Early Sunday morning at Forever Amber Acres Animal Sanctuary (FAAAS), Revere High School junior Caroline Christoff leads horses out of the barn. She ties them to a fence and begins to groom them with many kinds of brushes. Throughout the week, she will train on her award-winning horse, racing around barrels to achieve a faster time.

To Christoff, horses are more of an addiction than a passion. During her freshman year, she began volunteering at FAAAS, and since then she has developed into a skilled rider in the Western Riding discipline.

Christoff explained how she first grew interested in horses and how they sparked her interest in animals and equestrian riding.

“I [have] always been obsessed with animals. My parents said that horses were too expensive, and then I really pushed them and I started. I just got into it, and I was doing it for like a year. I was riding [horses] and doing barn stuff, and something clicked in my head and I just got super addicted to it,” Christoff said.

Christoff’s mother, Tracy Christoff, explained her daughter’s weekly volunteering and riding schedule.

“Caroline spends about 2 hours a week volunteering at [FAAAS] and between 4-6 hours riding during the school year depending on her school and work schedule. She would definitely ride more if she could. I am certain that in the summer she will be around horses daily,” she said.

Michele Bolinger, founder and executive director of FAAAS, met Christoff in June of 2014. She described Christoff’s dedication to her responsibilities at the barn.

“Nearly every single Sunday morning and then some, [Christoff] is here bright and early to care for the special needs horses and cats of FAAAS. When many other adults and teens are sleeping in, she is here, rain, snow or shine. Even [if] she does not have a car ride, she nearly always finds one so she does not let our animals down. She handles morning feed, turnout, stall cleanup referred to as ‘mucking the stalls’ and sometimes grooming. [Christoff] has also assisted FAAAS in training new volunteers, several [of whom] have since taken over their own shift work,” Bolinger said.

Christoff explained that she has gained knowledge about horses and the tools one uses to keep them clean and healthy since she began at FAAAS nearly three years ago. She has since developed her riding skills and competes at local events.

“There are so many different kinds of brushes, and I have learned so much about saddles. There are so many kinds of horses and different disciplines. I have done western pleasure, hunt seat, jumping and eventing. Now I am in contesting doing racing. There are so many different things you can get into,” Christoff said.

Christoff now leases a horse and trains for barrel racing, a type of racing commonly seen at county and state fairs and rodeos. In barrel racing, the horse and rider attempt to run in a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels in the fastest time to beat opponents.

“I just love going fast and that is why I went to [barrel racing]. I did English [riding] first and it was just too slow. Before the horse I am on now, I had never ridden a horse so fast,” Christoff said.

Bolinger voiced her regards of Christoff’s riding abilities as well as her ability to care for horses at FAAAS.

“When [Christoff] first contacted me she had no riding experience, other than the occasional trail ride.  Since then, she has turned into an experienced rider and plans to compete in barrel racing this summer. She is also committed to exercise riding and training our special needs rescue horse Passion, who is not always easy to handle due to her past abuse. Passion has trust issues, but she trusts [Christoff],” Bolinger said.

Her mother also explained how she feels riding has impacted her daughter.

“Riding has definitely had a positive impact on Caroline.  It helps her to relax, relieves stress and brings her joy.  She is happiest when she is riding. She feels a connection with the horse. I think for her it is both calming and exhilarating at the same time,” she said.

Christoff will participate in multiple rodeos throughout May, and she will compete in barrel racing on June 17 at the Barberton Speedway Rodeo.