How long have you been volunteering at MoonRise?
I came to MoonRise in April out of curiosity and looking to try a new career path either with horses or as a continuation of a previous career. After a 5 year sabbatical from working in the mental health field, I saw working with MoonRise as an opportunity to dip my toes back into the field while also exploring alternative approaches to treatment modalities.
What’s your favorite thing about volunteering at MoonRise?
Connecting with both the horse and human herd at MoonRise has been a valuable experience for me. I enjoy spending time with the horses and getting to know each of their personalities but my favorite thing is to see the connections that the summer campers make after just a few days of spending time with horses.
What have you learned from volunteering?
Learning about horses and how to work with them has been very fun and rewarding. The skills go further than general horsemanship and extend into life with emphasis on being patient, observative, and kind.
What motivates you to give back to the community?
The sense of accomplishment that comes with volunteering is a feeling that doesn’t ever go away and is a great foundation to gaining experience in something new. While traditional education is valuable, I learn more from hands-on experience. I see helping out and leading others to personal insights as how I can pay it forward.
Why are horses important to you?
Horses have a magical way of making us more aware of ourselves. They live in the moment and remind us of what is really important. When past troubles or hard times seem to keep me down, horses remind me that I am safe, cared for, and loved.
What is a fun fact about you?
The first place I lived was in Taftsville, just down the road from MoonRise, and it holds a special place in my mind as one of those places I will always think of as home.
