Testimonials

Last year, we enrolled our then 14-year-old Johnny in the Sky Riding LI program, and we could not be happier with the results! Born with a heart defect, John suffered a stroke in infancy which resulted in some permanent cognitive damage. Thankfully, the stroke did not affect his physical abilities, but his verbal and communication skills were badly affected. Growing up, we noticed that Johnny interacted and bonded very easily with animals of all types, and we thought that enrolling him in Sky Riding’s Equine Therapy program would be a positive experience for him. Boy, were we ever right about that! Nancy, his instructor, does not let him get away with just nodding or shrugging replies at her; she makes him speak up and requires him to answer with more than just a monosyllabic “Yes” or “No.” In addition to speaking more easily with both his peers and his new human friends at the barn, I have observed him showing a great deal of affection for all the horses, and have watched as he talks quietly to them while tacking or untacking them. Of course, John has also learned quite a bit about his new sport, and is gaining knowledge and skill weekly. It has been a pure pleasure to watch his improvement over the past year, and we are all looking forward to seeing him compete in his first show this coming Spring.

Thank you Nancy, Shelley, Karen, Christa, Larissa  and everybody over at Sky Riding LI, for your caring work with our special children.
Jennifer Wiegand, Smithtown, NY

“The drive is worth it! “

“Parkview Riding Center is a great find. The owner gave us a warm welcome. My daughter rode in an uncrowded indoor ring as I sat in a heated viewing area that was complete with bathrooms and vending machines. I could see that Nancy was appreciated and welcome. I encourage you to try it out. It is worth the extra miles!”

Debra Saum