38 SIDELINES DECEMBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Heidi Van de Motter, MFH/
huntsman and founder of Gallop
On, with Samantha Bonath, aspiring
huntsman.
All Photos by Myca Hopkins
By Lauren R. Giannini
G
allop On is the brainchild of Heidi Van de
Motter, MFH/huntsman of Grand River Hounds
in rural northeast Ohio. She takes racetrack
Thoroughbreds that don’t make the grade and these
rescues - mostly from New Vocations Racehorse Adoption
Program - turn the tables on young people in the Gallop On
program, which provides sound training for horse and rider
through the sport of foxhunting.
“I’ve been doing this for 40 years, long before all the retired
racehorse projects began,” said Heidi. “We live near a racetrack
and a sale barn where I bought rescues. I used to board 25-30
hunt horses at my barn, but I’m in my golden years now. [laughs]
Economically those were better times and people were able to
work with their kids, but times have changed. I started taking on
kids who wanted to learn; but who couldn’t afford to ride. I worked
with them. I taught them on these ex-racehorses. They learned to
hunt and I took them to shows.”
Heidi and her husband John have helped these youngsters out
of their own pockets for years. The kids spend every moment of
their free time at the farm during the
school year and in the summer they
often bunk overnight in the hunt’s
clubhouse, conveniently outftted with
full kitchen and bathroom.
“Teaching and training the kids
is time-consuming but rewarding,
because the kids learn so much by
working alongside us,” said Heidi.
“John and I do all the work ourselves
and the kids are now my staff. They’re
learning as much, if not more than
most pony club riders, about veterinary
knowledge and how to care for injuries
to the horses and hounds. Plus,
they’re active in every aspect of daily
horse care – feeding and grooming,
everything. They learn to train horses
off the track, to deal with the differences
in their personalities and minds. These
kids are learning skills so essential to doing well in life and I think
it’s important to say that they are having lots of fun, too.”
About a year ago, Heidi woke in the middle of the night with the
idea of making her “rescue” program offcial. She even had the
perfect name and she started working right away to get Gallop On
registered as a 501(c)3 non-proft.
There isn’t much that the Van de Motters and Gallop On won’t
do for their young riders. “When the kids wanted chickens, John
went to Tractor Supply to get a bunch of chicks,” said Heidi. The
Gallop On crew takes care of the chickens and collects the eggs.
They have an Araucana rooster. One of the Van de Motter’s
neighbors gave the kids his chicken equipment. On the other
hand, “graduates” of the Van de Motter’s program tend to stay in
touch and to give back. One prime example is Myca Hopkins, now
working full-time, who put in hours to get the photos that illustrate
this story.
Myca has been Grand River’s 1st whipper-in for the past eight
years, she also donates riding apparel, tack, her time and vanning
to shows. Heidi and John’s daughter, Allie Van de Motter attends
veterinary college in Ft. Collins, Colorado; but comes home as
OTTBs “Gallop On” To The Rescue!
e
Continued on page 40