Melinda

THCP is a collective of like-minded people who are keen about Tarpan horses in North America. For fun, we call ourselves the "Tarpan Council." We have no structured hierarchy among us,  but Emily and I handle the essential paperwork and accounts needed to support a successful 501(c)3. The titles in our bios reflect that responsibility.

I am Melinda, the Principal Officer of THCP, which I established with Linda Martin in 2019. As a child, I enjoyed showing three- and five-gaited American Saddlebred horses in junior exhibitor competitions. I rediscovered horses decades later as a volunteer at Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue. In 2017, I brought five 4-year-old Tarpan horses who had never been handled to Hope’s Legacy and later to Walnut Grove. I have had the extraordinary experience of living with and learning from these captivating horses. Seeking to share this experience with others, I was certified in equine-assisted learning by E3A (www.e3assoc.org) in 2022. I am a retired professor and researcher of agricultural economics. I recently joined the Augusta County Historical Society in Virginia, where, with a fascination for history,  I volunteer in the archives. The history of Tarpan horses is also a favorite topic.