Secret Santa Fulfills Wish List for Green Chimneys Equines

Students Develop Their Voice

March 12, 2025

January 3, 2017

In December, during a quick stop at Patterson-based Saddle Manor, Green Chimneys staff researched equine equipment for possible purchase. As they reviewed items and discussed options, other shoppers took note and began to inquire about their work. After a friendly exchange, Green Chimneys staff went back to compiling a wish list of sorts and returned to the Brewster campus.

The next day Saddle Manor contacted our equine staff to say that their wish list had been filled! A secret Santa was in their midst, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Our equines are thankful too, especially since this generous set of equipment provided:

1 pony a cozy turnout blanket to keep him warm this winter

3 horses with saddles and girths that fit them properly

2 horses with their own properly fitting bridles, no longer having to share

As well as extra halters, brushes and other items that we were in need of

In time we discovered that the secret Santa was in fact donor and friend Mindy Levine, wife of New York Yankees President, Randy Levine. Her generosity not only illuminates the spirit of the holidays, it serves as a reminder that there are a variety of ways one can show support. Thank you Mindy!

Gyrfalcon

Crowned the best for falconry in medieval times, gyrfalcons were once reserved for kings. As the largest falcon in the world, with exquisite plumage ranging from bright white to deep charcoal, gyrs are revered for their powerful skill of flight. Their long wings make hunting waterfowl from 3,000-feet-high a feasible and fantastical feat. This falcon was flown in the sport of falconry for several years.