March 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 ST. PATRICK’S DAY from HORSES with HEART!

Anne on her horse, Hugo

Introducing Our New Silver Saddle Instructor ~ Anne Callahan

Anne is well-qualified to be Horses with Heart’s Silver Saddle Instructor. She has a wide variety of riding experience and training that spans over 45 years. She is well versed in both Western and Dressage riding.

Anne has belonged to several horse organizations over the years, riding with Back Country Horsemen in Washington state and Quarter horse events. She spent the last ten years studying and riding classical Dressage, and served five years on the board for Northern Arizona Chapter of Arizona Dressage Association.

Anne is not new to Horses with Heart. She volunteered in our therapeutic riding program not long after moving to the area. She went back to work for a time, but has now returned to instruct Silver Saddle classes and volunteer once again in our therapeutic riding program. Anne fondly remembers her experience: “It was a wonderful opportunity and rewarding to witness the happiness and connection the participants made with the horses. Horses do have a special gift of being able to touch your heart. I truly love working with and training them, and I enjoy sharing my horse experience and helping others make those connections, too. I look forward to returning to HwH this year and rejoining the team.”

Owe Arizona State Tax? Donate to Horses with Heart Instead!

It’s the 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}.The deadline for charitable tax credit donations is April 18, 2023.

Checks may also be made payable to Horses with Heart and mailed to P.O. Box 2427, Chino Valley, AZ 86323. 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 help support our Classy Pony Resale Boutique in raising funds for our programs.

If you are interested in joining the Boutique team, please text Kathleen Klein at 928-821-0156.

Openings Still Available in New Silver Carriage Program

Silver Carriage is a five-week class for introductory cart driving. Each one-hour class will teach basic driving skills, harnessing, and cart management. Participants will also be introduced to competitive driving and showing. All classes are being taught by HwH volunteer Lisa Lucidi using her Shetland pony, Simon, a proficient and proven driving equine. No driving or riding experience is required. Helmets are required and thin leather gloves are suggested. There is a 180-pound weight limit for the driving student and good mobility is required, but each applicant will be assessed individually for compatibility and safety. Classes are being held on Wednesdays, starting March 22nd. Class times are 11:30 am (this class is already full), 1:00 pm, and 2:30 pm, with two to three students per class.

Consider trying something new! Please contact Lisa with any questions. To register, email Jan Grise, Program Director, by clicking the button below, “To Register”. Participant forms are located on our website or in the office.

Volunteer of the Year ~ Kris Vollrath

Congratulations to our 2022 Volunteer of the Year, Kris Vollrath! Kris spent countless hours at Horses with Heart last year- helping as a class assistant, working at special events, schooling horses, and even mucking stalls. Kris has also taken on the role of Horse Care Coordinator for 2023! Thank you, Kris, for all you do!

2023 Session 1 Classes Begin This Month

Our Competition Team Spring Season begins on March 11th. Therapeutic Riding classes, Veteran Classes, Silver Saddle, and Silver Carriage all begin the week of March 20th.

  • Session 1: March 20 - April 21

  • Session 1 Weather Make-ups: April 24-28

  • Session Break: May 1-5

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 in the morning and afternoon. Silver Carriage is being offered on Wednesdays – the 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm classes still have openings.

To register for either class, please contact Jan Grise. As classes get started, please send any pictures that you take to Debi Covington so that they can be included in the slideshow at upcoming events!

2023 Volunteer Orientations

It is not too late to sign up for Volunteer Orientations! They will be held on Friday, March 3, and Saturday, March 4. Please note that if you want to help in our Therapeutic Riding Classes, you will need to reserve a spot in the SST training on March 4. To attend, please sign up at the following link: https://horseswithheartaz.org/2023-registration-for-volunteer-orientations

Volunteer of the Month ~ Laura Smart

Laura is the co-chair of Horses with Heart’s fabulous Hospitality team. If you attended our Volunteer and Donor Appreciation Luncheon, you had the chance to try her excellent cooking. She spent many hours buying the ingredients, planning the menu, setting up the venue, cooking, and serving. We are so thankful for everything she does- our events would not be the same without her!

Q & A

1.     How long have you been with Horses with Heart? I’ve been with HwH since July 2004, so I am on my 19th year.

2.     Why do you volunteer at Horses with Heart? It’s a super worthy cause and much needed in the community, and I want to be part of that.

3.     What is your favorite memory or moment at Horses with Heart? Not any particular incident, but in all the years I’ve been with HwH I’ve seen the miracles of our volunteers, their dedication and love for what they do, and yes, HwH would not be without them. I thank you for the honor and just know when Hospitality prepares your meals it is a true labor of love.

4.     If you could share one thing with new volunteers, what would that be? Find yourself a mentor and learn all you can, and you will eventually find your niche. And you will love it!

2023 PATH Intl. Region 10 Credentialed Professional of the Year! ~ Sherry Hoover

As an international voice in the equine-assisted services (EAS) industry, PATH Intl. has the pleasure and honor to recognize individuals and equines that symbolize our celebration of ability, optimism, diversity, and a shared love of equines.

Center instructors who are compassionate and creative teachers and leaders are critical to the success of any therapeutic riding center. Horses with H.E.A.R.T, Inc. believes that Sherry Hoover is an outstanding representative of the credentialed professional community, and PATH Intl. agrees.

Sherry will be honored at the 2023 Region 10 Awards celebration held at the 2023 PATH Intl. Region 10 Conference, May 12-14 at the Temple Grandin Equine Center, CSU Spur, Denver, Colorado.

Please congratulate Sherry on this well-deserved honor!

Indoor Riding Arena

For More Information: CLICK HERE

The ranch was quiet with all the horses at their winter homes, but now the herd is back. 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!  HwH’s campaign to fundraise the construction of an indoor arena was unveiled last fall 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.

Some New Faces at Horses with Heart

There are some new faces in our stalls! Five horses are currently “on trial” with us. Make sure to stop and say hi to them next time you’re at the ranch!

Lena

Scotty

Dallas

Swifty

Meiko

2023 Horse Sponsors

To Download Sponsorship Form: CLICK HERE

Our horses are back! With their return comes spring vet care, farrier expenses, grooming and stable supplies, increased utility costs, supplements, feed, and HAY. The old saying, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride,” speaks directly to the expense of horse care. HwH does not limit our services to kings. To provide services to all we need financial assistance with the cost of horse care.

HwH is offering 2023 sponsorship opportunities at the below levels. Each of our five riding sessions 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 and 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. It’s 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/

The Veterans riding to represent Horses with Heart are Ron Bowen, Jackie Boyd, Pete Sanders, and Kris Vollrath. We want to thank Kim McElroy for donating her time to coach these riders in preparation for this event.

HwH Veterans who are marching in the Parade of Heroes are Bill Arsenault, Margaret Killian, Sandy Meadowcroft, and Jim Radley.

The Horses with Heart office will be closed on March 7th and 8th as our team will all be at Westworld. We hope that some of you will be able to join us as we support our Veterans who are participating!

On March 7th, Sun Circuit will be holding their 50th Anniversary Party! More information can be found at https://www.suncircuit.com/50th-anniversary-party

Our Veterans practicing for Westworld.

 2023 Fun-A-Thon Recap

Our first ever FUN-A-THON was held February 11th at the Adult Center on Rosser in Prescott.   The day was filled with fun, games, and food!  

Congratulations to Landry and Sutton King, who were crowned Kings of the Fun-A-Thon in the under-18 category, and Chris Kavanaugh, who was crowned King for the over-18 category, for bringing in the most pledges. CONGRATULATIONS!!

We had lots of volunteers turn out, some with their families. Horses with Heart’s riders came, played games, and got to see some of their favorite HwH leaders, coaches, and support staff before lessons begin in just a few short weeks. 

A huge thanks to the following- without you this event could not have happened:

  • TDH Investments and the Kiwanis Club sponsored the event, allowing us to use the facility.

  • TDH INVESTMENTS, LLC / Tim & Dawn Henrickson on Gurley Street in Prescott, (928) 899-2322.

  • The Kiwanis Club of Bradshaw Mountain. More information about them can be found at http://kiwanisprescottvalley.com.

  • The Adult Center of Prescott, for donating the set-up and clean-up times

  • A big thank-you to the young men and women of the Lonesome Valley Wranglers 4H Club! They did a great job helping with the games and interacting with the players, as well as helping with breaking down and packing up. 

  • All the Horses with Heart volunteers for coming out and helping with the MANY, MANY balloons, the setup, clean-up and more!

  • The Horses with Heart Hospitality team.  You did a fabulous job- as usual!

  • Many of the games were lent to us by Cowboys n’ Critters Frontier Farm in Prescott Valley, which works with groups and individuals with the purpose of “providing a safe space where families and friends on similar journeys can connect, share experiences, celebrate milestones, find support in challenges, and develop lifelong friendships.” Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1882863001785909

The 4-H volunteers that helped out during the event.

Volunteer and Donor Appreciation Lunch Recap

Horses with Heart held its annual Volunteer and Donor Appreciation Luncheon on February 4th. We had a great turnout, and everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared by HwH’s wonderful hospitality team. We enjoyed celebrating our generous donors and dedicated volunteers, who logged a total of 24496.45 volunteer hours last year! We recognized volunteers who reached the following anniversaries with us in 2022:

  • 5 Years and Over 500 Hours: Kate Adams, Debi Covington, Kathleen Klein, Pete Sanders, Dwayne Toombs, and Ally Toombs

  • 10 Years: Susanne Baker, Ron Bowen, Kris Dockum, Bonnie Moreau, Jeremy Owens, and Janice Shanks

  • 15 Years: Jan Grise and Maureen Owen

  • 25 Years: Rita Schwartz

Horses with Heart would not be the same without all our wonderful donors and volunteers, so THANK YOU for all that you do!

Blue Ribbon Moments

Horses with Heart will be starting a new volunteer appreciation program this year called “Blue Ribbon Moments.” We want to recognize all the great day-to-day accomplishments of our volunteers. Nomination cards are located in the office and in the tack-room, so if you see a fellow volunteer who is going above and beyond, please write down their name and drop it in the container. We will hold a drawing each Friday we’re in session, and the winner will receive a $5 gift card to Starbucks or Overflow as well as a $5 gift certificate to HwH’s Classy Pony Resale Boutique!

Horses with Heart’s 30th Anniversary Celebration

Horses with Heart 30th Anniversary will be celebrated on June 25th from 1-4pm here at the Ranch.  A committee meeting was held Wednesday March 1, 2023 at the Horses with Heart office.  If you’d like to be part of the planning process for this event please reach out to us.

CVEP Horse Shows

To download the Show Sponsor Packet: CLICK HERE

Sequins and Saddles 2023

IT’S NOT AROUND THE CORNER, BUT… Planning has already begun for our 2023 Sequins and Saddles Event.  The date, time, and location have been secured, and now it’s time to figure out the details of the event!  If you would like to participate in the planning of this event, please contact our Event Coordinator, Debi Covington, at debic_hwh@hotmail.com.  A committee meeting will be planned for the first part of March.

Where to Find HwH News?

 

Around Our Center

The horses are home and things are getting busy! As with the start of every season, there are a few changes and reminders of “who, what, where, when and how”. All this is covered at Orientation, but please don’t hesitate to ask Pam Berry, Pete Sanders, or a mentor volunteer if you have any questions regarding horses, horse care and/or facility issues. If one of us doesn’t have the answer, we will find someone who does.

As you look around the center, you’ll see some changes to our arenas and facilities as well as new faces (both human and equine). We’ve tried really hard to get things done before the horses returned, but as with any plan there are always a few bumps in the road. So please bear with us, as we have some ongoing construction projects, but we’ll do our best to minimize the impact on other activities.

Spring Office Hours

While our official office hours remain 10 am – 3pm Monday-Friday, our Team Members will have new office hours starting the week of March 13th.

  • 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 (Heroes on Horses, Westworld, Scottsdale)

  • March 11th ~ Competition Team Spring Season Begins

  • March 20th ~ Session 1 Begins- Therapeutic Riding, Veterans Program, Silver Saddle, and Silver Carriage

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

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

  • June 25th ~ 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.