Team Ronai

Empowerment is exactly the word that explains the work done at JHTR! You have to take it from me - if you haven't seen it for your self!

The horses truly empower the rider. In an otherwise uncommunicative rider, the change that occurs when they are on the horse is truly miraculous! Regardless of age, injury, birth defect or situation, I haven't seen a single individual who was not helped by the horse and instruction at JHTR. Lest one thinks it is recreational, I can relieve you of that misconception! It is serious therapy. Often times, a rider will come to JHTR after trying other types of therapy, I have personally not seen a single individual who did not benefit from the equine based therapy at JHTR. One hundred one muscles of the rider work when riding a horse. This is sometimes the closest a rider will come to what it feels like to walk. Sometimes riding will awaken the muscle memory of walking for a stroke victim or a traumatic brain injury. The compassion and sensitivity of a horse is sometimes the best way to reach a person with Alzheimers or Autism. The many situations are just too numerous to mention here, but suffice it to say, I believe extremely strongly that horses can help more than a host of issues. I believe it was Sir Winston Churchill who said "there is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man" (human). He was not wrong! I have seen people helped by just being with a horse, touching a horse!

For these reasons (and more) I have decided to become a team captain for this years most important fundraiser benefiting Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding!! We all have numerous requests every year for donations for everything under the sun. I respectfully request that this, the year of our confinement, you will each give what you can! There are numerous ways to participate and I encourage each of you to visit the website and register for the event. As you will see, lots of ways to participate including our virtual auction. The live auction has some great items trips, original works of art, very high quality rugs from the east and pearls from the south seas, and much, much more (review on the website). We will have the horse sponsorships and a time for a straight donation! Just in case! The live virtual event is August 6 a Thursday evening, at 6pm MDT We can "zoom" it together! Virtual event - Virtual party!

I have been involved with this event for all of its 18 years. Because I have seen what happens with my own eyes, I highly recommend this very worthy cause!

I personally appreciate every attempt made by my friends and family to make this event our biggest success yet for this extremely worthwhile cause.