"Back in the Saddle"

Coming back to blogging after being gone for so long is almost as challenging as getting back on a horse after you've fallen off!  The desire is there, but so is the possibility of falling again.  There's a little fear mixed with excitement.  So, every time I've come here in the past few months, I think of all the things I want to share and then feel overwhelmed trying to put it all together, so I leave doing nothing... Oiy! 

Well, no more!  Today, I am getting back on the horse and going to do what I can do - no more, no less!  I thought it fitting to jump back on with my horse theme by sharing one of the newest and most meaningful things that we are doing these days... volunteering at a Hippotherapy location nearby called Freedom Ride.

Wikipedia gives the definition of hippotherapy as:  "a form of physical, occupational and speech therapy in which a therapist uses the characteristic movements of a horse to provide carefully graded motor and sensory input."

We discovered this opportunity last year when looking for ways for Holly to volunteer to fulfill scholarship requirements.  After taking her to an orientation, we decided that it was so amazing that we all wanted to join her and have been there since October.  We go to the barn every Friday from 7:45 to noon and here's an idea of what we do while we are there...

We start each week by turning all of the horses out from their stalls to the pasture - one of my favorite parts of the day!  We've learned how to put on fly masks and halters, lead them out, release them and then watch them hurry out to that yummy green grass awaiting them!

Holly turning out Ivan

MaKenna turning out Little Bit

Holly and Ginger

Caleb takes any horse out and brings them back in, but he loves the minis especially!

The minis - Joey and Marshmallow - with Dusty

At 8:00, classes start and last 30 minutes each. We tack up each horse for their class - saddle pads, bump pads, saddle, stirrups adjusted,  girth tightened, reins attached, etc. (I never knew that I would even know what all of these things were, let alone know what to do with them!)  Each class needs a "horse handler" (to lead the horse and rider) as well as two "sidewalkers" (who spot the rider as their needs demand - either ankle hold or arm over thigh or both).
Our first class is a little boy about 6 or 7 with disabilities in the autism spectrum, basically non verbal.  He rides Image, the pretty paint in the picture below.

Any time classes are going on and one of us is not in a class, we are cleaning stalls.  Caleb is still considered a Junior volunteer (until he is 14), so he is unable to work classes.  He has perfected tacking up the horses, grooming them (including picking their hooves, currying, brushing, etc), leading them to and from pasture and, yes, cleaning stalls.

Caleb getting Lucky ready for class, with Bella behind them

Confession:  I love to clean the stalls.  Is that weird??!!  I love the horsey smell of the barn, but I also love the feeling of entering a stall, seeing the mess, and conquering it!  There is such a peace when I am in there, all by myself - the quietness makes me feel like I am in my own little world.  I spend my time in each stall thinking, praying and relaxing in the rhythm of my work. 

Cleaning the stalls includes:  Removing all manure and urine, sifting through the shavings for hidden "treasures", smoothing out the shavings and adding more as needed, refilling their water buckets, cleaning their feed bins, adding fresh hay and cleaning their salt blocks if needed.  It takes 20-30 minutes per stall, depending on how messy the horse is, and we have 9 stalls.

All the while that stalls are being cleaned, there are classes going on, so we rotate around - cleaning stalls and working classes.  Our second class is a girl about 23 with (I think) severe autism, non-verbal.  She is so happy, though, and squeals in delight when we trot with her!

 Next up is a woman in her 30's who has cerebral palsy - highly intelligent and verbal, though hard to understand.  She is one of my favorites!  I just love her attitude, her sweet spirit and her attention to detail - she is not afraid to correct you if you do something different than she wanted!  Recently, channel 6 came and filmed her class for a news report promoting Freedom Ride:

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Our 4th class is another woman with CP, in her 40's or so.  She is verbal, but VERY hard to understand, and very intelligent. We help each of the riders mount:

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 Heading out to start the class:

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Both of these women are so sweet, just trapped in bodies that don't cooperate.  There is one other class, but we are usually not needed to work it, so I don't know much about her except that she is very verbal and easy to understand but with a lot of physical disabilities.

Each student has different things they are working on, based on their age, experience, disability and needs.  It could be as basic as following directions to hold the reins or as advanced as two point trotting.  We do many obstacle courses with ground poles, weaving poles, bridges, barrels for figure eights, stop boxes, etc.  There are often tic tac toe type boards made on the ground for the riders to get to and toss balls into, or sometimes they will play basketball with a goal on the fence.  These are just a few of the things we do on any given day!  The goal of it all is to build the student's confidence while challenging and strengthening them, as well as ease their disability.

I can't even begin to explain how meaningful this has been for the kids and I.  Interacting with the horses is amazing.  The people at the barn with us on Fridays (one other volunteer, the barn manager and the instructor) are incredible.  The students are inspiring.  The work is life changing.  Watching my kids interact with people of various disabilities and ages, with no fear or intimidation, is priceless.

Caleb and Image

It kind of makes me think about the whole "socialization" issue with homeschoolers.  How many 12 year old boys do you know who can interact with all of these ages and disabilities with confidence?  One of the instructors has a son with severe physical disabilities.  He is hard to understand, drools, can't control his arms and legs, etc.  Caleb takes time every week to talk to him and spend time with him and this young man just loves Caleb.  If that is "unsocialization", then I'd rather my kids be unsocialized any day.

MaKenna in the pasture, leading a horse in

I don't know how long we will be there, but we have no plans to stop our volunteering any time soon!  Fridays have become one of our favorite days of the week, thanks to this awesome place.

Horses out to pasture = pure beauty!

Well, thanks for reading along!  Hopefully, now that I've taken the plunge and hopped back on, I will keep up a little better.  =)