How long have you been volunteering at CTRC?
I have been a volunteer since the summer of 2016. I paused in late 2023 when my body needed rest through a season of severe illness, but in the fall of 2024, I regained my strength enough to return to the work I love and am on property as much as possible. The years themselves are hard to accurately count, but my heart has long called CTRC home.

What inspired you to start volunteering at CTRC?
In the Spring of 2016, I came to CTRC as a soul seeking healing–to quiet my mind shadowed by anxiety and depression. I fell instantly in love, not with just the horses and riding, but with the heart of CTRC. When it was suggested to me to transition from participant to volunteer, I stepped forward into a new purpose and passion, never looking back! I would even now say that I am officially and happily obsessed with horses!

What is your favorite part of volunteering with us?
It is impossible to choose a single joy when any activity is my favorite. I reach for every opportunity to serve, eager to witness the quiet magic that happens when human and horse meet. But if I had to choose, my heart is divided between two loves: the vibrant pulse of the Conditioning Team–where I help hone the power and spirit of the horses into perfect equine partners for program–and the radiant moments spent with our participants–witnessing the silent conversations and vibrations between the horses and the riders that gently awakens their spirits and guides them toward steady progressions and new horizons.

What would you say to someone considering volunteering here?
I invite you to volunteer! It doesn’t matter if you have any experience with horses or not! I arrived here having never felt the warmth of a horse’s breath or held a lead rope in my hands, and today I find myself woven into almost every rhythm of CTRC. There is a deep, soul-stirring reward in joining a community so fiercely devoted to bettering lives through the miraculous healing power of horses. Whatever path you wish to take, CTRC will teach and guide you until you move with confidence to provide the best service to the participants and horses. Everything you do makes a difference! I promise you won’t regret it!

Who is your favorite horse?
Firecat holds a special space. After the loss of my long-time, beloved Barn Buddy Bubba, it was her gentle presence that stitched together the pieces of my wounded heart. To gaze into the liquid amber of her eyes was to find a calm gaze that held no judgement, only a vast rhythmic patience. Whether she greets me with a soft, low nicker or wanders across the pasture to find me when I call her, she brings warmth to my soul. But all the horses at CTRC are a pleasure to work and interact with. Each horse is unique–a masterwork of spirit and grace with a heart forged in gold and devotion to service.

What do you like to do outside of your time at CTRC?
If you haven’t noticed, I love to write! I have curated a collection of well over a hundred pages of poetry where every verse is either a tribute to the horse or steeped in equine imagery. When I am not lost in writing, I find joy in other arts and crafts. Above all, my heart belongs to the warmth of my home–cherishing moments with my husband of 16 years and my 11 year-old daughter, along with the gentle company of our dog (Valentine) and cat (Wesley). But I also spend a decent amount of quiet hours studying horses and horsemanship, ever eager to refine my skills and understanding so that I might someday in the future (however near or distant that is remains to be determined) to take steps to actualize my dream of becoming a PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor.