Emily

“A friend recommended Wendy to us. She told me Wendy knows her horses so well that she remembers each one’s history and could keep telling you their stories. Two months ago I brought my daughter Emily for her first visit, and I soon understood what my friend meant.

Two things struck me that first day. The horses were quiet, kind and content, and Wendy’s staff were the same: calm, gentle and ready to help. I soon saw why. Wendy cares deeply about every person and every horse in her care, and she protects them all.

Each horse has its own personality. Midnight, the first horse Emily met, seems to feel what people feel; being near him is a joy, and even a little healing. Van Gogh is soft and friendly and simply likes to be around people. Alabama is funny and a little naughty. The first time I touched her, she was so happy that she tried to nibble me: gently, by a horse’s measure.

For Wendy, riding is not only sitting on a horse. It is walking beside them as a companion and a friend. Emily brushes the horses, cleans their hooves and walks with them, as well as riding. Emily has always been anxious around animals, even dogs. With Wendy’s horses she has found calm, and a chance to learn to love and be loved. She has found a friend too: another rider often works with her and helps her, and Wendy is clearly moved when she sees the two of them together.

Wendy is also very responsible. Every lesson has a clear plan, and even when she is away, everything is arranged ahead of time. She is always watching over every rider and every horse, ready to help. One day, when a rider was half an hour late, I could see how deeply worried she was, until she knew everyone was safe.

Wendy doesn’t run her place like a business. She runs it from the heart. We don’t feel like customers; we feel like friends, almost part of a big family, with gatherings and parties together. I am so grateful that Emily gets to spend her time with Wendy and her horses.”

— Andy, Emily’s dad