Contributed by Hayley Barrett
Time stands still here. The road is quiet and lined with trees. Horses graze in grassy meadows. Ducks paddle in the pond. Children ride ponies through the woods.
This is Windrush Farm. For fifty years, people of all ages and abilities have come here to find healing and hope. In 1964, Mrs. Marjorie Kittredge founded Windrush, one of the first therapeutic riding establishments in the country, with two horses and the profound conviction that, “everyone can do more than they think they can.’’
Today, Windrush serves nearly two thousand people a year. The farm enjoys decades-long relationships with the Perkins School for the Blind, Special Olympics, and St. Ann’s Home and School, among others. Innovative offerings include equine-assisted experiences for veterans, local youth-at-risk programs, and Spaulding Rehabilitation clients. More than five hundred dedicated volunteers devote their time to keep the farm thriving.
Debbie Shade has volunteered for over 23 years. From the beginning, Windrush’s cooperative, compassionate culture impressed her. “We were going to work with the Perkins kids. Marj had me get on a horse and put a blindfold on me. She knew it was important for volunteers to know exactly what the children would experience.”
Executive director Amanda Hogan joined the Windrush team in 1975. “Marj was a visionary. She believed that time spent outdoors and in the company of horses would help people build a solid work ethic, strength, and confidence. Students learned to be resourceful and accountable. It motivated them and carried over to other areas of their lives.”
Horses respond to kindness with friendly trust. A small child in a wheelchair can lead them. A soldier braving PTSD can rely on them. They don’t require speech to forge a bond of friendship. They take no note of physical or other differences. This unique quality of acceptance is why the farm’s twenty-five seasoned horses are the heart of Windrush’s work. Windrush Farm welcomes you to celebrate their 50th anniversary Golden Jubilee on Saturday, September 20.