Physical Health China Project #45881

Horses Helping People with Disabilities in China

by HOPE (Horses Offering People Enrichment)

Project Report | Jul 14, 2025
What's up at HOPE?

By Priscilla Lightsey | Founder HOPE Beijing

HKJC Conference on Horses for Therapy at HOPE

Howdy HOPE Supporters,

HOPE has had a busy few months!

The HKJC (Hong Kong Jockey Club), in addition to providing horse racing, also has an RDA (Riding for the Disabled) program and a large charity program. Top members of the HKJC visited HOPE last spring and were pleased with our program. When they decided to hold their first “Horses in Therapy Conference”, they chose Beijing so that attendees could come to HOPE and see us in action. It was quite an honor! Priscilla, Lucia, our Program Director, and Jimmy Zhao, our Equine Trainer and Manager, spoke at the conference. The following day, a charter bus brought the conference attendees to HOPE. While it was considerable pressure on the entire team, it was also a tremendous privilege to be able to share our knowledge while networking with others. Teams from the five other centers in Mainland China attended the conference as did the Secretary Generals of the China Equestrian Association and the local chapter of the horse association.

After the conference, Lucia and Priscilla were invited to speak on a panel held in a lovely bookstore/café. Amanda Bond, Head of Equestrian Affairs with HKJC and Chair of the Para Equestrian Technical Committee at Fédération Équestre International (FEI) and Jojo Wong, the Equestrian Affairs Senior Manager of the HKJC, were also speakers. During the conversation, Amanda said that HOPE was one the best program she had ever seen! When asked why, she stated: because of the people and the horses. She thought the team was skilled and caring, and the horses were well trained and well cared for. Wow! High praise from a knowledgeable professional. Priscilla and Lucia both cried (on camera, as the interviews were being live cast on WeChat).

Currently, summer camps are in full swing despite the heat and rain in Beijing. The amazing HOPE team is working hard to provide fun, safe, social, and educational experiences for the campers. Fortunately, the team, including the horses, will take a three-four week break in August - a wise decision since the heat and humidity can be a bit too much that time of year.

Hope all is well with you, wherever in the world you may be. And thank you for being a HOPE supporter. HOPE was the first NG0 (non-governmental organization) in mainland China to offer equine-assisted services. Your help assists us - the pioneers in this field in China - to have a far-reaching impact as others are beginning to develop such programs. Your generous donations have a far reaching effect too! We are very grateful for your support. Thank you.

In gratitude,

Priscilla

Priscilla, Amy, and the HOPE team

Jimmy, Lucia, & Priscilla presenting together

Greeting Mu'er HOPE's big mare

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Mar 24, 2025
New Year & New Opportunities

By Priscilla Lightsey | Founder HOPE Beijing

Dabao at his new home, with frosty whiskers!

Dear HOPE supporters,

Happy Lunar Year of the Snake. The snake represents renewal (shedding its skin) and intelligence. We certainly hope this lunar new year has begun well for you and your loved ones.

Recently members of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), including their Head of Equestrian Affairs who is also President of the FEI Para Dressage Committee, made a visit to HOPE. (The Fédération Equestre Internationale, is the international governing body for equestrian sports.) The HKJC members reported that the horses were in excellent condition, kids were making great progress, and the volunteers were enjoying the program. Now, the HKJC would like to host a conference this summer in Beijing on equine-assisted services. They have invited Priscilla to be a speaker, while she and the HOPE team assist with planning the event. What an honor for HOPE!

Last summer when she was in Beijing, Priscilla met a young physical therapist who studied physical therapy at university in China and came to HOPE because one of the children she was working with had begun adaptive riding lessons with the team. The therapist worked with Priscilla so she could get ideas on how to work on motor skills during the rider’s sessions. Now, she has plans to come out to work with other participants at HOPE. As a PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) member center, HOPE adheres to the guidelines of PATH Intl. to the best of our abilities. In this case, that means that the therapist will offer suggestions or work with participants under Lucia’s supervision since Lucia is a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI). This is an exciting development, and we are proud to be offering these services to our participants.

Our new horse, An’an () is doing well and is a cute addition to the team with her unique coloring! She is still in training to ensure she is comfortable with her career change and the unique situations she may encounter. Coach Zhao, the Equine Director for HOPE, said she has the right temperament for the job and a lot of potential, so we are hopeful for her success.

You may remember that our sweet older pony DaBao was able to fully retire last year. Coach Zhao and Luna have sent pictures of him in his new home. He now lives in Inner Mongolia with Coach Zhao’s family who are taking good of him, and he is doing very well despite his advanced age. HOPE aims to take care of all our equine team members, even in retirement.

As always, thank you for your continued support of HOPE. Your help is what enables us to continue to serve individuals with special needs - aiding participants to gain new skills while having fun with the passionate, skilled team at HOPE!

In gratitude,

Priscilla, Amy, and the HOPE team in Beijing

Helmet fit is important.

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Nov 26, 2024
Updates from HOPE Beijing

By Priscilla Lightsey | Founder

Dear HOPE Supporters,

Thank you for being here and for your continued support of HOPE.

As you know, our dear Gotland pony, Dabao, retired a bit ago and Luna and Xiao Zhao (XZ) were looking after him at a stable near their homes. HOPE volunteers, participants, and staff remained loyal to him and had parties at his stable to celebrate his birthdays. Recently, XZ and Luna moved him to Inner Mongolia to live with XZ’s parents and their horses. Dabao gained energy and his arthritis improved in his new environment allowing him to move more smoothly, quickly, and lightly. Horse welfare is a priority at HOPE because without the horse, we would have no programs to offer. One aspect of our vision is to be an exemplary leader in therapeutic horsemanship; caring for our equines in retirement does just that.

Lucia Zhou, Program Director, has been working tirelessly, both in the arena and out. She was invited to speak at the International Equine Industry Forum in Shanghai in October. A big honor as she was one of four chosen from the entire country. In November, she represented HOPE in HETI’s (Horses in Education & Therapy International) first Asia-Pacific meeting to discuss collaborations between equine-assisted services (EAS) centers in that area of the globe. And, she is leading discussions with Priscilla, Amy, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club to look at an alliance between our organizations. More examples of fulfilling our vision of being a service provider, educator and leader of EAS!

Daxi, a pony HOPE acquired in 2020 began to show behaviors that indicated she was no longer suitable for EAS sessions, so this fall we began to look for a new home for her. She was sold and is now giving lessons to independent riders at a new stable. Videos show Daxi appearing to love her new home and job. The challenge now is for HOPE to find a new pony.

Thank you dear donors. Your support is enabling HOPE to enrich lives in partnership with the horse. What a gift you are, and that you are giving, by providing help to folks with disabilities in China!

In appreciation,

Priscilla, Amy and the HOPE team in Beijing

P.S. A new video about HOPE will be released soon. It will be on display on December 3^rd, Giving Tuesday, on HOPE social media channels.

Links:

HOPE Website

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