Patty Small: I was the same as most young girls, I always wanted a horse. The only experience I had with horses was a handful of lessons when I was young and six weeks in Arkansas that I spent with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins when I was 14. My cousins were Rodeo Queen’s, literally Queens. They both did barrel and pole racing. I was given my uncle’s horse for the summer – he was huge. That was one of the best summers of my life. I taught that poor horse to run the barrels. He hated it and would rear up all the time, but I never fell off. I learned to hold on. One day I heard my Uncle tell my mother that he could make me a great rider, that I had a great natural seat. I never forgot that statement, but horses were not part of my life in California.
I lived my childhood and early adult life around boats and camping. That was fun, but I always yearned to be around horses. I was a mother raising children that were living with me at home from the time I was 21 in 1972 until my last one went to college in September 2007. I had no idea what to do with myself when my baby went to college. I live in Benicia and we have a very small local paper. In October or November of 2007 I read a help wanted ad for Cornerstone Assisted Riding in American Canyon. The rest as they say is history. I loved the assisted riding program. The combination of the students and working with the horses is a perfect fit.
I am a Mortgage lender and have been in the business since 1976. I have always worked. Being commissioned is double-sided, my hours are my own, but I have to work when the customer is available. That’s how I managed all my travel with my son and my days at Rush Ranch. I bring this up now because it plays into how I ended up working with Access Adventure. The man I work with is in Benicia Rotary. He came back from a meeting after Tineke Jacobsen had been the speaker. He had all her paperwork and said I should look into this other program. I knew her name and had met her while I was working with Cornerstone. I called Tineke and came out to Rush Ranch. The big hole that my children left when they grew up and moved out has been filled with Access Adventure. We also bought a boat two years ago. I am living my dream, I water ski whenever I can get to the lake, which is about once a week and the rest of my life is work and Access Adventure. It’s all wonderful. Access Adventure has the nicest people I have ever met. It’s a very functional family; thanks for letting me come and play. I love the environment, I love the people and I love the horses.

NOTE: Patty joined Access Adventure in 2011 and is an Action Group member.

Patty Small: I was the same as most young girls, I always wanted a horse. The only experience I had with horses was a handful of lessons when I was young and six weeks in Arkansas that I spent with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins when I was 14. My cousins were Rodeo Queen’s, literally Queens. They both did barrel and pole racing. I was given my uncle’s horse for the summer – he was huge. That was one of the best summers of my life. I taught that poor horse to run the barrels. He hated it and would rear up all the time, but I never fell off. I learned to hold on. One day I heard my Uncle tell my mother that he could make me a great rider, that I had a great natural seat. I never forgot that statement, but horses were not part of my life in California.
I lived my childhood and early adult life around boats and camping. That was fun, but I always yearned to be around horses. I was a mother raising children that were living with me at home from the time I was 21 in 1972 until my last one went to college in September 2007. I had no idea what to do with myself when my baby went to college. I live in Benicia and we have a very small local paper. In October or November of 2007 I read a help wanted ad for Cornerstone Assisted Riding in American Canyon. The rest as they say is history. I loved the assisted riding program. The combination of the students and working with the horses is a perfect fit.
I am a Mortgage lender and have been in the business since 1976. I have always worked. Being commissioned is double-sided, my hours are my own, but I have to work when the customer is available. That’s how I managed all my travel with my son and my days at Rush Ranch. I bring this up now because it plays into how I ended up working with Access Adventure. The man I work with is in Benicia Rotary. He came back from a meeting after Tineke Jacobsen had been the speaker. He had all her paperwork and said I should look into this other program. I knew her name and had met her while I was working with Cornerstone. I called Tineke and came out to Rush Ranch. The big hole that my children left when they grew up and moved out has been filled with Access Adventure. We also bought a boat two years ago. I am living my dream, I water ski whenever I can get to the lake, which is about once a week and the rest of my life is work and Access Adventure. It’s all wonderful. Access Adventure has the nicest people I have ever met. It’s a very functional family; thanks for letting me come and play. I love the environment, I love the people and I love the horses.

NOTE: Patty joined Access Adventure in 2011 and is an Action Group member.