Post 1 - The beginning

One of this year’s resolutions was to try a new and different type of volunteer activity. I’ve long been fascinated by stories of equine therapy horses and reading about some of the marvelous results achieved, but I am not a horse person. So I put the idea out of my mind—but it kept coming back.

Despite my personal history--

* that Sammye Kay Osborne’s pony had bucked me off when I was in elementary school,

* that a“gentle” horse ran away with me on one of my few adult rides,

*that I was extremely uncomfortable for days after a ride to the bottom of Big Bend.

* and that my daughter had been bitten by a horse on a trail ride which had left a scar and lump for over two years.

The idea of working in some capacity other than on a horse enticed me to overcome my reluctance to be around the intimidating animals and make some calls. The volunteer coordinator at the first facility stirred up my excitement and encouraged me to give working at an equine center a try.