Letter of Support for Brady Therapeutic Riding Program 

January 17, 2023 

To whom it may concern, 

My name is Nitzan Koppel, and 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 One of the siblings in particular was withdrawn and reserved, but over the course of lessons I have seen a remarkable change in her  confidence, posture, and demeanor around others.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,  

Nitzan Koppel