When you first meet Laura you will notice her spunky personality. She is very humorous and will keep you laughing throughout your entire conversation with her.  Laura is 48 years old and has been receiving services from Boone County Family Resources since 1985. Most days you will find her relaxing in her apartment reading the newspaper or watching the evening news but she also occasionally enjoys participating in activities in the community.

She attends the Community Advantage Program offered by ACT Monday – Friday and they take her bowling once a week. Bowling is one of her favorite past times and she often brings home a piece of paper with her bowling scores on it and says to staff members excitedly, “Find my name on this paper!”

Although she likes to bowl, Laura’s favorite activity in the community is going to Cedar Creek to ride horses.  Laura usually signs up for every session and talks excitedly about going to Cedar Creek weeks beforehand.  Once she arrives she takes off running to get to her horse. She gets very spirited when she talks about her horse. “I like my horse Ghazi, he is a sweetheart! He doesn’t ride me I ride him. That would be silly if he rode me,” she says as she chuckles to herself.

While riding her horse, Ghazi, Laura will often talk to him or lean down to give him a kiss and you can see the love and appreciation that she feels for him. “I like to trot on my horse and we also play games while riding in a circle. We go on trail rides sometimes in the woods, I like that!” Laura exclaims.

At the end of every session Cedar Creek gives each rider an award medal. It is important to Laura because it gives her a sense of accomplishment. When the session is over Laura immediately starts talking about returning to Cedar Creek to ride her horse as she says “I am going to miss Ghazi I can’t wait to come back and see him. I love him so much and I like to kiss him on his left eye,” Laura adds.

It puts a smile on your face when you watch Laura at Cedar Creek. Whether she is riding Ghazi or simply petting and talking to him, it is an amazing feeling knowing the positive influence that this organization and horse has on her life. No matter spring, summer, winter or fall Laura enjoys the “ride” most of all.