Emilie Raaymakers- May 2011

 

I am writing this letter because I wanted to thank everyone at PARD for all they have done, I have recently graduated from PARD, but plan to volunteer forever, and maybe someday become an instructor.

 

My name is Emilie Raaymakers; I started riding at PARD when I was around seven years old, a few years after I was diagnosed with epilepsy, I am now 14 and seizure free. After I knew I had epilepsy I was a little bit scared and insecure because I was afraid of what people might think of me, but PARD changed all of that for me, it gave me confidence, courage and independence I never thought I could have.

 

I went from riding the Halflinger/Welsh Cross Pony "Robbie", to "Bail" the Quarter horse to one of my favourites NuBuck (but shhh …I’m not supposed to have favourites), in between riding Robbie, Bail and NuBuck I have ridden almost all of the horses PARD has had, and I loved it. Along with the horses there are so many people I would like to thank. I would like to thank the volunteers of PARD because if we didn’t have the volunteers none of this would have been possible. I would also like to thank the instructors I have been lucky enough to have, they are Laura Smith, Linda Hubbord, Karla Faig, Kathy Carruthers and Wendy Ireland. I would like to give special thanks Kathy because of her dedication to PARD she has taught me so much from grooming and tacking to living my dream of jumping and I am so excited because I know that this is just the beginning. I would also like to thank Tracy Magee-Graham and Chantal Dufour they are a big part of PARD.

 

Honestly I don’t know where I would be without the amazing experience I had at PARD. So to me my epilepsy was a blessing in disguise because if I wasn’t diagnosed with epilepsy I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to make a dream of mine reality. PARD has changed my life in no ways imaginable, and I can’t thank everyone (including the horses) enough for it, but I hope this letter helps to show how great-full I am to have had the experience, thank you so much! I am currently riding at Wendon Hills Equestrian Centre with Wendy Ireland as my coach, but I wouldn’t be there without the help of PARD. So thank you to everyone. Love, Emilie.