When planning her retirement from a lengthy and fulfilling career as a librarian with the Vancouver Public Library, Susan wanted to find volunteer work that combined her love of working with people of all ages and her love of horses. An article in the newspaper about therapeutic riding in Langley led her to search for something similar closer to home. She was thrilled to discover STaRS and signed up right after retirement.

Her horse experience was limited to a couple of years of riding lessons as a young teen so she started as a sidewalker, moved on to horse leading, and then decided to take riding lessons herself. That led to a few years of leasing a horse as well as riding school horses at Maynard’s Pony Meadows and Pinecrest while taking lessons from Megan McDonald, Robyn Hunt, and Ainsley Ma.

Equally rewarding was taking natural horsemanship lessons from Jo Carr for two years – doing liberty work with horses has been one of the highlights of her life.

One of the greatest honours of Susan’s life was winning the 2014 Rhonda Davies Outstanding Volunteer Award from the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association. When not down at the barn, Susan spends her time in her garden, with friends and dogs (including teaching dog obedience classes), doing various crafts, and baking.

STaRS and Pony Meadows have been a large and rewarding part of Susan’s retirement and she is happy to be taking on the role of Volunteer Coordinator.