Trooper Cindy Joyce was promoted to sergeant on September 18 and was assigned the responsibilities of the Troop’s newly re-formed therapeutic riding program called “Saddle Up for Life” (SUFL). The former (SUFL) program was a strictly recreational riding program for special needs adults, but will now be an expanded Therapeutic Riding Program, as a result of her recent certification.

Sergeant Joyce received her certification in Therapeutic Riding Instruction from the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). The expanded Therapeutic Riding program has not as yet begun.

Sergeant Joyce also plans to have the Horse Guard certified as a Therapeutic Riding Center. The Second Company is developing a broad range program for preparing an indoor riding ring, obtaining more horses, training more volunteers and possibly hiring a staff to manage a therapeutic riding program. Sergeant Joyce is currently running the Troop’s recreational (SUFL) riding program and hopes to add individual therapeutic riding instruction this fall.

Launched in 1998, Saddle Up for Life (SUFL) began as a highly supervised riding program for clients of Southbury Training School and Dahtar of Monroe and Newtown. From May to October, special needs adults enjoy horseback riding with the aid of volunteers from the Horse Guard itself.

The participants in SUFL have a variety of handicaps: Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy and visual impairments.

Sergeant Joyce joined the Troop in October of 2001 and has been an avid equestrian for most of her life. Sergeant Joyce immediately began to volunteer many additional hours with the SUFL program. Sergeant Joyce also applied for and received a grant from the Merserve Foundation in order to purchase safety and riding equipment now used for the program.

Sergeant Joyce is also working with the West Haven’s Veterans Hospital on beginning a program for Veterans as well. More information on this program will be forthcoming as it develops.

SUFL is a unique program for the physically and mentally challenged in our community and it provides an opportunity for them to interact with horses in a positive way, under strict supervision. Each client requires three (3) volunteers – one on each side of the horse and one to lead the horse.

Breezy Treats

Breezy Bites horse treats – a combination of rolled oats, sweet feed, wheat germ, molasses and water – are on sale at local tack shops and on the Internet. Named after a Morgan horse called Hy-Breeze, the Breezy Bites are being sold as a fundraising effort for the all-volunteer Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard located at Fairfield Hills.

Horse guard members on a regular basis bake Breezy Bites right in the kitchen of the Troop’s facility and then deliver them to several tack shops and stores in the area. The treats are also available on the Internet via the Troop’s new web site at www.thehorseguard.com.

All the Kings Horses in Ridgefield, Benedict’s Home and Garden in Monroe, The Horseman’s Exchange in Middlebury, the Tack Room in Westport, Fancy Pet in New Milford, and Bit of Tack in Newtown carry the treats.