Here’s a bit about Olimpia!
How long have you been volunteering at Forward Stride and why did you start?
I honestly have no idea how long I’ve been at FS —I’ve totally lost track of time! But what I do know is how incredibly thankful I am to be part of this amazing community. I find myself at the barn three (or more!) times a week because it’s become my happy place. The people—volunteers, staff, and clients—are truly special, but it’s the herd that completely stole my heart.
Who is your favorite horse?
This is truly an impossible question for me—each horse has left their own unique imprint.
But if I had to speak from the deepest part of my heart, Oso stands out in a way that’s hard to put into words. This past year, he became so much more than just a horse I spent time with—he was a partner, a teacher, and a healer. Oso graciously guided me and allowed me to fall back in love with the equestrian world all over again. He reminded me of the joy of riding and caring for horses, and gave me back the confidence I had as a kid. I’ll forever be grateful to him for that. He’ll always have a piece of my heart.
Just one pasture over, Reba has always stood out to me. She’s silly, goofy, kind, and gives the absolute best horse hugs. I love doing Herd Health with her—she always keeps things interesting and makes sure it’s never boring.
Do you have a hobby you love to spend time on?
It’s pretty rare to find me with any spare time—because I intentionally spend just about all of it at the barn riding or volunteering! But on the off chance I’m not there, you’ll probably find me hanging out with friends playing board games (we’re big Wingspan fans), cheering on the Blazers, Timbers, or Thorns, or tracking down shows from our favorite musical artists.
What is one piece of advice you would give a new volunteer?
Ask all the questions—seriously! No question is too small, and there’s always more to learn. I’ve been around horses my whole life, and I still learn something new every single day. That’s part of the magic of these incredible creatures.