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VIDEO: Horse lover plans fundraising run to benefit Langley equine therapy program

Founder of the Voice For the Horse Canada Foundation is looking for donations
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Yvonne Allen, founder and president of Voice For The Horse Canada Foundation, and VFTH Director Ann Turner rode Mischief and Angel in the Langley Days Parade back in 2013. (VFTH/Special to the Langley Advance Times)

COVID-19 is keeping Yvonne Allen from seeing her Angel, the horse she raised from a foal in 2008/09 on a farm in Murrayville.

Angel is now one of the therapy horses of the Pacific Riding for Developing Abilities (PRDA) equine therapy program which holds a special place in Allen’s heart.

So much so that she’s organized a fundraising run on Saturday, Sept. 19 through the group she founded, Voice For The Horse Canada Foundation.

The group aims to give a voice to horses in the modern world where some say they are no longer needed. Allen said groups like PRDA show just how important horses can be to humans.

Her Sept. 19 run takes her through the Horse Capital of B.C. and starts at the home of Angel’s brother, Mischief. Both horses are mascots for Voice for the Horse.

“My run departs at Mischief’s location where he resides at a private equestrian center [in Clayton] and ends at the PRDA [208th Street and 4th Avenue],” Allen explained.

She’s arranged with PRDA to spend some time with Angel at the end of the run. The equine therapy group grounds are closed to visitors due to coronavirus so this is the only way she can visit the horse for now.

“This is a win -win event for all involved,” she said. “PRDA will benefit with the exposure and a surplus of funds to help people from all walks of life who are less fortunate, to experience equine therapy in a natural environment with certified coaches. Voice For The Horse will get exposure also as we are now in the process of applying for charitable status in Canada where we will then be able to further grow and fully bring to life our signature program, the Leading the Change Music Project, and of course, the horse gets great exposure, too.”

Allen, who is also president of the foundation, is striving to raise $5,000 for PRDA and has a Facebook page where people can donate. Her run is Sept. 19 but donations will be accepted until Oct. 22.

Like everyone, Allen’s plans for 2020 didn’t turn out as expected.

“This run was supposed to happen in the spring however due to COVID-19 and all the restrictions, I decided best to postpone till the fall,” she explained. “During the time in between I started a group on Facebook “Run With You - 2020 Recovery” hence this is the theme for my run. as we all know 2020 has been quite the year and for many yes, recovery in whichever form it may have shown up in our lives.”

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Heather Colpitts

About the Author: Heather Colpitts

Since starting in the news industry in 1992, my passion for sharing stories has taken me around Western Canada.
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