Jennifer Dermody

Jen is my horseback riding instructor. She is currently 26. She began riding when she was 3 years old, so that’s 23 years she has been riding. Jen has ridden 16 horses in her life and owned 8. Jen’s favorite horse she has ridden is Ethel. She works with disabled children and she also teaches disabled adults.

I think that Jen is a hero because she gives up her time to help disabled people get better. Some people would just look over people who are disabled and not want to go up to them and say “Hi.” Jen feels differently, she thinks that everyone deserves a chance. If it were me, I would like people to come up and see who I was and just treat me like a normal person. Jen helps people with physical problems get in better physical state by encouraging them to pull on the reins to slow the horse down or play games on the horse, this also helps with strengthening their balance on the horses. People with mental issues are helped to regain natural mental strength by being encouraged to remember or learn the horses’ names. Then Jen helps them when she asks them to help her ask the horses to “walk on” and such.

In her Junior show circuit, 18 and Under, Jen has gotten to the Big Equitation, which includes jumping 3 feet 6 inches fences. Now she is competing in Amateur Owners show circuit she is showing Big and doing very well. She is now back to jumping 3 feet 6 inches. The highest she has jumped is 3 feet 6 inches- 3 feet 9 inches.

I am very proud to be a student of such a giving person. I wish there were more people like her in the world. Then life would be more interesting and disabled people might be a little happier. I really hope Jen keeps doing what she is doing because she helps not only people who have disabilities, but I think she has helped me become more confident. In this way she has helped me become a better person. Jen has the power to help people become what they want to become. I will stay her student until she stops teaching. Jen is my favorite person I know personally in the world.