Project R.I.D.E. Inc. » Testimonials

The Teacher Has Never Seen Her So Confident

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:02:10 +0000

“I knew [Project R.I.D.E.] meant a lot to my daughter and she always looked forward to it but when I just plain forgot to take her to her lesson last Friday, I really understood the impact of her not going. She was so upset when I missed that day and she gave the school office grief, her teacher grief, it was just crazy. After I explained to her what happened, I asked her why she was still so upset.

She said, ‘Mommy, that’s really important and when I go there, no one makes fun of me for being slow or forgetting what I’m supposed to do, and I just like it over there with the horses and Ms. Marissa and Ms. Emily and all of the volunteers are really nice too’. I talked with her a little more and assured her that we would not miss any remaining lessons.

She went on to stand in front of the class and say a speech—-A SPEECH!! The teacher said that she did great and that she might get to read her speech at her 6th grade Promotion. She’s always so shy when it came to things like that. The teacher said he’s never seen her so confident. I am really so very proud of [my daughter] and I just hope we can give back as much as you have given us.

Just thank you so much, you really do make a difference!

~Gina B

Addendum
Excerpt from Shelbi’s Graduation Speech
I get to ride horses now at a place called Project Ride. I learn about them, how to take care of them, how to make them walk the way I want. I’m in control of them. Moonie and Samantha are beautiful like me and Bubba and Benny are the biggest and handsome too. I look forward to riding them each Friday. I have way more confidence now. I know I can do anything. When I grow up I want to be a singer, or a doctor, or a veterinarian, or a teacher like Ms. Emily. Ms. Emily teaches kids with disabilities like me to not be afraid and be confident and strong when we ride and take care of the horses. It made me brave enough to say my speech in front of the whole class and all of you.

I’m Making a Real Difference

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 17:51:05 +0000

I definitely feel as though I have made a difference for the people I have served. The kids always look forward to coming to Project R.I.D.E., and without the volunteers, they would not be able to come and ride the horses. While here, the kids can have fun and can feel almost normal. They can also have lessons and exercises that help them with their disability, whether it is a physical one or a mental disability. Doing this work makes me feel good about myself, and I feel as though I’m making a real difference.

Kelsey P
High School Student

I Loved Volunteering with Project R.I.D.E.

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 16:59:23 +0000

I loved volunteering with Project R.I.D.E. I enjoyed working with each child, and everyone was very nice to work with. It’s great to see the growth within each child when they come here and to know that I had some part in it.

Rayna S.
CSUS Child Development student

It Was Priceless

admin — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:50:13 +0000

It was a very rewarding experience, I enjoyed each and every day and I met many new friendly people. Most of all I saw the growth of the students over the weeks and the excitement in their eyes when they arrived. It was priceless.
~Amanda S.
Child Development Student

It Opened up My Eyes

admin — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:48:08 +0000

Coming into this experience, I was only concerned with completing my hours for class. However, even after my first experience of volunteering it opened up my eyes to a whole new way of looking and appreciating things. The staff and students were so warm and welcoming, I am sincerely grateful and thankful for my time at Project R.I.D.E.
~anon

The Kids Are Amazing!

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:00:20 +0000

I would like to thank you for the opportunity you have given me with Project R.I.D.E. Friday afternoons are something I look forward to. Not only do I get to help out with several volunteers who are as enthusiastic as I am, but the kids are amazing! I haven’t had this much fun in a long time. They are simply spectacular, and I am so grateful that you came to our class and offered us the opportunity to be part of a volunteer project that makes a difference in the world.

Chris M – Sacramento State Student

The wheelchair is left behind while they ride off into the sunset

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:59:55 +0000

My personal therapist weighs 1,250 lbs. and is twenty years old. His name is Okie and he is my horse. Horses are, and have always been, a major part of my life. Some of my earliest memories as a child involve horses and I can not recall a time when they were not incorporated in some way. Okie is my personal therapist because he is there to listen to my troubles and allows me to vent without passing any judgment. I know the healing power a horse has, but I did not know I could help others connect with horses.

When I discovered I still had service hours I needed to complete, I wondered what I could do to serve others and still do something I love. Luckily, the solution was only twenty minutes away in Elk Grove, California. My grandfather had told me about Project R.I.D.E., Inc., a therapeutic horseback riding center located about five minutes away from his ranch. I thought this would be the perfect place for me to volunteer. I dedicated the month of June to working there, and I thought that would be the end of my time with Project R.I.D.E.. Little did I know how much Project R.I.D.E. would change my point of view.

Albert giving 'Tory' a bath

The students vary in age and come from different backgrounds with different disabilities. There is one common thing that each rider has; they all love to ride. Outside of the arena, some students are confined to wheelchairs and can barely control their own movements. However, there are no boundaries once they are on a horse. Their faithful steeds take them wherever they want to go and they go from a three-foot wheelchair to a six-foot horse. The riders’ transformations are amazing. One moment they are quietly sitting in a wheelchair and the next they are barely able to contain their joy as their horse takes off on a trot. Most of the students are quiet but you can hear their laughter from across the arena. For forty-five minutes a week, they are not handicapped. The wheelchair is left behind while they ride off into the sunset on their faithful companion.

I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have been able to work with such wonderful children. I only thought I would be working there for the month of June. However, I volunteer there on a regular basis and tell everyone I know to volunteer their time there. Being there has put my life into perspective. If these children who have been dealt a difficult hand can take their disabilities in stride, why am I different? They are my inspiration and help me break down my own barriers, like they have broken theirs.

After every session, each child has a giant smile their face can barely hold. I am familiar with that smile because it is the smile I have whenever I have a personal session with my own four-legged therapist.

Albert D
High School Senior

Editor’s Note: Albert submitted this essay as part of his college application. He was accepted into every college he applied and credits his volunteer service at Project R.I.D.E. with his success. We wish him the best as he prepares to begin his college career – and hope he will return to us as an instructor one day!

The Magic of Learning and Having Fun at the Same Time

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:16:28 +0000

To whom it may concern,
Hello, my name is Andrew Odle and I am a full-time undergraduate student at CSUS. I was first introduced to Project R.I.D.E. through a volunteering opportunity presented in my Genetics course last semester. The purpose of this volunteer opportunity is to allow students to better understand genetic diseases that are being lectured on in class. What better way to learn about the disease than actually being able to see firsthand what the disease does. At first I was very apprehensive and uncomfortable with the idea that I would be in an environment that I had never been in before. I had neither understood nor been around others with special needs. However, I was immediately attracted to the idea of helping others who have been faced with challenging lives and I decided to volunteer at Project R.I.D.E. I accepted this opportunity without realizing that it would change my life immensely.
I began volunteering at Project R.I.D.E. last semester and I was completely caught off guard by how amazing the entire program was. As soon as I walked into the barn I realized that I had no feelings of discomfort or apprehension. Instead, the students and staff accepted me as if I were family. I volunteered weekly and found that as each week passed, I loved Project R.I.D.E. more and more. I started to develop strong friendships with the staff and students. I even had a mother of a student tell me that she would change her schedule in order to bring her daughter the same day of the week that I volunteered. I could not believe how special this program was. I cannot say that I have seen any other place quite like Project R.I.D.E. The care and love that each staff/volunteer brought and the smile that it put on the students faces is something that has changed my life.
I have since completed my Genetics course; however, I still continue to volunteer at Project R.I.D.E. I have made such strong friendships with the staff/volunteers and especially the children that I feel there is no way that I could leave. I look forward to volunteering at Project R.I.D.E. and see it as the highlight of my week. I am thrilled that I have found something so meaningful and special to be a part of. Since becoming a volunteer I have continued to learn more and more about myself as well. I have become a leader and I am now involved with not only getting the horse out of the stall, but I am also responsible for leading the horse while the student is riding. I have developed strong leadership skills that I might not have known I possessed if I had not been given the opportunity by Project R.I.D.E. I can also say that I now have a completely new outlook on people with special needs. I have a new comfort and understanding of the challenges that they face. I attribute and thank Project R.I.D.E. for allowing me to not only learn more about people with special needs, but also for allowing me to learn more about my own strengths.
Project R.I.D.E. has been much of a benefit for myself, however, more importantly it has been a benefit for the children that I have met throughout my volunteering. Watching the smiles that each child makes, and observing a child learning something new as he or she rides is something much more meaningful to me. The children look forward to experiencing the magic of learning and having fun at the same time. It’s the experience the children get through Project R.I.D.E. and the ability it has to touch the lives of the students that makes the program special.
I write to you to implore that you reconsider how you view Project R.I.D.E. This program is something much more than just “riding horses”. It is something that reaches out much further than the ring of the barn. It not only changes the lives of the students and family involved, but also changes the lives of people like me. I have been blessed to be a part of project R.I.D.E. and I hope that future students will have the chance to follow in my path. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,

Andrew O
CSUS student

One of the most valuable and rewarding experiences I have had

admin — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:28:14 +0000

This is one of the most valuable, and rewarding experiences I have had through my college education. Prior to entering the program I was apprehensive about working with developmentally disabled children as I had no experience with them. I was afraid, nervous of their defects to be honest, their unpredictability and my inability to help them. To make matters worse I’ve never worked with a horse and was scared of their size and power. Those fears instantly vanished the moment I held hands with my first rider, a special child from the Jessie Baker School. I knew that everything was going to be fine as a surge of energy appeared between the two of us and a magical bond was formed. In a few short weeks at Project R.I.D.E. my appreciation of these children grew exponentially, I love the staff, the horses and the especially children with whom I work. I’ve been presented with such a unique opportunity to befriend the kids and meet the amazing people who run such a wonderful program. I’ve begun to formulate myself into a leader and now am trained to lead horses during lessons and I love every minute of it. This unique program made me step out of my comfort and realize how amazing these children truly are. This is such a valuable program and what it does to the volunteers and children is invaluable, it gives such a rewarding experience and teaches so many lessons and allows the children to connect in ways not typically possible. All of this comes from the wonderful program that is Project RIDE.

-Michael M
CSUS student

The highlight of their week

admin — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:45:23 +0000

You can hear the excitement in their voices before they round the corner. Their eyes bright, their hands folded warmly in those of a trusted friend, they fidget anxiously as they await their turn to mount. Will I get to ride the big horse today? Will I get to trot? Can we go outside?

This is the highlight of their week. They have been behaving in class, they have worked their hardest on their homework, they have been wondering if they will get to play “dress your sidewalker” or basketball or the boot-matching game this week.

What have they been waiting for? The chance to be free for a few minutes.

Free from the limitations of a body that doesn’t cooperate; free from a metal chair; free from curious or pitying stares; free from competition and derision from peers. Free atop a moving marvel of power and grace, their own personal steed who responds to their commands and bends its mighty head for them to pet.

Project R.I.D.E. benefits many people in the Elk Grove community. From volunteer organizations at 10 district schools to dedicated individuals ranging from young children to retirees, our program represents a volunteer opportunity that affords a rare mix of contact with animals and children as well as an environment that is refreshing, revitalizing and as therapeutic for volunteers as it is for the children we serve.

But I address the Elk Grove Unified School District today, not on behalf of the several thousand volunteers that I oversee in my position over the course of a year, not on behalf of the adult assisted-living programs which send their clients here to learn job skills while volunteering, not on behalf of our small staff and all-volunteer Board of Directors. I am asking Dr. Ladd, Mr. Lugg and their colleagues to reconsider continuing thethirty year partnership between Project R.I.D.E. and the Elk Grove Unified School District on behalf of the children of Jessie Baker school.

Limited by special needs, low incomes and a high proportion of foster and group care situations at home, these children are among the most vulnerable of all the students this district serves. They have very few real opportunities for recreation and absolutely none that equal the pride and self-esteem they build on horseback. They cannot speak for themselves and so I am compelled to say on their behalf: Please do not eliminate funding for our program.

Sincerely,

Marisa DeSalles

Project R.I.D.E. Volunteer Coordinator

Valley High School Class of 1991

Parent of an entering Kindergartner in the Elk Grove Unified School District