E is for Equine Excuse

My contribution for Alphabe-Thursday this week is not very good.  No good pics or websites to post.  Just a real genuine explanation (oh, another e word!).

I have not had a chance to do a good post because I have been busy this week helping at Untamed Spirit Therapeutic Riding summer camp, in Virgnia Beach, VA.  This wonderful program was founded by Barbara Ford, a woman who has devoted much of her adult life to providing children, all children, with an opportunity to learn to ride and care for horses.  This is a non-profit program and much of the work is done by volunteers.  When my daughter was a little girl I would have been thrilled to have such an opportunity for her.  Since she is now grown, and does ride I am determined to do my part to give other little girls and boys the opportunity to forget about their weaknesses, and find all the strengths they have, and do it on top of a HUGE horse!

So, this week, in 98 degree weather I have been running around helping out where ever I am needed. (I do lots of the arts and crafts projects and organize the snacks, etc. Oh, I also man the Activity Center on the Obstacle Course - I have spent the week being pulverized by the campers as they beat me at tic tac toe every day.)

This is the tic tac toe side of the activity center. That man, is my wonderful husband Artie,who built this  whole thing for the kids.

Campers making horse cookies for the great group of horses and ponies that work so hard each day.

Little campers learn how to groom horses and make sure that the horses hooves are clean and in good order.

The vet came for a visit while the campers were there.  He had to check Ben's front right leg.   Ben is  one of the farms sweethearts. (He is my favorite horse!!) He weighs 2000 pounds and is the gentlest, sweet tempered animal I have ever met.

After riding around in the very hot sunny ring it feels great to have a little cool shower before going into a stall to have a little hay snack - (and maybe a horse cookie too!)

This grand old man is a 40 year old Arabian.  He was one of the cornerstone horses in the beginning of Barbara's riding program.  He doesn't work anymore. Now, he just  gets to hang out with his buddy and eat clover and play.  Literally hundreds of children learned to ride on his back, and he took good care of each of them like the champion his is!

One of the ponies getting ready to work!

That's my Suzanne with Barbara, checking out the activity center prior to the beginning of camp!

And, this is one of the mini-horses saying 'Good bye and thanks for visiting -  You can read and see more about Untamed Spirit at  -

http://forwardmotionfarm.com/

Next week I shall endeavor to find something fantastic for the letter F!