A Horse Tail (AHT) Rescue
Mike Grenier, Executive Director
Mike has spent most of his 32-year career working in the Information Technology industry for both IBM and Bell Canada here in Montreal after graduating in IT from John Abbott College. Over the past ten years, he has held executive level positions where he was responsible for Account Management of large, complex customer accounts in varying industries. Mike’s responsibilities ranged from customer relationship, P&L, growth, contract management and account planning.
As a devout animal lover, Mike has taken on a newfound passion, horses. But not just any horses, those that need help. Mike joined AHT Rescue some nine years ago along with his wife, while visiting an Open House one Saturday afternoon.
From there his involvement grew from mucking stalls and helping with feeds to joining the Board of Directors as Director of Finance, Director of Operations, Vice-President and President.
With his recent appointment as Executive Director, Mike looks to bring his years of business experience to help the Rescue thrive and grow but, more importantly, to be self-sufficient and help make a difference to not only the horses' lives that come through our gates, but also our members and further into the community.
One of the main focuses Mike hopes to accomplish is giving back to the community. He put in place a new Director’s position of Equine Contact, which works to bring those with life, physical and mental challenges into contact with our rescued horses. To date, this program has flourished and will continue as the years progress.
Caroline Handy, Barn Manager
Caroline worked as a graphic artist after graduating from Illustration and Design at Dawson College. After a year working as a freelance artist for Avon Canada, she went back to school and graduated in Fine Arts from Concordia. Caroline continued freelancing along with becoming the graphic artist at a photography store, managing an art store, followed by designing fabric prints for baby and children’s clothes sold in Walmart.
After having two special needs children, Caroline stayed home to focus on their care, occasionally doing wildlife paintings on commission.
After a lifetime of loving and drawing horses, in 2013 Caroline’s family found A Horse Tale when realizing the benefits the horses and outdoors provided to her autistic son.
Caroline quickly started doing two feeds a week and helping with medical emergencies, if available. The whole family became very involved. In 2015 Caroline became the Barn Manager. In her role, she organizes the feeds, teaches and trains the feeders, hosts training clinics and works closely with the vet and farriers to optimize the horses' health and care.
To contact Mike, mgrenier@ahorsetale.org; and to contact Caroline, caroline@ahorsetale.org.
Dinner 6 p.m. at the Casa Grecque, 7218 Newman Blvd. LaSalle. Presentation available via zoom at 7 p.m. Please email us at info@lakeshorekiwanis.ca for a link to join the meeting!