TESTIMONIAL
Jackie is a wonderful blessed young man with lots of energy. He has always had a great love for horses. In 2010 he got hurt and had Traumatic Brain Injury. Took about 6 months to get him back to walking and moving around, eating by himself, and being able to let us know what he wanted to do. He still does not talk much at all. But as a mother watching him ride horses and work at rodeos before the TBI. First year he rode rodeo circuit he was Rookie of Year. But his love was not just rodeo it was the love he had for horses. I thought he'll never ride anymore. But after getting him involved with Lisa and SHARE Therapeutic Riding Program I could see the horse world coming back. For these few years of riding with Lisa Jackie rides and enjoys it greatly. He helps her with many things, and she encourages him to do more each time. He will check their hoofs, has tried some roping just sitting still horseback. He is having FUN! The excitement in his eyes is proof he's doing what he enjoys. And I'm so grateful and blessed because SHARE is in our lifestyle now.
Joy Shirley
TESTIMONIAL
I am so thankful for the Share Therapeutic Program! My son, Nicholas, was born at 26 weeks, and he had a Grade IV brain bleed. This resulted in Hydrocephalus where he has two shunts in his brain to drain the extra fluid off. This caused him to have Cerebral Palsy, seizure disorder, and developmental delays. He thrives so much from riding horses as it helps his muscle tone. He was in a program several years back, but unfortunately, they no longer serve ages 21 and up. It’s taken several years to find a program that promotes physical therapy and not just mental. We finally found the Share Therapeutic Program which has been a God-send. We have to drive 130 miles round trip to get to this program because there’s not another one close to us that works with the physical side. However, it is well worth the drive because not only is Nicholas learning to trail ride, but he is now learning to guide the horse with his movements because he is nonverbal. The program is AWESOME, and we want to continue as long as we can. Along with the trip, we also must pay part of the charge for each lesson. We do appreciate the needed scholarship as it helps with expenses. Again, I am thankful for the SHARE THERAPEUTIC RIDING PROGRAM!!
In HIS Care,
Mary Kendrick
Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me.”
Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees, you’re in the perfect position to pray.
TESTIMONIAL
I am beyond blessed to be a part of such an amazing team that makes up SHARE Therapeutic riding. I have been serving wherever I am needed in the program for the past 6 years, and I have loved every aspect of the riding program. Back in 2019, Lisa Hartman, who is our fearless and amazing leader, was able to get some of the riders in to compete in their first ever Special Olympics equestrian competition. In preparation for this, I was asked to become certified to be one of the coaches. We traveled to Aiken, S.C. for the event, and it was an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life. Looking back to when I first started volunteering with SHARE, I had the thought process that just maybe I could be a blessing in one of the rider's lives. I quickly realized though that the riders in the program are more of a blessing in my life than what I think I ever could be in their life. They are such an inspiration, and I would encourage anyone to come volunteer with SHARE and experience the blessings and joy I have experienced the past 6 years. To give a little bit of my backstory, I thought I would share how the Lord brought Roany into my life. I actually did not even start riding until my senior year of high school back in 2012. During most of high school, I struggled with an eating disorder and high anxiety followed with depression. I was put on medicine to help with the anxiety, but honestly it just felt like a band-aid at the time because it didn't actually fix what I was struggling with. As I started to be a healthy weight again and my anxiety was getting slightly better with being on the medicine, God opened the door for me to start taking riding lessons. It didn't take me long and I was hooked. I learned early on that horses know when we are anxious, and because I did not want the horse to feed off my anxiety; I had to learn how to handle my emotions so the horse I was riding would feel more at peace. As I continued to ride, my anxiety lessened and my medicine was reduced and eventually I was able to come off of it. I had been riding for about 2 years, and in the process fell in love with a horse named Roany. He was 9 at the time, and he also had high anxiety. I think we clicked so well because we were both struggling with the same thing. We had to learn to trust each other even when we were anxious. I loved Roany so much, but he was more than what I could afford. The crazy thing was I wasn't scared because I could feel God's peace whisper to me that no matter what the outcome would be to just trust Him and that it was all part of His plan. I never thought I would ever have a horse until I could afford to have one on my own because that's what my parents had always told me. So, I started working and trying my best to save money and just hope and pray that no one would buy Roany in the meantime. It was coming up on my 21st birthday. Unknowingly to me though, Roany's price had been reduced and there was a guy interested in buying him. Unknowingly to me, my parents were discussing the idea of possibly surprising me with Roany for my birthday. They discussed it and decided to do it, so they called his owner at the time and worked everything out. Later though, I was told that 2 minutes after my mom finished speaking with his previous owner that the other guy interested in Roany called wanting to buy Him. I constantly look back on that, and I am just amazed at how God worked it all out, and that it ended up being exactly part of His great plan. Roany was just the beginning though. To be this light and to share God’s love, it will take all living souls. God has called in this form of discipleship to go out into the world to reach the lost and the broken. There are so many ways we can love our neighbors, and through the eyes of a horse is just one of the many ways God has laid on my heart on how horses are vessels that can be used to plant seeds in other people's lives. Seeds of God's agape, unconventional love. He has also shown me that in walking in this path we can't do it alone tools God has equipped us with. So, I encourage you to just step out and walk in God's calling for your life and let Him write the story of your life. You never know where He might take you, but I can promise you this that His plan is far greater than we could ever think or imagine. Keep pressing on!
With love,
Christy Robinson
