Megan and Empire reunite

Megan was upset when she couldn’t ride back in 2020 because of the pandemic. She has developmental disabilities and understanding the need to distance was difficult to comprehend. She missed the horses, her instructor and her friends.

Megan, now in her twenties, had been riding at Fieldstone weekly since she was six. To stay connected, her parents, Jim and Katy, drove her through the parking lot for the chance to see one of the horses sticking their heads out of their stall window or grazing in the pasture.

When we began reopening, Megan was thrilled to come back and see Winni, her longtime instructor, and other familiar faces at the barn. Riding Empire, her favorite horse, is a highlight. The two have developed a bond over the years, to the extent that Empire makes an eager whinny or paw whenever she approaches his stall.

The horses at Fieldstone have helped Megan gain strength, focus and confidence as she has improved her riding skills over the years.

Megan and the students in her class have become close over the years joining together for a “supper club,” and attending each other’s birthdays and graduation celebrations.

Megan is not the only family member with ties to the farm. Her dad, Jim, is President of the Board. And her mom, Katy, sister, Hayley, and brother, Jimmy, all volunteered over the years. Fieldstone is a family-affair.