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Our "2 Legged" Staff | Our "4 Legged" Staff | Board Of Directors

Heavenly Hoofs is affiliated with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association — www.narha.org.

Heavenly Hoofs was established in 2002 for the sole purpose of serving children with life-threatening illnesses and disabilities. We accomplish this through the use of specially trained horses and advanced instructors who are certified by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). We strive to instill confidence, provide happiness and excitement, and most importantly, a feeling of inclusion for all our students. A sense of accomplishment is apparent in each child’s spirit as they learn to groom, care for, and ride their horse.

Our lessons are fostered in a safe and supportive environment at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida. Our teaching methods, safety standards, and rigorous instructor training/testing are strictly guided by the principles of NARHA.

Since 2002 Heavenly Hoofs has safely served over 20,000 children.

Our “2 Legged” staff

 

Thomasa Sanchez
Founder, President, Executive Director
Thomasa has been riding, competitively showing, breeding, and raising horses for over 25 years in Kissimmee, Florida. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rollins College, a Master of Arts in Communication from University of Central Florida, and she continues to work towards a Doctorate Degree in Psychology. Prior to founding Heavenly Hoofs, Thomasa was a college professor and corporate keynote speaker. She applies the various skills and knowledge gained through her studies, as well as her teaching and public speaking experiences, to continue developing community support for Heavenly Hoofs. She is available as a keynote speaker on the topic “The Power of the Dream” at your next meeting or convention. Please email us for more information.

 

Amy Glester
Assistant Executive Director
Amy recently relocated from Hawaii and became part of the Heavenly Hoofs team. Amy’s experience in the non-profit field is exceptional; other organizations she has served include the National Marine Sanctuary Program and Make-a-Wish Foundation.

 

Caity Wall
Program Director & Certified Riding Instructor
Caity has been a professional trick rider for over 15 years and has worked with horses all her life. She has been a NARHA Certified Riding Instructor for 5 years. Her heart for horses and special needs children is evident in all of the therapeutic riding classes she facilitates.

 

Shelly McCray
Certified Riding Instructor
Shelly has been in the horse business for over 20 years. Her experiences include driving teams of horses, training horses, coaching riders, and trick riding. Her dedication to horses and riders with disabilities continues to thrive.

 

Melody Piechocki
Certified Riding Instructor
Melody recently took a break from living on the road as a professional trick rider to serve Heavenly Hoofs. Though young at heart, she’s seasoned in the saddle. Melody’s friendly character is always a pleasure for our guests.

 

Megan Edge
Volunteer Coordinator

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Our “4 Legged” staff

Ben
Director of Escaping

Jerry
Director of Community Outreach

Seemore
Director of Games & Tricks


Chanter
Director of Field Trips

Candy
Director of Snack Time

Cody
Director of Public Relations

Faith
Director of Break Time

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Board of Directors:

 

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