help us help others
STaRS depends on donations, grants and volunteer time. We exist both for the community, and because of the community. Our donors and volunteers are crucial to our success.
Maria’s Story
Maria joined the STaRS program in 2019, after falling in love with horses and therapeutic riding as a child in Southlands. In her riding career with STaRS, Maria has been able to ride with almost every instructor, including Megan, Sue, Penelope, Ruth, and now with Charlotte!
Maria loves getting outside, especially when the weather is warm and enjoys the freedom that riding provides. She also likes the opportunity to exercise in her lessons and finds that riding helps her work on her core strength, balance, posture, leg position, and technical riding skills.
When she first joined STaRS, Maria rode Teddy and loved giving Teddy cuddles. Maria now rides Austin and particularly enjoys it when Austin gets going with a forward walk! She also likes spending time with Austin before and after her ride, feeding, brushing, and leading Austin. Maria finds that her lessons with Austin go by too fast!
Thank you very much to Maria for sharing your story and journey with us!
Simone’s Story
When I first joined the STARS program, I was really excited, but also very nervous, since I had not been on a horse since I was really little, and horseback riding was still a brand-new sport to me. I decided to take it up again after watching my favourite show on CBC, Heartland.
When I met Gail, Ruth, Susan and Sally I instantly felt comfortable. They were very patient with me and really encouraging, which definitely made me feel more confident. Susan and Sally were amazing side walkers and Gail and Ruth were amazing teachers.
I was excited to see Lexi every single day and give her some carrots as an extra treat after practice. I felt like Lexi knew I was anxious, and that’s why she was so calm when I was mounting her for the first time, which I was nervous about doing. Once I got on Lexi, I felt so comfortable and relaxed. She was such a great horse and riding her instantly made my anxiety go away and my everyday worries. I’m so glad that I got paired with her.
I felt so calm in the STARS environment, and everyone was so incredibly supportive and patient with me, which I couldn’t be more grateful for. I’m so glad that this program exists, and I will continue to support it for a very, very long time and everyone involved.
Krystyna’s Story
My ongoing journey with Southlands Therapeutic has made an indelible impression on the way I view my now ‘altered’ life. It has changed from seeing things as a glass half empty to a glass half full.
In 2018 I experienced two major losses simultaneously. One was the loss of my horse and the other being the partial loss of sight. Emotionally and mentally I was very unstable and lacked all confidence necessary to deal with my usual activities or social situations.
When I joined the Stars Program I suddenly felt as though I could breath again. The healing was about to begin. I was teamed up with people who were caring and honestly sincere about helping me experience a rewarding and gratifying change in myself. A change that my friends and doctors noticed immediately.
Ruth, who is responsible for my riding advancements and overall personal progress gives me the most insightful instruction and guidance, custom tweaked specifically for my capabilities and adeptness. With every lesson she allows me to rediscover my confidence again. Susan, our team horse leader ensures that everything is carried through with the utmost of safety, logic and soundness. A wonderful wing person to have on all rides and during every exercise. And the true Stars of course are each and every horse.
My first leg up into wonderland was on the wise and wonderful Austin. He was instrumental in building back my self-assurance and trust. With every visit our bonding and mutual understanding with one another had such a positive impact on my state of mind and well-being. Recognizing these improvements, Stars gave me the opportunity to grow further with another horse, a lovely black beauty called Echo. In addition to her genuine charm and willingness to communicate she also allows me to pass on all of my stored up love and affection and happily gives it right back.
When I first started the Stars Program Ruth sent me a cartoon of a rider entering the stable with a dark cloud over her head and then the cloud disappears once rider and horse are united. Today, I look forward to every lesson because it makes me feel vibrant and alive. No clouds.
That’s the magic of Stars.
Forester’s Story
Forester has been riding with STaRS for 2 years and his favorite pony to ride is Pirate. Forester is so happy, calm, and engaged when he’s riding Pirate. Ruth (STaRS Instructor) and Susan (STaRS Volunteer Coordinator) support Forester’s riding and are so caring and enthusiastic. We’re all so thrilled to see Forester confidently riding Pirate, and telling him to “Walk On”! Forester speaks very few words because of his disability, but he communicates with Pirate in ways we will never fully understand.
It’s so incredible to see Forester’s affection for Pirate. He touches him so gently and talks to him with a big smile. They have a genuine connection that is unlike anything else. Feeding Pirate his apples and carrots after a ride is always fun for Forester!
Forester’s family says, “it is a real gift to Forester and to our whole family to have this opportunity”. We feel it is a huge gift to have Forester in our program.
Mia’s Story
Mia has been riding with STARS since just before she turned 3 years old. She’s now almost 13!
She started out with the one and only Becca Bear and could barely get her little legs around Becca’s round sides! Mia has had a chance to ride most of the STARS horses over the years but her favourite is Teddy. Mia and Teddy have been riding together for years and even got to compete together! She has also had so many wonderful STARS instructors, from Megan at the very beginning to Sera now.
We have been so lucky to have STARS and all the wonderful volunteers. Physically, mentally and emotionally, therapeutic riding has made Mia so much stronger. Her ability to walk with a walker and her ability to recover so well from major hip surgery is because she’s been able to ride.
As soon as she is on her horse, her posture changes and her confidence shines through. She has some big para-equestrian hopes and dreams and we are all so grateful to have STARS and the team at Maynard’s as she works towards those dreams. The farm is Mia’s happy place and she looks forward to every visit and every ride.
Kaiya’s Story
Kaiya is a 15-year-old, active girl who has Down Syndrome, and Autism. She acknowledges she has diversities but refuses to let them define her. She is in Grade 9 at Kitsilano Secondary School where she does a modified academic program with 1:1 Support. She loves Horseback Riding and has been riding with STaRS for many years.
During the pandemic, there have been many changes to her schooling and supportive therapies which have required her to adapt to constantly changing schedules, which is not an easy task for her. After a 3-month break due to Covid restrictions, she was able to return to her weekly sessions with STaRS.
Through the STaRS Program, Kaiya is learning so much about her own emotions and skills for self-regulation. With coaching from her STaRS instructor Sera, she has become more connected to the horse’s emotions, is learning how to motivate, encourage and reassure him, and how to apply self-calming strategies to enable herself to remain in charge. We have seen her generalize these skills to her everyday life where her awareness of the impact of her own emotions on others has significantly increased. We have seen so much growth in her patience, empathy and understanding of those around her, and her increasing ability to self-regulate has resulted in more opportunities and confidence to socialize with others. In addition to her emotional growth, she is developing her independent riding skills for which she can set goals and is so proud.
Kaiya says, “I love that I am learning how to trot, and how to get my horse Austin to do things when he is feeling stubborn. I am learning how to encourage him. I look forward to seeing Austin every week.”
We are so proud of Kaiya and so grateful to the STaRS Program and the excellent skills of her STaRS instructor. Sera can understand Kaiya’s specific learning needs, make the lesson fun, and break down the tasks into manageable learning steps. STaRS teaches Kaiya how to have a “Can Do” attitude to challenges which is transferable to her everyday life.
Thank You Sera, Emily and STaRS. We are so grateful.
Denise, Kevin and Kaiya.
STaRS is very proud to celebrate differing strengths, talents and abilities! Here is a page to showcase stories, videos, creativity, art from our participants. If you are a STaRS participant and want to contribute to the page, please send an email to stars@ponies.ca.
Our instructors might also use this page to share activities, tips and other fun info geared towards their students!
Horse Trivia & Learning
Keep learning about horses in-between your lessons!