar’s regular riding partner is Gracie, a
ladylike paint mare. “She’s very stubborn
and nosy,” she says with a laugh. “She’s
just like me, actually, now that I think
about it.” The two even share a birthday:
May 30, 1999. Skylar briefly grooms her
horse, using an array of different-sized
brushes, before mounting her.
Over the years, Skylar had grown
increasingly impulsive and prone to
tears and anger. In school, she could
not control what she said to her peers.
She’s since blocked out the specifics,
but remembers bringing them to tears. If
a friend asked her to keep a secret, she
immediately shared it. If she misplaced
a pair of scissors, she accused her
schoolmates of theft. “People didn’t
get along with me,” she recalls.
Skylar needed help. With deficits in
areas that made traditional learning
more difficult, it had to be the right
help. When Skylar was in fourth grade,
her swimming instructor suggested
therapeutic horseback riding. Soon
after that, Skylar and her mother came
to High Hopes. Skylar was placed on
a horse named Dolly. Never having
been on a horse before, Skylar was a
Oh What A Night
On June 13 the High Hopes indoor
riding arena was transformed into an
evening of elegance and inspiration.
th
Motown: A Night of Soul & Funk was the
culmination of a yearlong volunteer
effort lead by event chairs Hannah
Childs and Jackie Kangley. From the
selection of The Sultans, a fabulous
Summer 2015
In the indoor arena, Skylar and four
other girls mount their horses and trot
the perimeter under their instructor,
Lauren’s, watch. “We have to be
proactive riders, not reactive riders,”
Lauren tells the girls. “What does it mean
to be ‘proactive’?” Skylar meekly offers
“getting someone to do something.”
Lauren latches on. “That’s right! When
you act reactively, you are a passenger.
You should not be a passenger when
you are riding,” she says. “We need to
be active riders. You need to be thinking
three to four steps ahead of where your
horse is going.” As a message this is one
they must work harder than most to
absorb. And it’s easier to do so mounted
on a horse, where they feel at ease.
Megan, her regular riding instructor,
said that Skylar’s social skills have
undeniably improved. “I would say in
the last few years, she’s been getting
into her teenage years, she’s come out
of her shell a lot,” Megan said. “She’s
Motown band, to the beautiful décor,
volunteer committees worked hard to
ensure a successful event on behalf
of High Hopes. Their efforts, along
with the generosity of hundreds of
individuals who attended the benefit,
helped raise crucial funds needed
to ensure that quality therapeutic
riding and equine assisted programs
continue to be offered to all who
might benefit, regardless of their ability
SKY TODD
Look closer and you’ll realize this is not
just any board game, it’s an original
called “Race to Critter Rock” created
by volunteer Sky Todd. Sky and Julia,
whom she coaches, have worked on
it together since the fall of 2013.
Sky began her volunteering at High
Hopes in 1999 as a side walker, then
horse leader. Newly relocated to the
area and a former rider, a recruiting
flier at a local laundromat caught her
eye and she decided that becoming a
volunteer at High Hopes was a logical fit.
From the beginning, she felt welcomed
and “part of a team.” Her experience
with horses made her a valued volunteer
in mounted classes. But that was just
the beginning. Eventually Sky began
working one-on-one each week in a
classroom setting with Julia, who rode
and had an unmounted class as well.
Sky became her coach. In addition
actually quite social now, which is nice
to see. I can see it pull her focus away
from horseback riding a bit, but it’s great
to see her developing relationships and
really getting a lot of joy out of that.”
REPRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF
THE AUTHOR, MICHELE HACKMAN, AND
THE YALE DAILY NEWS MAGAZINE.
to pay. High Hopes is so grateful to this
amazing community for its generous and
unwavering support! To view photos from
the event please visit highhopestr.org.
IT’S ALMOST TIME TO BEGIN PLANNING
FOR THE 2016 JUNE BENEFIT! IF YOU HAVE AN
INTEREST IN BEING PART OF A COMMITTEE,
PLEASE CONTACT TRUDY BURGESS AT
(860) 434-1974 EXT. 123.
ON THE COVER: RICHARD MUGGRIDGE,
VETERAN, DRIVES CANDY WITH ABLE-BODIED
WHIP AUDREY ULMER AND PASSENGER
JAY HEMENWAY.
VISIT HIGHHOPESTR.ORG TO VIEW A VIDEO
WITH RICHARD TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT
OF BEING A PARTICIPANT AT HIGH HOPES.
If you happen to be passing by the kitchen late in the
afternoon on a Thursday, you are likely to see two heads
bent over a brightly colored game board.
to fun, friendship, connection and a
creative outlet, there has also been
learning, for both of them.
Before volunteering at High Hopes,
Sky had not had previous experience
with people who have disabilities. One
day, after volunteering for a while,
she met one of the people she knew
from High Hopes out with his father. A
conversation ensued where Sky talked
primarily with the son, whom she had
spoken to before at High Hopes.
If I hadn’t been at High
Hopes I would have spoken
and fundraiser. She has also recruited
her husband, Alan, as a volunteer. He
regularly drives the mower at High Hopes
and keeps the grass under control. A
fine woodworker, he also contributes a
handmade artisanal bowl to the June
auction each year.
The volunteer hours that Sky and
her husband have donated to High
Hopes over the years have been an
invaluable contribution to our program
and participants. And this is in addition
to their generous contributions for the
past 15 years to the scholarship fund,
annual appeal and June benefit.
to the father, not the son.
Sky looks forward to her work with Julia
every week, planning organizational
charts and simulation games she hopes
will help prepare Julia for the world of
work. At High Hopes, Sky found there was
“tremendous support for whatever the
task” and there were “always people
to help and guide you, whatever you
wanted to do.”
Since 1999 Sky has contributed untold
hours of her time and energy to High
Hopes in a variety of capacities. Five
years ago, in addition to working with
participants, Sky took over hosting the
annual May envelope-stuffing and
lunch, opening her home to the small
army of volunteers who assemble
invitations for the annual June event
PETRA
A Norwegian Fiord mare, Petra came
to High Hopes in 1999 at the tender
age of four, and has given 16 years of
consistent, gracious and devoted service
to the High Hopes community ever since.
She is one of the most unique looking
horses in the herd. A brown dun with
dorsal stripe, her pale golden coat
is bordered by a thick, two-toned
IF YOU HAVE A SKILL, INTEREST OR YOU ARE
LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE
YOUR TIME AND RECEIVE AN EXPERIENCE
THAT WILL CHANGE LIVES, INCLUDING YOUR
OWN, BECOME A HIGH HOPES VOLUNTEER.
VISIT HIGHHOPESTR.ORG/VOLUNTEER
OR PLEASE CONTACT MEGAN ELLIS AT
(860) 434-1974, EXT. 112.
mane, clipped to show its contrasting
colors. Her sweeping forelock frames
a kind, intelligent face. Petra is as
sweet as she is beautiful. A truly
versatile little horse, she is patient,
tolerant and always willing to do what
is asked of her in class. Petra serves
High Hopes’ participants by being
one of our most stoic, reliable and
adaptable horses.
Summer 2015
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
HIGH HOPES THERAPEUTIC RIDING, INC.
36 TOWN WOODS ROAD • OLD LYME, CT 06371
JOIN THE HIGH HOPES FAMILY
OCTOBER 18, 2015
FOR TWO GREAT FREE EVENTS
41ST ANNUAL MEETING
1-3 PM
DEMONSTRATION &
AWARDS CEREMONY
ANNUAL BARN DAY
11 -1
Barn tours & the chance to meet
members of our fantastic herd
{ REPLY BY OCTOBER 12, 2015 AT (860) 434-1974 }
PAID
PERMIT # 119
DEEP RIVER, CT