Partner Stories
1.
I write in support of Brady Therapeutic Riding and the very positive impact they have had on foster youth. For the past year SFCASA has partnered with Brady Riding to offer therapeutic riding lessons to foster youth who have experienced trauma. Eight children have participated in lessons and gained much needed body awareness, self-control, self-esteem and mindfulness from the lessons provided by Brady Riding.
I’d like to share the story of one young lady who has been deeply impacted by her time at Brady Riding. Her name has been changed to protect confidentiality.
Jacquelyn is a twelve year old girl who has been in and out of the foster care system since she was seven. She’s smart and talented, receiving good grades in school and playing both in the band and on the basketball team.
A few years after reunifying with her family for the first time, Jacquelyn’s brother suddenly passed away. The tragedy rocked the already unsteady environment in her home, and she re-entered care. Her CASA Simone helped Jacquelyn connect with Brady Riding and therapeutic riding lessons. While she started out unsure of the program, after spending just one afternoon grooming the horses and learning about them, she was in love.
After weeks of classes, she is up to cantering lessons, can ride bareback, and most importantly has found tranquility in the experience. The staff at the facility, who specialize in working with children, have reflected that Jacquelyn has grown exponentially in her time there. She works hard to care for each horse, is eager to complete tasks, and absolutely lights up when she rides. Riding lessons and volunteering at Brady Therapeutic riding is the only activity Jacquelyn participates in outside of school.
Before her CASA introduced her to equine therapy, Jacquelyn’s severe and prolonged experience with trauma and neglect made her shut down emotionally. She was resistant to new experiences, and wasn’t able to engage with services designed to help her. After her experience working with the horses, and for the first time in years, she is open to more traditional forms of therapy, she is speaking up for herself more, and her true self is able to emerge. Jacqueline has grown into a leadership role at Brady Riding, giving her the opportunity to gain leadership skills, improve her communication skills, build self-esteem by helping others and most importantly to build desperately needed community.
Partner of Brady
2.
I am writing in support of Brady Riding, the non-profit therapeutic riding group which has been operating at 1 Zoo Road, at the back of the zoo property.
When I heard of the exceptional therapeutic riding sessions available at this location, I was delighted, much relieved as a parent that it would supply an answer to an urgent need, and I was admittedly quite impressed that you had made this space for such a positive and powerful program on zoo property. As you may have heard, there are a great number of children and adults with developmental disabilities and physical limitations in San Francisco and its environs in great need of this specific type of therapeutic treatment/services. Many persons with this need are not only limited physically, but also are difficult to rehabilitate due to their reticence to cooperate daily with treatment. This is my son James’ greatest obstacle to receiving therapies he needs. Office-centered physical therapy is only as effective as its home program, and persons with this type of disability are almost always unwilling to participate in their home programming. Another obstacle has been that these important services are typically only available an hour or two away from the City and outrageously priced. Children in this City do not drive themselves to therapies, and the only existing City, State, and County supported services provide transportation services only within the City and County of San Francisco.
We have and continue to participate in the family-based education and support we have enjoyed from/at the San Francisco Zoo for many years, with easily accessible bus and other transportation services. Accessibility was perhaps the kindest and most generous gift the zoo has presented to our family, especially when my son received his first sessions at Brady Riding program. James’ posture has changed from curved over the front of his ribs to more upright, and within three sessions he was beginning to hold his head above his shoulders instead of over his stomach. The program is remarkably effective for him and the results are more lasting than office therapies.
We live local to the zoo, and have always considered it a blessing to be only a mile from you. Your location, vision of protection, respect and benefit to animals and their environment, and education all match well with the goals and vision of Brady Riding – protection and benefit to animals, rehabilitation of innocents, education, and environment. It’s a good match, and I believe, worthy of your efforts to reach a mutual agreement with Brady to continue. This agreement would confer hope and health to your community.
There are children in the City whose lives will be forever changed due to this extraordinary therapy program. Bottom line is that the need is great here in San Francisco for an urban therapeutic riding program.
Partner of Brady
3.
To whom it may concern,
I wanted to wholeheartedly endorse and write a letter of support for the Brady Therapeutic Riding Program.
Over the last year and a half, I have served as the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for a five-year-old youth in the foster system, and have also supported her biological mother and siblings (aged 2 and 12). This family has experienced tremendous trauma after being exposed to repeated domestic violence, and having to abruptly vacate their homes about a dozen times in the last year. These events and moves have significantly disrupted the family’s community, home, and school lives, and the youth have had minimal opportunities to engage in supportive, safe, and fun extracurricular activities.
In August 2022, SF CASA began sponsoring therapeutic riding classes for the entire family at Brady Therapeutic Riding. Within the first lesson, the kids learned to safely communicate through words and body language, groomed the animals, and rode the horses. At no other time have I seen the family so uninhibited and joyful as when they are at the program. Importantly, Brady Riding has provided a safe, consistent place where the family can leave behind any stresses and focus wholeheartedly on being kids.
The Brady program director Sarah Meakin has been patient, welcoming, and empowering for the entire family. She has taught both of the young girls how to effectively and directly communicate, exude confidence and comfort in new situations, and to develop trusting, healthy relationship, with animals and volunteers alike. One of the siblings in particular was withdrawn and reserved, but over the course of lessons I have seen a remarkable change in her confidence, posture, and demeanor around others. She has grown to be a more assertive, vocal, and trusting youth. Sarah has also welcomed and supported the mother, providing a space where she is free of the judgment and fear (which she has felt from many other providers), she can build a healing relationship with animals and nature, and is able to observe her children’s unbridled joy.
I have seen the family receive and engage with countless therapeutic, social, and other services. I can confidently say that their experience at Brady has been the single most impactful, uplifting, and positive force of change in their lives in this last difficult year. Since August, there hasn’t been a single instance that I have spoken or met with the family where they haven’t delightedly recounted their lessons, or expressed enthusiasm for a future meeting with Sarah and the horses.
I hope that you can appreciate the immensely positive impact that the Brady Therapeutic Riding team has had on this family, and undoubtedly many others.
Warmly,
A Friends of Brady
4.
Hi,
I just wanted to write to share how much “M” loved reading to the ponies when you took them to the stables. Both he and “V” enjoyed taking care of the horses and ponies, and while “V” was thrilled to ride the horse after taking care of them, “M” enjoyed using one of his skills (reading) to interact with the ponies, as he was too anxious to get on a horse to ride. We hope they’ll get another chance with their equine friends!
Warmly
Friend of Brady