Change Up
Create what's next
Pat Watts ~ Equine Therapy Champion
If you met me, you’d soon find that I’m a total left-brainer. After years as a professional in a range of industries, my 21 years in financial services is where I felt most comfortable because numbers are black and white. No gray answers.
I’m also very driven to be productive, never one to relax. One day after retiring, I read about The Prancing Horse, an accredited therapeutic riding center which provides riding lessons and horsemanship services to special needs individuals in the newspaper. I was drawn to it, as I had always supported equine rescue. However, I wasn’t sure what therapeutic riding was or what it was like to work with special needs individuals. But they had management needs and more importantly, there was a purpose and camaraderie at Prancing Horse, and soon I made friends and special memories there.
One special story I love is about a young man in his last year of public school at age 22. Until then, he was pretty warehoused - not involved in sports or social outlets until his current guardians focused on improving his quality of life. We ran into each other in a local mall, and he was very excited when he saw me. I was shocked that he even knew who I was; I’m pretty good at feeling invisible myself sometimes. It sounds silly, but it gave me a true sense of recognition. A sweet, silly moment, but one that gives a person the sense of awareness that even the smallest gesture can result in the happiness of another.
I believe in the spirit and benefits of what Prancing Horse does for so many people and am on a quest with others to make it the nonprofit organization of choice in our area. In September 2022, I assumed the Executive Director role, and after a very challenging start with major staff and horse turnover, we were ready again within 90 days with a stellar staff, a fantastic group of volunteers, new horses and date, a 70 percent growth in students. We also saw about 160 veterans come through our Freedom Reins program in 2023.
What’s ahead? One area of focus is a program for seniors – a bold initiative as we embark on our 40th anniversary of service. And more than that to come. And I’m backing that up here…in black and white.
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