Help a friend out — Equine Therapy

there’s a girl I know who I met when I was stationed in Great Lakes… she’s a pretty cool girl (she helped me move when I got to Virginia!!!)  and I would love to be a fly on the wall for a majority of the things she goes through, she’s very witty, and I’d say friendly — but the stories she tells prove otherwise — to the people she doesn’t know – or that try to mess with her.

anyways, Amanda is getting out of the Navy soon (lucky) and is about to start an Equine Therapy Ranch… however, she needs funding – read about it and then go help her out!!!

 

Thanks! 🙂

 

Here’s Amanda’s story from her GoFundMe page:

Everyone has a dream. Unfortunately, when you grow up, you realize dreams cost more than just good intentions and desire. Currently, I’m serving in the military, due to get out next July or possibly earlier thanks to an injury – there goes that dream.

Now I’ve found a new dream. It’ll be a minute before I get it up and running, but I’m starting off at the bottom. Ultimately, the plan is to get a equine therapy program up and running, specializing in rehab therapy for Wounded Warrior Programs, other veterans, people with PTSD and other mental health concerns. It will also include programs for the Special Olympics, and therapy for children, including ADHD, depression, autism, etc. I’m even hoping to be able for it to be a foster home, and an work with rescue awareness with the animals I intend to have for the programs. I know that in order to succeed at this, I’ll need the right property (The second picture is the one I have my eye on in Vermont), tools and people to help out. That’s the ultimate purpose – the non-profit side of it. In order to continually support this idea, I plan on grants and business partners (I’m sure most people aren’t surprised to find lower tier enlisted military make barely minimum wage), and having what people have started calling “adult summer camp”. The business end of it that would support the charity work are things like: trail rides, riding lessons, horse boarding, vacation cabins, skiing…it will also be some place I hope groups like Venture Crew, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will be able to come for space and wilderness experience. There will be home grown vegetables and fruits from the gardens and the orchards, signature foods and drinks (I’m hoping for a vineyard), etc. I have staff, trainers and even maintenance people all lined up. This is the ultimate goal – but not where I’m at now. I’m starting off low down on wish list, which is why I have this posting.

I currently need, and will need in the future, a horse trailer. One, for people who plan on boarding at the facility. Two, to take people to various trail heads at the National Parks in the area (like the Green Mountains and White Mountains). The third reason is so I can use my time now to getting money together for the property, employees, and horses by renting it out to people in the area who can’t afford one on their own. I live near highly horse populated areas – Gloucester County and Virginia Beach, and I know from experience there’s only two people who rent trailers nearby (and by nearby, I mean within 50 miles), and they charge $100 a day, plus gas. I’m hoping to start off with less than that and build a customer base that will start me towards the farm.

Amanda has some great plans already and though this is in the early stages, I’m sure those plans will become a reality with time and some financial help. If you’d like to learn more about some of the specific plans she has, and see some pictures of what she has in mind, check out the White Cardinal Farm Facebook Page. If this seems like something you’d like to support, please ‘like’ the Facebook page and head over to the GoFundMe webpage and donate what you can, every little bit helps get her closer to making this dream a reality.