Help Réjane Build Back RS Equestrian

Dear family and friends,

It is with a heavy heart that we are sharing the devastating news that our beautiful farm and second home to many, RS Equestrian, owned by Réjane (Rej) Sylvester and her mom Louise Pinet, was in the direct path of the derecho that struck many parts of Ottawa on May 21, 2022.

 

 

RS Equestrian is home to 20 horses. As a result of the heavy winds, beautiful mature trees lining the driveway were damaged, paddocks and fencing were flattened, and shelters were destroyed. The most devastating loss was the complete collapse of the indoor riding arena. The house and barn are thankfully still standing although neither has been inspected.

 

 

As the riding community fully appreciates, indoor riding arenas are vital in our climate and are used daily. It is the stalwart indoor arena that permits coaches and barn owners to continue receiving income through lessons during the winter months and in bad weather. At this point, it is unknown how long it will take for a new arena to be built and how much, if any, will be covered by insurance. It is a certainty that significant funds will be required to rebuild what has been lost that will stretch beyond any insurance proceeds that may be available. It is unlikely that a new arena will be built by the winter, and so the gift of your donation will be used by Rej and Louise to meet ongoing needs of the farm as they recover from this natural disaster and attempt to mitigate this loss. RS Equestrian is Rej’s sole source of income.

 

 

 

 

About RS Equestrian:

 

Rej is an experienced certified Competition Coach Specialist (Dressage) focused on helping riders meet their personal goals. Rej started riding and competing Western locally, before working as a rider/trainer in Alberta, and then in Germany, before being the head coach of Forest Hill Stables. In 2012, her dreams of building her own business became reality when she bought RS Equestrian.

 

 

Unlike most barns that are passed down from generation to generation with multiple family members helping out and supporting the barn, Rej has run the entire barn single-handedly from the outset. It is Rej who cares for and feeds the horses attending to each of her 20 charges with meticulous individual programs that ensure outstanding care. Rej drives the tractor, mucks, waters, repairs, inspects, cuts grass and attends to every single detail of operating a riding facility. Her superpower however is coaching her students. In her journey as a coach and barn owner, Rej has had a tremendously positive influence on both kids and adults, with her kind soul and effective teaching methods, focusing on happy horses and happy riders. For those who know Rej, you know that she is the first one to offer assistance to others in need. Her reaction to this most recent disaster proved no different. She left her own property once initially secured and hit the road to bring limited resources she had left to others in need. She rarely asks for assistance, and is more comfortable offering it than accepting it.

 

Thank you for your consideration and generosity. The gift of your donation will go a long way to keeping Rej’s dreams alive of rebuilding RS Equestrian. Any proceeds donated that are above and beyond Rej’s needs will be donated to others in need.