Thanks to Ariat International Ariat International, five deserving volunteers at equine charities across the United States receive an Ariat Gift Card, valued at $270, for a pair of Ariat Boots each quarter. Ariat International sponsors the EQUUS Foundation Champions program, which aims to stimulate and reward volunteerism on behalf of horses.
The EQUUS Foundation would like to congratulate the winners for the third quarter of 2024: Michele Brown, Ginger Houghton, Josh Ketchum, Amelia Krebs, and Tracie Shannon. The EQUUS Foundation is grateful for volunteers like these who dedicate their time to keeping horses safe and healthy and aiding the charities and horses that serve people in need.
Josh Ketchum
Ride On St. Louis (ROSL)
Kimmswick, Missouri
Josh Ketchum started volunteering at Ride on St. Louis in 2011 when he was 17. “I wanted to work with horses and was drawn to ROSL because they worked with at-risk youth and people with special needs,” said Ketchum.
Ketchum is part of our Barn Buddies program that teaches vocational skills and professional accountability in the equine environment, benefiting people who have struggles with health and maintaining a job or entering the workforce.
“I have faced a lot of obstacles in my life. I know that I would not be able to hold a job or face my health challenges without ROSL.” As of this writing, Ketchum is in the hospital fighting a chronic illness.
You are not alone, Josh. We are all thinking of you and thank you!
Please feel free to email your words of encouragement to Josh at josh@rideonstl.org.
Michele Brown
Unbridled Sanctuary
Greenville, NY
Michele Brown has been a volunteer with Unbridled Sanctuary for four years. She has always been involved in animal care, but never had experience with horses.
“Finding and volunteering at Unbridled has brought so much joy in my life,” said Brown. “I love connecting with the horses and being in their presence. I will always been in awe over their beauty and feel truly blessed!”
Ginger Houghton
Serenity Oaks Equine Sanctuary
Plymouth, Michigan
“I was drawn to Serenity Oaks Equine Sanctuary after many years of being away from horses while building a family, a career, and a business,” said Houghton. During COVID, by chance, Houghton crossed paths with Nicole Paige, the Founder and Director of Serenity Oaks Equine Sanctuary.
Houghton, a therapist and owner of Bright Spot Counseling in nearby Farmington Hills, volunteers and partners with the sanctuary to provide healing experiences with horses. “It’s been such an incredible experience to see how much the horses and humans have grown while we’ve been building the therapy program at Serenity Oaks. I love that the sanctuary helps horses find a new purpose.”
Amelia Krebs
Chesapeake Therapeutic Riding (CTR)
Abington, Maryland
When Amelia (Amy) Krebs was growing up, she would help feed her grandfather’s Percherons. As a pediatric physical therapist, and certified for Hippotherapy, a treatment technique using the horse’s movement for people with physical and intellectual challenges, she worked with CTR to develop their Hippotherapy program.
Now retired, Krebs continues to volunteer at CTR, especially on CTR’s “Saturday Spa Days” where the horses receive extra grooming and love. Krebs also volunteers for unmounted programs serving Veteran groups and other agencies.
Tracie Shannon
The Equus Effect
Sharon, Connecticut
Horses have held a special place in Shannon’s heart since she began riding at age six. Her passion led her to work as a veterinary technician, accompanying vets on farm calls. In 2005, she became certified in equine bodywork and energy work to provide more hands-on care.
Moved by the profound impact horses had on her own life, Shannon felt a calling to support veterans, first responders and frontline workers and began volunteering with The Equus Effect in 2013 as a volunteer horse handler. She recognized that horses, with their natural sensitivity to human emotions, provide honest, non-judgmental feedback that cultivates self-awareness and emotional resilience.
Shannon has since advanced to senior facilitator, guiding veterans and first responders through somatic and experiential equine-assisted learning in weekly, monthly and 2-day pilot programs.
“These experiences with horses equip participants with tools to reconnect with themselves, their families, and their communities, while fostering the strength and compassion needed to navigate trauma and stress,” said Shannon.
Learn more about Champions here
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ABOUT EQUUS FOUNDATION: The EQUUS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 2002, is the only national animal welfare charity in the United States 100% dedicated to protecting America’s horses from peril and strengthening the bond between people and horses. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Contact the EQUUS Foundation, Inc., at 168 Long Lots Road, Westport, CT 06880, (203) 259-1550, mail@equusfoundation.org, Website: equusfoundation.org.
ABOUT ARIAT INTERNATIONAL: Ariat International, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of innovative performance equestrian footwear, apparel and belts. Featuring a patented technology designed to deliver stability, durability and comfort, Ariat pioneered the application of advanced athletic shoe technology into English riding boots and authentic Western boots. Ariat products are sold in a network of retail outlets throughout the world. For more information about Ariat products or for the Ariat retailer nearest you, contact Ariat at 800.899.8141 or visit ariat.com.
Media Contact:
Lynn Coakley
mail@equusfoundation.org
203-259-1550