I joined the Board in September, 2020, and I also serve on the Development and Marketing Committees. I first started with Helping Horse as a Horse Leader, in March 2020. Some of the things I work on include our newsletter, Nickering News, social media, and general communications and material for our program. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and have lived in the South for eight years. I love the sunshine and blue skies, and can’t imagine a better place to live!

My love of horses started early. As a child, I had all the Breyer horse figurines, read all the horse books I could find, and had a lovely imaginary horse that I rode around the playground at school. (His name was Duffy and he was black with a white blaze down his face!)

Growing up, I had the occasional horse lesson or trail ride, but other than that, I couldn’t find a way to be closer to real horses until my husband and I bought our home here, in Raleigh. It was love at first sight! Our house is surrounded by three different properties with barns and horses. I have horses grazing right in my backyard. I can’t get much closer than that!

Luckily, the more hands the merrier at any barn, so I started assisting my neighbors.  I’ve learned so much!  Not only do I ride, take lessons and go to horse shows with two incredible horses, but I also muck stalls, clean tack, give medicine, ration grain and hay, hold horses for vets and farriers, mow fields, dump manure… you get the idea. You can usually find me at the barn behind my house, covered in dirt and with a big smile. I am living my childhood dream and have finally become a proper horsewoman! 

The magic and joy of horses is something I can’t easily put into words. Being around horses and feeling their sense of calm, strength and trust connects me with something greater than myself. This is why Helping Horse is so special to me. Providing these same moments for our riders is why we exist; moments where you sit atop your horse, and you get to see and experience the world from a different perspective. It’s incredible and I want to share and give it to all who seek it, just like I finally was able to, for myself.

Helping Horse has so much to offer and I am so excited to keep spreading our message throughout the community. I’ll see you at the barn sometime soon!

– Alexis Parker 

Member, Board of Directors