Victory Gallop has made such an impact on all 3 of my boys
Let me start off by saying congrats to Victory Gallop for their 25th year anniversary. Victory Gallop has made such an impact on all 3 of my boys. I am a single mom and do my best to do everything I can for them. Without the donations and grants from all the sponsors my boys would miss out on the benefits of riding. Victory Gallop has changed so much in my boy’s lives.
My oldest son has been ridding for almost 7 years. He has grown so much since he started. Kim and Sue are amazing people Marquis would not talk to them much when he first started but now, he will hold conversations with both of them. He has gained so much in life just by ridding and being around the horses and volunteers. I think his confidence has gotten so much better because of the riding, he is proud when gets the trophies at the end of a session because it gives him a sense of accomplishment.
Then there is my middle son Mareon, he does not ride anymore, but he did for about 5 years. When he was younger, he was very hyper and could not control himself at times. While he rode, he learned to be calm and not scare the horses. Then that carried over even now with the rest of life, learning how to be clam in other situations.
Dakari is my youngest, he has very severe ADHD. This session is his very first time riding and he loves it. I am hoping that while he learns things about the horses, he also learns how to use self-control. He does a lot of doing things without thinking and I hope that being at the farm will help him learn to complete task and stay focused.
The Victory Gallop Story
We are so excited that 2020 marks Victory Gallop’s 25th anniversary!
In 1995, we founded Victory Gallop with 1 rider, 3 horses, and a desire to support the community in a way that hadn’t yet been done. Other riding programs existed, but none were serving children with emotional and behavioral disabilities and/or life-threatening illnesses. To include more of the community in our efforts, we started visiting children at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital – not with Petie or Willie Nelson – but in a 2-person horse costume known as Victor E. Gallop! By the end of our first year, we had 13 riders, and in just two short years, we were teaching lessons to 50 children a week! From the start, Victory Gallop has been located on the same property where it stands today, but it looked much different. The current barn, arena, and pastures did not exist; lessons took place in the yard where the playground is now. As our number of riders and horses grew (from 3 to 8!), our programs evolved to support our riders in new ways. We took our riders to horse shows and on field trips. For their families, we held weekly support groups. Pistol Pete, better known as Petie, started making trips to Akron Children’s Hospital and was the first horse in the country to visit patients. Now, 25 years later, our dream has become a reality. We have 75 riders come to the farm each week and take lessons on 10 amazing horses with the help of our dedicated volunteers – some of whom were Victory Gallop riders in our early days. The goal of the program has always been to achieve maximum therapeutic benefits such as increased social skills, the ability to complete tasks, improve one’s self-esteem, and build confidence in a safe and caring environment. In addition to riding lessons, we continue to engage our riders in many ways, including our newest program, Victory Athletics, where riders receive personal training to enhance their level of fitness and learn a healthier lifestyle. Additionally, we offer non-riding camps, fun days, and holiday parties. We’ve given over 7,500 lessons, made countless trips to Akron Children’s Hospital and Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, and, most importantly, fostered a strong community where our riders thrive. After 25 years of growth, one thing remains constant – our commitment to supporting our riders. We hope your commitment to Victory Gallop remains constant, as well. Your generous donation will help us continue our legacy and allow us to make a difference in the lives of the children we serve.Thank you for your support,
Sue and Kim,
Victory Gallop has been such a blessing to me and my family.
Victory Gallop has been such a blessing to me and my family. The diagnosis of our daughter’s exceptionality came right after major changes in our family’s life. Finding Victory Gallop, came at an important time for our daughter. After meeting everyone and applying for financial aid we cried when we found out that our daughter would be accepted at Victory Gallop. After a rocky start on the horse, her instructor Kim, worked to calmed my daughter down. It was an amazing interaction between horse, rider, and instructor. Jayla has not been the same since. She went through major mental growth from that point on. Within a couple of months her confidence grew. From removing training wheels from her bike, to moving into a full-size mountain bike. She learned that if she could control her horse, Tugs, there was no reason that she couldn’t control her bike. Since lesson one, she has learned not to be afraid to try new things. This includes, skate boarding, the desire to ride trick bikes, and recently finding a love for archery.
The interaction my other older daughter has had with Sue, Kim, Kelly and Maria has moved me as well. My other daughter started volunteering at Victory Gallop, which gave her a purpose in life. She would come home on Saturday mornings and brag about a little boy she worked with. I also have tried to jump in when I can. It might be as simple as picking up a broom or helping at fundraisers, but the desire to help when I can is so overwhelming. Victory Gallop has not only touched both my daughters, but they have touched our entire family.
