Mini horses, violins, yachts and more. On the eve of Give Miami Day on Nov. 17, at one of the oldest yacht clubs in the Southeast, the horse crazy community in South Florida giddied up to raise more than $40k for therapeutic horse-back riding and equine assisted scholarships for children and veterans with disabilities.
The dockside fundraiser featured a conversation with NY Times Reporter and critically acclaimed author and avid equestrian Sarah Maslin Nir who shared excerpts from her headline making autobiography, Horse Crazy which takes a high-spirited gallop into the reasons why so many people are horse-obsessed and how ponies and horses have the unique ability to transform the lives of those with disabilities through equine therapy.
The evening also celebrated the new partnership between Give Back for Special Equestrians with Whispering Manes Therapeutic Riding Center in Miami’s horse country. Give Back for Special Equestrians is an all volunteer non profit that provides therapeutic horseback riding scholarships for disabled children and veterans in Florida and New York. To-date, the organization has raised in excess of $240k for children and veterans to experience horse power that heals.
About Give Back for Special Equestrians
Founded by Sissy DeMaria-Koehne with Dr. Heather Kuhl and Isabel Ernst in 2013 aims to share the joy of horses and horsemanship for those facing some of life’s most difficult challenges. Give back provides therapeutic horseback riding and equine-assisted scholarships for disabled children and veterans through its stable partners, including Whispering Manes, throughout Florida and New York. Recognizing the typical challenges to additional funding and a need for financial stability among the partner therapeutic centers, GBSE was founded. Support is provided primarily through direct scholarships for children and veterans, allowing the centers to focus on providing access to this life-changing therapy regardless of their riders’ abilities to pay. Give Back for Special Equestrians believes in the concept of “horse sense” and the importance of nurturing young equestrians in the value of giving back.
About Whispering Manes Therapeutic Riding Center
Whispering Manes Therapeutic Riding Center is a 501©(3), non-profit riding center located in the heart of Miami-Dade County offering horseback riding and therapeutic horsemanship classes for people with physical, cognitive and physical disabilities. Whispering Manes serves a community that would otherwise not have access to equine-assisted activities. Participants are able to interact with horses through mounted and un-mounted activities while being supervised by PATH-certified professionals. The program aims to promote improvements in core and overall muscle strength, balance, gross and fine motor skills, and communication skills. Additionally, participants frequently achieve a sense of self-accomplishment and self-esteem that is promoted by the powerful bond between humans and horses.
