Important Dates

Session 2 begins December 4

Session 2 December 4 to March 1

PARDS Office Closed December 23 to January 1

Lessons resume January 8, 2024

PARDS Events

A Big Thank You!

to our

'Mane' Event Sponsor

and to our

Hearts, Hooves & Courage Sponsors

We had a fabulous evening, with a sold out crowd celebrating our 25th Annual Dine & Dance event "Dream a Little Dream" presented by Hammerhead Energy.

Great food, provided by 5 Mile Catering, entertaining auctioneers, an engaging emcee and the musical talents of TJ Ruckus were all part of the festivities. So many generous donors and sponsors assured a great selection of auction and raffle prizes and the crowd showed up ready to bid and with their generosity, raised over $140,000!

Thank you to everyone who contributed in any and all ways to the evening. All funds raised through the event directly support the vital and life enhancing equine and animal assisted therapeutic programs for over 350 children and adults living with disabilities and other challenges in Grande Prairie and our surrounding communities.

Community Support

Wonderful support from a wonderful local business!!!

Thank you so much Richmond Dry Cleaners for your contribution to our Dine & Dance events over the years and your recent Gift In Kind Facility Sponsorship commitment, providing regular cleaning of our floor mats to help ensure we are providing a safe and clean environment for our riders.

Thank you SO MUCH to Don and his crew for your generosity!

Christmas Campaign

Provide Healing and Hope this Holiday Season!

PARDS is excited to launch our annual Christmas Campaign!

We invite you to make a contribution that will directly impact over 350 Peace Area riders living with physical, cognitive, emotional and mental health challenges to participate in the vital, life enhancing equine and animal assisted therapeutic programs provided at PARDS. Your gift will be used for direct program related expenses like feed and care for our program herd, adapted tack and equipment, lesson props, riding helmets and boots and so much more.

Check out our campaign page, make a tax deductible donation and share the campaign with others to increase your impact even more.

Happy holidays to you and all the best throughout the coming year from the PARDS Team.

Thank you for supporting our riders!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Community Support

A huge thank you goes out to Violet Smiegielski who has spent the last six months collecting bottles and making and selling bracelets to raise money for Risley. She raised a very impressive $2000.00 and is Risley's 2024 Feed and Care Sponsor. Risley thinks Violet is the best and we have to agree!

Rider Spotlight

Lyle Gritchen

Lyle has been riding at PARDS since 2005. He was born with a developmental delay and a cleft palate, which has left him with an articulation disorder. Lyle has been in other athletic pursuits as well as PARDS. He represented Grande Prairie at the Special Olympics Championships in London, Ontario as a member of the bowling team.

Lyle has developed good balance, a deep seat in the saddle and gentle, firm manners when reining. Vala is Lyle's 13th horse he has ridden over his years at PARDS, and she is his new favourite over Molson, but that is only because Molson retired. Lyle is always positive and smiling when he rides. Each horse can have different skill sets, enabling lesson horses to be chosen for specific areas of riding skills or physical needs of the rider. Lyle's time at PARDS also gives him a place he feels welcome and well received. He often comes early to his lesson to talk to staff.

Lyle has worked at the bottle depot for many years picking up recycling around the Grande Prairie area and values being a part of the workforce. Lyle took a break from work recently and went to Cuba where he sampled Cuban dark rum, ate the "best food" and got to ride a camel. Lyle's riding lessons at PARDS may have helped him enjoy his ride even more by gained confidence, balance and knowledge. He said the camel bowed down low to the ground for him to mount, then stood up quickly and made him taller than any PARDS horse. He laughed and said now if we could just teach PARDS horses to bow down to get on.

We are so happy that Lyle enjoys his time at PARDS and we are looking forward to watching him flourish!

Abelone Petersen ~ Instructor

Help Us Decorate the PARDS Christmas Tree

The Blue Bow campaign is underway and our tree could sure use some Blue Bow love!!!! Add your name to a Blue Bow to decorate our tree and show your support for the very special riders at PARDS. Donations can be of any amount and be sure to include the name you would like added to your Blue Bow.

E-transfer your donation to volunteer@pards.ca or donate through our website https://www.pards.ca/ways-to-give/make-a-cash-donation/ Your contribution helps over 300 riders access the life enhancing programs they rely on.

Christmas Wish List Items can also be purchased at Keddie's Tack & Western Wear.

Merry Christmas!!!

Blue Bow Donations

Christmas Gift Ideas

Delight your budding equestrian with a PARDS gift certificate.

Lots of options to choose from that are sure to have them whistling a happy tune.

PLEASE NOTE: any orders other than Gift Certificates cannot be promised for Christmas

ORDER TODAY

PARDS Program Sponsors

Facility Sponsors

PARDS Bus Sponsors

These generous companies provide services or gift in kind donations to help keep our programs and facility running, our herd healthy and our equipment maintained.

Thank you!

Why Volunteer?

Volunteering your time and sharing your skills is a way to help others, and yourself. Many hands make light work; PARDS, a nonprofit organization relies on volunteers to accomplish, fundraising ventures, daily barn work and in lessons, to help our riders reach their goals.

Benefits of Volunteering at PARDS

Meet new people and develop relationships.

Volunteers have similar interests and values

Gain knowledge and understanding of others

Volunteering at PARDS can take you to a new part of the community and give you the opportunity to meet people you otherwise wouldn’t get to meet. This can expand your understanding of others within the community living with disabilities. Learning will increase your social flexibility, raise awareness of the issues that other people deal with and will increase important social skills and teamwork.

Increase your happiness and better your mental health.

Having a purposeful role in your community will make you feel happy! Volunteering can help fight all sorts of mental issues like depression, anxiety, stress, and anger.

Learn new skills and increase your brain function and self-esteem.

Volunteering will increase your sense of pride and your self-confidence! When you challenge yourself through volunteering and receive appreciation from others, it can make you feel better emotionally and mentally. And who has time to think negative thoughts when you are around horses!

Decrease your stress.

Spending time with others and being around animals can reduce stress, and you may sleep better after some physical work in the barn.

Make a difference in the lives of others.

Volunteer Registration

If you would like to become a volunteer or attend our Lesson/Barn Volunteer Orientation please fill out the volunteer registration form which can be reached by clicking the link below.