updated June 4, 2020
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 48 volunteers who call us their Tribe.
Alexia Armato is originally from Montreal and moved out East for school. She has a brother with down syndrome who would accompany her to the barn sometimes to play with her horse, Meeka. Around the same time as she got her mare, she started learning about Natural Horsemanship, and her interest in therapeutic riding and the horse-human connection grew! “I’m really looking forward to learning from everyone and being apart of this amazing team.”
Elizabeth Bhagan
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!
Juliana Boyd joined the Hinchinbrook volunteer team in 2020. Juliana is married and lives in Halifax with four children, a cat and a dog. Juliana also owns 2 horses. She grew up in PEI on a small farm and was lucky enough to have ponies to ride from a very young age. She attended Pony Club, obtaining her C2 level before she went off to university to become a nurse. Juliana’s first nursing job was at the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre. There she cared for patients with brain injuries, strokes, amputations and many more physical and cognitive challenges. Six years ago, Juliana had to retire from nursing to care for her busy household. But then was able to get back into horseback riding when two of her children showed an interest. Juliana is currently working toward obtaining her NCCP license in order to become a riding instructor. “I absolutely love horses but especially what they can do for people and I want to be able to share that with others.” Her background is in show jumping and eventing but she also thoroughly enjoys groundwork and many other aspects of life with horses. “Thank you to Hinchinbrook Farm for the opportunity to learn from and participate in a fantastic program!
Kristian Burrows lives on the South Shore and is very grateful to be a part of this amazing volunteer family! She has worked in many domains from owning her own business in the skincare industry, producing TV commercials, caregiving, personal trainer/nutritional coach and one of her favourite career choices was being a resource counsellor for adults with special abilities. Kristian is very curious and tries to live life to the fullest with a positive attitude of encouragement. Kristian is finishing up a reflexology certification to start her own practice as she believes self-healing is something everyone can benefit from. “As an avid equestrian for over 40 years I believe whole heartedly that horses have a magical ability to enhance the lives of people.”
Pauline Cameron grew up in Halifax and recently moved to Riverport district, where she spends her time teaching English as a second language and writing music for fun. She has worked alongside children and youth for over ten years, and has had an outsider’s curiosity about horses for longer, so the volunteer opportunity at Hinchinbrook Farm felt perfectly timed with her arrival in the area. Previous volunteer experiences include Halifax Public Libraries (English Language Learning), the SPCA (Christmas treat sales) and community radio. Pauline became a volunteer in November 2019.
Lily Carrigan Lily became a volunteer in 2020 within days of her 14th birthday. She is familiar with Hinchinbrook from her summer experiences taking lessons when here from California. When stranded in Nova Scotia by COVID-19, Lily decided to join the volunteer crew.
Stephanie Chipman has been volunteering at Hinchinbrook Farm since 2016. “Tuesday morning has been my regular spot and I really enjoy the time with clients and the critters. It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of the “magic” that happens there.” Her daughter Charlotte is a rider in Hinchinbrook’s therapeutic riding program. They enjoy riding so much that in 2019 they moved to their own horse farm in Hebb’s Cross and own 4 horses, including Buddy who retired from Hinchinbrook’s program last year. Stephanie is currently working on starting a pony club for kids at their farm and enjoying life as a wife, mother and grandmother. She loves learning new things every day about horses and farm life.
Carolyn Collicutt, the Past President of the Hinchinbrook Farm Society, is a mom who served on the Board from 2011 to 2019. 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. Jaime still rides but also volunteers at Horse Boy Play Dates and events. Jaime graduated from Parkview and has been a sea cadet for several years. She is now our paid summer student camp assistant. 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-Garber 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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Cheryl Dyer hails from Cape Breton Island and began volunteering at the farm in 2018. Returning to Maders Cove after living overseas for many years she felt a need to help out in her community and Hinchinbrook Farm was just the right fit. A farmer at heart, she loves helping out in the barn mucking out stalls and taking care of the horses and is happy to pitch in when needed with lessons and Horse Boy play dates.
Steve Dyer is a retired Oil & Gas Professional having spent nearly half of his 30 year career working overseas. Steve loves boating and fishing at every opportunity. A home handyman by nature, Steve helps out around Hinchinbrook with the facilities projects and repairs. A zip-line enthusiast, Steve regularly volunteers to support this activity. He is Cheryl Dyer’s number one supporter, and typically supplies coffee and donuts on Thursday afternoons.
Morgan Flemming has been riding horses since 2009 and purchased her horse Cobalt in 2012. She is an aspiring therapeutic riding instructor and has been volunteering with Hinchinbrook since July 2020. When Morgan is not at the farm she works at the Chester Basin Animal Hospital. She is continually expanding her equine knowledge through workshops and courses; and her riding skills through trying new types of riding including hunter/jumper, voltige, gymkhana, trail riding and mounted archery.
David Friendly joined Hinchinbrook Farm Society as the grant writer in 2013. He took over as our Webmaster in April 2014 and Bookkeeper in 2015. 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, were he also saves as Treasurer. David has been Sound Director for the South Shore Players and Producer for several shows. He also created the slide show used in the Summer Troupe production of Glimpses and produced the official DVD of the show in 2017. 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.
James Godsall
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Sebastian Haumering began volunteering at Hinchinbrook Farm as a Grade 9 student at Bluenose Academy in September 2017. He will be completing his high school education at Parkview Education Centre in Bridgewater. Sebastian is a skier, mountain biker and junior firefighter with the Lunenburg Fire Department. He is planning on becoming a paramedic and work for life-flight air ambulance.
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Kaitlyn Harris
Nick Hume is a former rider who is now old enough to volunteer. He is especially helpful with our Middle Level Connect Centre program with the Regional Centre for Education.
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.
Kéla Laroque joined the Board of Directors in 2018 and immediately volunteered to take over as Treasurer. Kéla was a volunteer from 2013-2015 then took time away to study and get her MPT at Dalhousie U. Now she is a very busy Physical Therapist in Bridgewater. Kéla helps with horses, children and activities at Horse Boy Playdates and at special events. She is also known by the tribe for her homemade baking. Kéla is a life long equestrian and hopes to start training in Hippotherapy.
Claudia Loferer
Meredith MacLeod
Lexie Mawhinney became a volunteer in November 2019. She grew up in Lunenburg Nova Scotia. Lexie is currently learning online, taking a Bachelor of Science (Major in Biology) in the Pre-Vet Stream at the University of Prince Edward Island. She really enjoys working with the horses and children. “Gaining experience is my ultimate goal. All my experiences at Hinchinbrook Farm have been so great.”
Sarah McCarthy is a psychology student at St. Mary’s University with the hopes of becoming a clinical social worker. Her mother Kathryn told Sarah about Hinchinbrook Farm, and she has been a steady volunteer since the summer of 2018. Sarah was certified at the Movement Course 1 & 2 in July of that year. Sarah is a budding horsewoman and picking up routines because she has volunteered 3 full days a week all summer long. She will continue learning about the Horse Boy Method throughout her formal education with the dream of incorporating the two and becoming an Equine-Assisted Therapist.
Devin McDow-Reeves is a former rider who is now old enough to volunteer. Devin joined the volunteer team at Hinchinbrook Farm in the summer of 2020. She enjoys working with the children who come and take part in the Horseboy Playdates. Devin loves all animals and has six pets of her own; three dogs and three birds. She plans to continue her work with children as a future early childhood educator.
Patricia McGill is the Program Director at Hinchinbrook Farm, but works many hours as a volunteer to ensure that the whole facility functions well. She was originally certified under the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA) and worked to help them develop some of their processes and standards. She also worked with Horse Boy World™ in the United States as they developed their unique equine therapy methods and brought their approach, as well as their new “Movement Method” program to Nova Scotia. She is currently a member of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH International). Patty has also accumulated a huge knowledge, through her experiences and research, into many mental health issues, especially in children, such as ASD.
Erin Murphy joined Hinchinbrook as a volunteer in August 2020. She recently moved from Alberta where she was working as a pottery teacher for kids and adults. When she isn’t hanging out with the horses, you can find her in her studio making pottery, outside rock climbing, or up to some kind of adventure. She does all of her adventuring with her furry sidekick “Kane”.
Bruce Parks joined the Board of Directors in 2018. He lives in Lunenburg with his wife Jennifer and son Hunter, who has has been attending therapeutic riding at Hinchinbrook Farm since 2015. Bruce works full-time as a Paramedic with Emergency Health Services Nova Scotia and is also a fire inspector and assistant emergency coordinator for the Town of Lunenburg.
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!” Hunter is especially helpful in tack cleaning and unhooking zip liners at the end of their run.
Terese Silver has been an employee of the South Shore Regional Centre of Education for 23 years and spent many of those years trying to help find ways to meet the educational needs of the students outside the classroom setting. She began getting involved with Hinchinbrook farm while bringing participating students from the Middle Level Connect Centre (MLCC) and saw first hand what a difference a farm visit made in their day. Terese felt that she needed to become more involved and act as an advocate for both the farm and the student participants.
Kerenza Verburg is a Medical Sciences student at Dalhousie University. She is also a part-time dance instructor, and of course a volunteer at Hinchinbrook Farm. She started volunteering at Hinchinbrook Farm in the spring of 2019, and fell in love with the place (and critters) right away. Kerenza is a very active person who loves to be busy, which is certainly no problem at the farm!Kerenza grew up in Europe, where she learned to ride; and ever since she moved to Canada, she’s wanted to get back into horse riding. Hinchinbrook farm provides her with that opportunity, and also combines her love for animals and passion for working with children and youth perfectly!
Kara Wilson Kara Wilson has been a veterinarian at South Shore Veterinary Services since July 2018. A lifelong equestrian, she grew up always in the barn with her horse Kolumb (pictured). They competed together for many years in dressage and eventing. Prior to veterinary school Kara taught lessons and summer camps to young equestrians and trained students for their Equine Canada rider levels. She went on to complete an undergraduate degree at Dalhousie University and then qualified for her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Atlantic Veterinary College in PEI. After graduation she completed an extra year of training at the Vermont Large Animal Clinic to specialize in equine medicine. She currently sits on the Hinchinbrook Farm Society Board of Directors as the secretary and is happy to be providing veterinary care for all the furry creatures at Hinchinbrook Farm.
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.