GRETCHEN JONES

Volunteer

Gretchen Jones has been volunteering at Little Bit since late 2019. She started for a simple reason: she loves horses and wanted a chance to be around them. She had first noticed Little Bit as a child, riding past it on the bus to school. Years later, while working in healthcare, she read about the benefits of equine-assisted therapy. When she went looking for a place to volunteer, Little Bit was a natural fit.

Gretchen trained as a Horse Leader and is now also a volunteer captain, helping newer volunteers learn the ropes. She loves helping people and seeing them thrive, and she has worked with clients of many abilities, including a man who can’t see, hear, or speak and who taps his hand to tell the horse to move forward. She has also built connections with clients and their families, including a young man and his mom. Getting to know him has taught her a lot about neurodivergence.

The relationships between riders and horses still amaze her. She remembers one rider who asked to get off because they sensed the horse was unhappy or that its stomach hurt. She has also seen horses who “misbehave” or try their leader’s patience during warm-ups only to transition flawlessly into perfect professionals as soon as their rider mounts.

“The horses have unique personalities, and it is fun to learn their tendencies and habits,” Gretchen says. That knowledge helps her make each class as good as it can be for both horse and client. She has also been interested to learn that Little Bit is a sought-after next career for many horses, who go through careful evaluation, preparation, and training before they are accepted into the program.

Once there, they are well cared for and benefit from the consistency of the “Little Bit Way.” The horses encounter a multitude of people each day, since Little Bit runs on an army of volunteers. Some have been around horses their whole lives, while others have never led or ridden one, but everyone cares for and manages the herd in the same organized way.

The community at the barn turned out to be a bonus. Gretchen loves interacting with other volunteers, and learning from the caring staff who patiently teach new skills and answer questions. She looks forward to seeing them all each week.

Gretchen’s husband, Jon, enjoys hearing her stories when she comes home. Separately, the company he co-founded, Brighton Jones, has supported Little Bit for a number of years, both financially and by sending employee volunteer groups. Jon says Little Bit represents “so many dimensions of compassion.”

As Little Bit celebrates its 50th anniversary, Gretchen believes its attention to systems and consistency is a large part of its longevity, along with how much everyone cares about the herd and the riders. “It is fun to be part of such a dynamic and compassionate organization,” she says. She sees Little Bit as efficient, agile, and well prepared for the next 50 years.