High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center: Meet Amazing Melissa

High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center: 

Meet Amazing Melissa

Guest Post by Author Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

 

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Today I’m sharing my thoughts on an incredible riding center called High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center in Old Lyme, Connecticut. 

Are you familiar with therapeutic riding? Did you know riding helps children and adults with numerous disabilities such as; autism, cerebral palsy, and even blindness? 

I’d like to introduce you to a young lady who rode at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center for many years. She’s totally blind. Isn’t that incredible?

I watched a video about Melissa’s experiences at High Hopes Farm. Her beautiful position, and skills will amaze you. In the video, Melissa explains she began riding at about four-years-old. She states riding appealed most to her because of the "Freedom aspect of it." 

Melissa continues to describe her riding experience by saying she loved, "the joy of exercising horses and communicating with an animal." It’s clear Melissa and her family know horses have healing powers.

Melissa advises people not to fear the horses because they are “Giant puppy dogs.” She is so appreciative of everything the staff at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding center has taught her. Melissa encourages people to donate to High Hopes so others can experience the joy of riding.

Did you know, my Dad was a riding instructor at our farm, Sweetbrier? Not only did he change my life by teaching me to ride, but a blind student named Dave, learned  to jump. Daddy described which direction Dave should steer the horse and count the strides before the jump. Dave’s accomplishments with horses attracted the attention of many people. Eventually, a newspaper reporter wrote an impressive article about Dave, and my Dad’s teaching methods.

Clearly, horses can change your life in so many ways. It’s possible to realize your dreams, the way  Melissa and I did. I hope you always persevere toward your goals, because you can succeed, even against huge odds. My dad said, “You never know what you can do until you try.” Don’t you think that’s true?

For more about Melissa’s story...  highhopestr.org

More about Deanie Humprhys-Dunne and how her life was changed by horses...