February 2022: Sydney Floyd
Sydney Floyd
As a retiree Sydney was looking for fun ways to get her exercise. She had worked with a trainer but found that wasn’t for her. One day she saw a request for volunteers for Stride Ahead. After attending the training she was hooked. Knowing nothing about horses when she started, but always admiring their beauty, Sydney credits the ever patient Pam Smith (Stride Ahead’s Program Director) with teaching her everything she now knows about horses. Sydney is an expert in grooming, tacking, leading and side walking - all skills expected and needed of a Stride Ahead volunteer.
When asked about a memory or experience while volunteering Sydney remembers one of our young riders squealing with delight when trotting on Rhapsody for the first time. Sydney believes that for many parents Stride Ahead allows them to engage their children in an activity that challenges them and at the same time is extremely rewarding. To that point, Sydney says she has observed many Stride Ahead riders show improvement in muscle control and strength. For riders who aren’t very verbal, having to give commands to the horse such as “woah” and “walk on” lets them practice their speech without them even realizing it.
For Sydney, the best part of volunteering with Stride Ahead is her love of working with these huge animals and watching the bond that develops between the horse and rider. She says that some days coming to volunteer, engaging with the riders and being with the other volunteers is a great break in routine, is never dull and feels like therapy for her as well.
In sharing something about herself as a volunteer Sydney says she’s been nipped, stepped on and dragged around… and has loved every minute of it!
Thank you, Sydney!
If you would like to make a donation in honor of Sydney and all of our wonderful volunteers who make Stride happen, thank you.
