Hinchinbrook Farm is always looking for new volunteers who like to work with children, with horses or both! We also have some places for people who would like to work on therapeutic riding skills with adults who have mental or physical challenges. Here are some of the current 40 volunteers who call us their Tribe.
Nikki (Nicole) Ali is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Dalhousie University. Se already has degrees in Sociology, Applied Psychology a
nd Elementary Education. After completing her PhD she would like to use her education and experiences to work as an autism specialist. Her current research involves the study of sleep issues and neurodevelopmental disorders. Her interest in the world of autism started with working with a girl with autism about five years ago and since then she has been seizing every opportunity to work with other wonderful children on the spectrum. In summer 2013, Nikki went to New Trails in Texas to train with Rupert Isaacson learning the Horse Boy Method™. Nikki is on the Board of the Society.
Elizabeth Bhagan has been a rider since early 2015 and became a volunteer in 2017. Her main mount is Dandy and she can now train others how to lunge and groom the horses.
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Mary Bhagan is a mom and pharmacist/owner at Kinley Drug Co. Ltd in Lunenburg. She sponsored Hinchinbrook Farm long before she came onto the Board of Directors from 2016 to 2017. Although less involved, Mary is pleased to help out when needed and at special events.
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Brianne Boudreau has been a regular volunteer since early 2016. She helps with lessons, is a regular at the Horse Boy play dates and will do any of the chores that pile up quickly with 12 critters at the farm. Brianne is a student at Parkview and a favorite mentor to all the horse boy families. Extra bonus: She rides like a dream!
Lucrecia Castillo hails from Ontario but has travelled the world and settled in Blockhouse. Lucrecia came to the farm in 2014 to critter sit and stayed to volunteer for a couple of months. We were very happy when Lucrecia returned to the area and immediately signed up to volunteer again. Lucrecia helps on Wednesdays and makes delicious nutritious snacks for the Horse Boy play dates. Lucrecia has another life as a permaculture enthusiast. She sets up the Farmer’s Markets and loans her expertise and energies to tree lot farmers.
Stephanie Chipman is a mom with two awesome daughters and who works hard for the Bridgewater Elementary school; but since 2016 Stephanie has found Tuesday mornings to help riders and to do chores at the Farm as well as helping at some playdates. Stephanie signs up to help out at special events too and is a great resource for parents when she shares her insights and solutions. Stephanie owns “Quietude Polly” whois sister to our Delilah. Stephanie is a member of “Bluenosers Who Care”, a local group that provided funding of the 2017 summer camp.
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Carolyn Collicutt, the President of the Hinchinbrook Farm Society, is a mom who has served on the Board since 2011. She came to HF in 2008 through First Steps Intervention and is a founding member of the Society (in 2010). She has created a resource list for special needs families and arranges special visits by local resources such as the RCMP, Search and Rescue Canine and EHS ambulances at play dates. Carolyn is also a leader with the local Sea Cadets and the Scouts.
Jaime Collicutt started at Hinchinbrook Farm as a rider when she was just eight years old, and we were just starting up. At 16 Jaime still rides but also volunteers at Horse Boy Play Dates and events. Jaime is in grade 10 at Parkview and has been a sea cadet for several years. Her organizing skills are very welcome in a tack room that gets tossed after just one lesson!
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Gordon Cook has finished serving our country in the most prestigious form, and now he enjoys calling Nova Scotia his home. Gordon has prior experiences of mucking doots, grooming and lunging horses in his past, however, now he finds himself learning the ropes of therapeutic horseback riding as well. Gordon enjoys Dandy’s grumpy moods and the stubbornness both he and Jazzmin hold while he lunges them. Gordon promptly fixes fences and gates, leads the horses during therapeutic lessons and enjoys sneaking Dandy onto the front lawn where he can enjoy some grass – only without equipment and during their leisure time though!
Megan Daniels is a new mom and an aspiring therapeutic riding instructor and has been volunteering with Hinchinbrook Farm since 2014. Megan has travelled to Horse Boy Central in Elgin Texas. She was raised around and with horses and still competes while working as a care assistant. Megan’s goal is to work in therapeutic riding. She is an amazing asset to all the volunteers. She is always ready to share her horse knowledge.
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Peter de Vries lends his time and energy both on the Board of Directors and at the lessons and events. Peter travels from Liverpool where he has settled in to retirement from a career in medical writing. This makes Peter a great resource for information too. Peter has taken on some poster making and event photographer work for the farm. He comes faithfully to Tuesday lessons and fills in for other volunteers when needed. He has also been known to do a few chores around the Farm.
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David Friendly joined Hinchinbrook Farm Society as the grant writer and fund raiser in 2013. He took over as our Webmaster in April 2014. After a career in the oil industry as a safety and emergency response professional, David and his wife relocated to Lunenburg to take in the quality of life the area offered to retired people looking to stay active. David has volunteered over recent years with the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Society and the Lunenburg Doc Fest. He is a former trumpet player and currently band leader for the Mahone Bay Legion Swing Band and plays flugelhorn in the Chester Brass Band. David has been Technical Director for the South Shore Players and Producer for several productions. He also created the slide show used in the Summer Troupe production of Glimpses and produced the official DVD of the show in 2017. In addition to our web site, David manages the sites for the Mahone Bay Legion Swing Band and The Bluenose Opera House Syndicated Radio Show. A former hobby was leading groups to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. It had a brief re-emergence in 2012 when he took a group of 15, mostly from Lunenburg County, on their ‘trip of a lifetime’ for their own private tour of Ecuador and chartered yacht excursion in the Galápagos. While living in Calgary, David made a point of taking a 3-day horse trip into the Rockies at least once a year. He likes the fact that, at Hinchinbrook, he will be able to keep a link with these gentle creatures.
Denise Humphrey joined HFS as a volunteer in March 2017 and comes to both play dates and lessons.
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Barbara Janes A couple of years ago Barb was dropping off her daughter Isabelle Stewart to volunteer and now she volunteers herself on Wednesdays, Saturdays and most events. Barb owns a B&B and brings her skills and wisdom to the farm and families. She also is a fab cook and brings her delicious dishes fuelling the busy ones with energy.
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Marilyn Jones is an enthusiastic student of all things to do with horses as she is drawn to Hinchinbrook farm due to her interest in the help that therapeutic riding lessons provide for special needs families. Marilyn has kept her lifelong love of horses a secret, regardless that one prior personality test revealed that she should become a farmer. Although Marilyn does not always love the goats, Rosie and Sissy, Dandy holds a special place in her heart and Delilah’s beauty will never cease to inspire her to continue to explore her love for these beautiful 1200-pound friends.
Roze McDormand has been riding at the Farm since 2012 and is now old enough to volunteer. She was the main subject in a documentary that was filmed at the Farm in the summer of 2016. Roze served as a member of the Board in 2017.
Hunter Parks: Hi my name is Hunter, I am a student at Bluenose Academy and enjoy dance, music and volunteering. I started riding at Hinchinbrook in 2015 and started volunteering in 2018. I am looking forward to doing more volunteering at HFS!
Carol Rolfe-Higney is a mother to 2 boys, one grandson and 1 stepson. In June 2018 she will be retiring from 36 years of nursing. She and husband Mark will be moving into their cottage on Indian Lake. Her goal then will be to find that healthy balance between volunteering and caring for herself, her family and her aging parents. Working with youth and being around animals have always been a major part of her life. She is grateful to have the opportunity to provide support at the farm and to receive so much back from the gifts that children and animals often provide. This picture captured one of her happy moments with Mark and her late horse, Babe.
was a very young volunteer from when she first came to Hinchinbrook Farm with her brother in August 2007 and every August since. She lives in Connecticut. Lauren is a natural equestrian and kept “horsing around” in the States, building her abilities with horses to an unofficial grand prix level in 2014 at 14 years of age. Lauren has a younger brother with ASD and wants to use horses and nature in therapy for kids in her future career plans. She traveled to Horse Boy Texas to train with Rupert Isaacson and volunteer at their Horse Boy Camp in 2014. She is everywhere for every child all the time when volunteering at the Farm.
Cicely Smith is a student at Dalhousie University, majoring in sociology and social anthropology with a double minor in law and society and psychology. Cicely wishes to join the school of Social Work in 2018. Cicely began volunteering in the spring of 2016 and found herself with Canadian Summer Student job grants both the summer of 2016 and 2017. Cicely learns new facts and creates memories with the horses of Hinchinbrook as often as possible. Cicely thinks that the goats, Rosie and Sissy, are enough fun and stubbornness for a lifetime. Although bonding with horses comes relatively new, she finds herself attached to the mysteriousness that links her and Delilah, and to the softness that holds her to eating lunch with Silverbell in her stall.
Amy Sparks (our vet at South Shore Veterinary Services) came on the Board of Directors in 2014 and is now the Secretary of the Board. As Secretary she keeps the minutes, schedules the meetings, deals with NS Joint Stocks submissions and is a resource for all the activities the farm takes on. Amy holds informational workshops for the volunteers and friends of the farm about caring for horses and dogs. She often brings her agility dogs to visit the kids. Amy also helps with the training regime at the farm and keeps our friends at the Vet Clinic up to date and involved in the farm’s fund raising activities.
came to Volunteer in the Spring of 2015. She is a student at Park View Education Centre in Bridgewater. She has been busy building fences, cleaning stalls and equipment; and she spends a lot of time mentoring at Horse Boy. Isabelle is an independent worker and has an eye for the next thing on the list — which is a gift when lots of kids are taking off in different directions. Isabelle would like to be a vet or therapeutic riding instructor. She loves riding horses and taking care of them. Isabelle says: “I love volunteering at Hinchinbrook Farms because of the amazing people I have met and volunteered with; being with people who love working with animals and kids as much as I do; and helping kids have fun and stay healthy and active at the same time.”
Pam Wentzell-McDormand started coming to Horse Boy and bringing her kids for lessons in 2012. Pam is a great cake and pastry maker, bringing special treats to birthdays and events. She joined the Board of Directors as Vice President in 2016 and helps with special events. Pam is a Waldorf and homeschooling mom. Her daughter Roze has been riding at the farm since 2012.
Gillian Wu volunteers Thursdays, May through October while staying at her Liverpool home. She winters at her other home in Toronto. Gillian is a retired dean and researcher, and is a wealth of information (so every one asks Gil). Coming since mid 2015 to the farm she takes care of the horses and facility, helps riders, works at special events and at group visits. Before coming to Hinchinbrook Farm, Gillian was not a horse person but she is quickly chalking up experience.