Anaïk Maeseele
Program Coordinator, General Programs
My family has always had a connection to horses; my mom rode horses and my father's grandfather bred horses for the Belgian military. As a child I went to horse riding camps, and at a young age discovered the unique connection one can have with these magical animals. Queenosa, Queeny, Muis, Treezebeeze. Horse, companion, stress reliever, happiness bringer, work-life balance manager.
Queenosa, or Queen Elsa as some of the AAFS youth refer to her as, has over the years really become the pillar I can lean on. It is amazing, as I have known her for 11 years, how she continues to balance my life. She has been there through High School, through some pretty bad falls and injuries, competitions, university, and she now helps me balance my work/home life. She has shown me how to persevere, how to fall and get back up, how to be consistent and when to just ‘let it go’. She has taught me how to be kind and to change my energy when it does not help a situation. She has shown me that there is a beauty in being silent together, and that together you can learn so much. When work is challenging, I know that a visit to her will allow me to clear my head and return with new energy.
Queenosa was the inspiration for the AAFS Horse Riding Program in 2016 - a chance for our youth to experience the magic of horses. When the program was being set up, there were many times where I would think about ‘is this something that I have experienced’ and ‘how would this experience benefit our youth’. The program is now entering its 4th year in 2020, having allowed over 45 youth to engage and form a relationship with their horse. We have seen some of our ‘non verbal’ youth ask their horse how their week was, we have seen youth who struggle with self regulation.