SPIRIT Board of Directors

  • Louise Peterson, President
  • Hedy Glenn, Vice President, Treasurer
  • Leslie Painter, Secretary
  • Gibson McMahon, Officer
  • Julia Scoville, Officer
  • Counselors: Colleen Zanin, Whitney Fitzgerald
  • Program Director : Davorka Suvak

MEET THE SPIRIT TEAM

The riders are certainly a treasured part of the SPIRIT family. Please meet our SPIRITed Riders on their own page.

Teamwork is the very heart of SPIRIT. Each team member (staff and , volunteers, horses, riders and their families) both contributes to and benefits from participation and we are blessed to have such a dedicated and enthusiastic team.

It is hard to name all wonderful people who helped to set up SPIRIT, with an enormous amount of time, energy or other help and support, but SPIRIT will be always thankful to:

  • Ramsey Pavitt
  • Kate White
  • Whitney Fitzgerald
  • Hedy Glen
  • Richard Smith
  • Sam and Theresa Grant
  • Courtney King White
  • Washington Forrest Foundation
  • Bacas Family Foundation
  • Miriam Tsantes
  • Mary Tartaglione
  • Laura and Stuart Mendelsohn

and to all other volunteers, supporters and donors.

VOLUNTEERS

SPIRIT could not exist without the support of a large and dedicated corps of volunteers, many of whom contribute exceptional life experience and special skills. There are too many volunteers to profile on this page, and the numbers are growing, so we will salute each in this space over time.

For volunteer Angela Bandemehr, here is what SPIRIT means: "As the parent of a special needs child, I find that I haven't had a chance to give back to the community until now. Helping others gives me the strength to keep helping my own family. I do it for the smiles on the children's faces and, admittedly, because I'm addicted to the smell and feel of horses. :)"

For Jeff, "the smiles on the riders' faces once they are on a horse" is also what keeps him coming back to SPIRIT. "I came to SPIRIT along with a friend who had volunteered at a previous therapeutic riding program. I continue to volunteer with SPIRIT because I enjoy working with the horses, helping people" and those smiles.

HORSES

Spirit

Each of SPIRIT's three mounts has been carefully selected based on health, size and temperament and each has joined SPIRIT through donation or rescue. Memory of friends who are not with us anymore...

Spirit, first one, a founding member of the SPIRIT team and namesake for this organization. Spirit is free in field after first year of hard work.

We also remember other horses who have moved on but were key members of SPIRIT: Louie (Leader of the Band), a Morgan gelding and Angel, a TB mare, Anastasia aka Annie a Welsh pony mare.

Infiniti

Pine Oaks Infiniti, known simply as "T", joined SPIRIT in late Summer 2007, thanks to the generosity of her former owner, Courtney White, who has since become an active and indispensable member of the SPIRIT team and board.

T is a Morgan mare, with all the excellence of her breed, a high level of training and a great temperament for our riders.

Colby Dylan

Colby Dylan is a nice palomino gelding with the constitution of a real Andalusian and some Appaloosa spots on his coat. He is a strong, patient "gentle giant" who is providing safe and beneficial experience for our riders.

Spirit II Spirit II Virginia pony mare, young and spirited but reliable in therapy with little ones.She replaced Spirit with her shape color and attitude, so we renamed her from her orignial name Solara to Spirit II

Larissa Larissa Para-equestrian, sweet and honest Morgan mare was born in 1984. She is in great shape and makes us proud. She is living history of Para-equestrian, together with her owner Ms. Wendy Shugol. We are proud to have them in our team.

Tess Tess, Percheron/TB mare is a gentle giant of our herd. She can take care of riders of all sizes and levels of ability. Hew size and patience makes her special for all, volunteers and riders as well. She is sh, but honest and noble.

Shadow

Mare Shadow Trakhener/Arab who we sometime borrow from Leslie, her owner,who is an instructor in training. Harmony

And Harmony is a cute pony mare who fits with the youngest riders at SPIRIT, as mountor grooming model.

SPIRIT

Open Equestrian Program Inc. is a nationally recognized, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides therapeutic, equestrian-related activities to children and adults of all abilities. Meet ourSPIRITed Riders, their parents, and see what program means to them. We did it with help of special people, Spirit's friends. All nice words of riders and parents, all smiles and small victories, belong to them...

Thank You, Spirit's Friends!

The SPIRIT Team and families are thankful for all the help that we receive. Please help us to keep on going.

Find out what's new with Spirit

Visit Spirit Blog and see what is new, or leave a comment....

WISH LIST

  • Tree removal service for dangerous tree which can destroy our barn in case of strong wind
  • Crushed stone or stone dust for our dry lot (to cover 20 x 32 yards of field
  • Our horses need a lot of hay for this winter. Can you help us buy it?