February 2023

HwH is the Premier Accredited Center in Northern Arizona

Harnessing the proven benefits of therapeutic horsemanship, Horses with Heart (HwH)is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Chino Valley, AZ. We help transform the lives of disabled children and adults, U.S. military veterans, first responders, and seniors as they gain confidence, dignity, and independence by riding our trained horses under the direction of highly-credentialed staff.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY from HORSES with HEART!

Your Tax Donation

It’s that time of year to consider making a charitable tax deduction to Horses with Heart to cut your state tax bill. Because Horses with Heart is a qualifying charity in the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit Program, you could cut your state tax bill by up to $800 (married couple filing jointly) or $400 (single filing). {QCO CODE: 20347} Checks may be made payable to Horses with Heart and mailed to P.O. Box 2427, Chino Valley, AZ 86323. Donations can also be made online. The deadline for charitable tax credit donations is April 18, 2023.

Please contact Bill Waddell with any questions.

Boutique Committee

The Classy Pony Boutique is looking for committee members who are interested in working in the Boutique, planning sales, and helping with other Boutique-related tasks! This is a great opportunity to support our Classy Pony Resale Boutique in raising funds to help our program. Please text Kathleen Klein at 928-821-0156.

New Program at Horses with Heart ~ Silver Carriage  

Horses with Heart is rolling out a new equine education class in 2023!  Silver Carriage is a five-week class for introductory cart driving.  Each one-hour class will teach basic driving skills, harnessing and cart management, and introduce competitive driving and showing.  All classes will be taught by HwH volunteer, Lisa Lucidi, who will be using her Shetland pony, Simon, a proficient and proven driving equine.  No driving or riding experience is necessary.  Helmets will be required and thin leather gloves are suggested.  There is a 180-pound weight limit for the driving student and good mobility is required to drive, but each applicant will be assessed individually for compatibility and safety.  Classes will be held on Wednesday, following the same session schedule as the HwH mounted classes.  Class times will be 11:30 am (this class is full), 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm, and two to three students will be able to participate in each class. Participant forms are located on our website, www.horseswithheartaz.org or in the office.

Please contact Lisa with any questions. To register, email Jan Grise, Program Director, by clicking the button below, “To Register”.

Volunteer of the Month ~ Debi Covington

Q & A

1.     How long have you been with Horses with Heart?

I have been with Horses with Heart since 2016.

2.     Why do you volunteer at Horses with Heart?

Lots of reasons! I have a nephew who is special needs and Horses with Heart was a great support for my mom, so I believe in the program and what it can do!

3.     What is your favorite memory or moment at Horses with Heart? 

My favorite memory is watching a young rider go from being totally non-verbal to talking to her horse and her family members. It was really special to watch how her experience with the horses transformed her life.

4.     If you could share one thing with new volunteers, what would that be?

Just roll your sleeves up and enjoy the work (or, in this weather, put on an extra parka!)

2023 Classes Begin in March

Classes are being scheduled for our 2023 season. We still have openings in our Silver Saddle program for 55+ and for our new Silver Carriage program. Silver Saddle classes are being offered on Mondays, both morning and afternoon. Silver Carriage is on Wednesdays, and the 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm classes still have openings. To register for either of these classes, please contact Jan Grise, Program Director (hwhprograms@gmail.com or 928-308-1353).

2023 Volunteer Orientations

Volunteer Orientations for 2023 will begin at the end of February. To reserve a spot in an upcoming Orientation, please sign up at the following link: https://horseswithheartaz.org/2023-registration-for-volunteer-orientations

If you’re interested in helping in therapeutic riding classes, please reserve a spot in an SST Training class.

Indoor Riding Arena

For More Information: CLICK HERE

The ranch is quiet with all the horses at their winter homes. HwH suspends riding every winter, reopening in the spring. Drumroll, please: in the future HwH will not have to close in the winter because we will have an indoor riding arena enabling us to ride year-round!  Our campaign to fundraise the construction of this indoor arena was unveiled at Sequins and Saddles. Please ask us questions; let us know if you would like to join and/or assist our development committee or contribute to our Capital Project Fundraiser.  It is so exciting!!

Primary contacts for this project are Angelique LeVell, HwH Executive Director, and Mike Cohn, HwH Development Committee Chairman.

Winter Horse Fosters

Thank you once again to all the people who took wonderful care of our herd over the winter:

  • Ben                  Geri & Tom Keenan

  • Brownie            Carol Gora and Jackie and Anna Boyd

  • Butters             Boulder Mountain Therapy in Phoenix

  • Chili                  Jeremy Owens

  • EBay                 Carol Gora and Jackie and Anna Boyd

  • Frankie             Mike and Lee Cohn

  • Gladys              Larry Larsen and Traci Ranic

  • Jazz                  Kris Dockum

  • Jewel                Patty Lipp

  • Melva               Charles Driver

  • Rocky               Mary Smith and Maureen Owen

  • Sam                  Lisa Lucidi

  • Shadow            Pam Berry

  • Son                   Kris Vollrath and Marcia Gagnon

  • Stumpy             Sherry Hoover and Deborah Thomas

  • Sweet Pea        J Bird Ranch*

  • Zee        J Bird Ranch*

*The horses at J Bird Ranch are generously sponsored by Helen Collins, Gloria Reid, Mary Jane Gunter, Pattie Baker, Jill Underwood, and Winkie Robb.

2023 Horse Sponsors

To Download Sponsorship Form: CLICK HERE

The HwH horses are currently at their winter homes being cared for by their winter fosters. Their foster “parent” provides a home, feed, and daily care. In return, the fosters receive love and kisses from their horse while HwH receives the generous gift of not having these expenses during the winter months.

Horses with Heart’s largest operating expense – by far – is taking care of our horses, the stars of our therapeutic riding program. Hay prices have increased again this month; hay bales that were $16 this summer are now $30 each. HwH started a horse sponsorship program in 2022 and our generous horse sponsors raised $22,000. Because of their generosity, HwH is increasing rider fees by only $20 in 2023. What a blessing!

HwH is offering 2023 sponsorship opportunities at the below levels. The HwH 2023 riding season consists of five sessions and each riding session is five weeks long, with an additional sixth week reserved for weather make-ups. By sponsoring a horse and/or pony you can subsidize the cost of feed, farrier, and vet care. The horses/ponies are on the HwH property and cared for by HwH team members and dedicated volunteers. Reserve your favorite horse or pony to sponsor today. Horse sponsorships are tax-deductible!

Horse Sponsorship:

  • One Session: $500

  • Two Sessions: $1000

  • Three Sessions: $1500

  • Four Sessions: $2000

  • Five Sessions: $2500

Pony Sponsorship:

  • One Session: $250

  • Two Sessions: $500

  • Three Sessions: $750

  • Four Sessions: $1000

  • Five Sessions: $1250

Heroes on Horses

Spring will soon be in the air, especially at Westworld in Scottsdale. Horses with Heart veterans will participate in the second annual Heroes on Horses on March 7th and 8th during the Sun Circuit show. Thank you to Bob and Ingrid Miller and the National Snaffle Bit Association Foundation for sponsoring this event honoring and celebrating our mounted and unmounted veterans. Additional information is available at https://www.suncircuit.com/heroes-on-horses/

HwH veterans who want to participate but do not want to ride are invited and encouraged to march in the inspirational Parade of Heroes. This is an awesome opportunity to meet fellow riding veterans across the state. For more information ask Angelique LeVell, our HwH veterans who participated last year, or our volunteers who came down and enjoyed the experience. Veterans who would like to march should contact Angelique by February 3rd.

The Horses with Heart office will be closed on March 7th and 8th, as our team will all be at Westworld.

 2023 Fun-A-Thon

Let’s make this event a FUN ONE!  Riders and Volunteers: Let’s make it BIG! Invite your family and friends to join us on February 11th at the Adult Center of Prescott to play some games, enjoy delicious food, and compete for great raffle items! Tickets will be sold at the event. The cost is $20 per person (includes five tickets) and $30 for a family (includes 10 tickets)

There is still time to be crowned Fun-a-Thon King or Queen by collecting the most pledges! There will be a winner for those ages 18 and younger, and for 19 and over.

We will be holding a raffle to help raise funds to support our Programs. If you have items to donate, or have contacts to obtain items, please call the office at 928-533-9178 or Debi Covington at 909-730-3312.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help with this event! We wouldn’t be able to do it without you!

A special thank you to The Verde Valley Kiwanis and Desert Development for sponsoring this event.

To learn more and download forms: CLICK HERE

CVEP Horse Shows

To download the Show Sponsor Packet: CLICK HERE

Where to Find HwH News?

 

Around Our Center

Although we haven't officially scheduled a workday, our facilities crew has been dedicated to repairs and maintenance items around the property.  We still have some construction projects on the calendar and our horse-care team has begun to prepare for the horses returning.  The "highly anticipated" return is scheduled for February 14th & 15th.  For those of you who are anxiously awaiting those mucking and feeding opportunities, please contact Kris Vollrath.

For all of you currently fostering our equine partners, we appreciate you SO MUCH!  We know they are all receiving lots of love and attention.  Pam Berry will be in touch with you soon to schedule their return to HwH.  Thank you!

  • February 4 ~ Volunteer and Donor Appreciation Luncheon, First Southern Baptist Church, Chino Valley, 11:30 am

  • February 11 ~ Fun-a-thon, The Adult Center of Prescott, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

  • February 24th ~ Returning Volunteer Orientation, at Horses with Heart, 3:30 – 4:30 pm

  • February 25th ~ Returning Volunteer Orientation, at Horses with Heart, 8:30 – 9:30 am

  • February 25th ~ Returning Volunteer SST Training, at Horses with Heart 10:00 am – 12:30 pm

  • March 3rd ~ New Volunteer Orientation, at Horses with Heart, 3:30 – 5:00 pm

  • March 4th ~ New Volunteer Orientation, at Horses with Heart, 8:30 – 10:00 am

  • March 4th ~ New Volunteer SST Training, at Horses with Heart, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm

  • March 7th and 8th ~ HwH Office Closed

  • March 11th ~ Competition Team Season Begins

  • March 20th ~ Riding Session 1 Begins

  • April 15th and 16th ~ Chino Valley Equestrian Park Horse Show

  • May 20th and 21st ~ Chino Valley Equestrian Park Horse Show

  • June 24th ~ Horses with Heart 30th Anniversary Celebration

  • June 24th and 25th ~ Chino Valley Equestrian Park Horse Show

HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OTHERS

From donations to sponsorships to SHOPPING for holidays, birthdays or weddings you can make a difference for others and Horses with Heart.