Sophie Meinesz has combined her passion for horses with her love for the SA Riding for the Disabled Association (SARDA).
The 9-year-old rider has written her first book, A Story for SARDA, and is donating all the proceeds to the organisation so that other children like her can enjoy horse riding and the therapy it offers.
Sophie, who lives in Newlands and attends Oakley House in Plumstead, has a right hemiplegia caused by cerebral palsy.
Despite this, she has learned handwriting and can form letters, join them together into words and put them into meaningful sentences with a beginning, middle and end.
She said she was inspired to write the book after reading Candice Noakes-Dobson’s book, A Little Horse Called Pancakes.
Sophie says the book has been a family affair with help from occupational therapist Roxanne Atkinson, her dad Martin Meinesz who did the layout, his secretary Maxine Knight and Bee Lukey of Sarda.
Sophie’s story is about her birthday and the book includes a picture of her beautiful cake decorated with a horse and flowers.
Ms Atkinson writes on the back of the book that it has been a pleasure walking the “writing” road with Sophie over the last 18 months.
“Sophie loves people and has an amazing memory for names. She is interested in others’ lives and enjoys giving good advice. She really loves horse riding and I am sure she will continue to write and ride for many years to come,” writes Ms Atkinson.
For more information about this heart-warming book, contact Bee Lukey at the Sarda office at 021 794 6191, or email capetown-pr@sarda.co.za
