The 2009 Empowerment Program for Children and Families recently presented an hour-long demonstration of teamwork, goal setting and problem solving on Saturday Aug. 8, using horses and ponies.
Members of the Empowerment Team 2009 and their guests are, from left: Shanely Alves, Shogun, Anthony Alves, Chris Alves on Amber Nellie Belle; Lindsey Lavoie on ‘Nikita; Crystal Chisholm, Bennington, Joey Alves on Princess; and Starla Fox-Longsdale.
Sponsored by Maine Community Foundation’s Aroostook County Fund, the Manes and Tails summer program gave children and their families in Van Buren experience practicing individual and group life skills by engaging in horsemanship and equine-assisted learning activities. The summer was filled with partnering, private, teamwork and family sessions. Participants learned goal setting is important and although success is in the work, often you need support and leverage along the way, and never to give up.
‘Demo Day’ was a fun way of sharing some goals with more family, friends and community.
For children, the day started early with a quick rehearsal, then bathing the horses and ponies, lunch and decorations such as ribbons and special items on the animals and children. All participants were awarded team shirts on which a horse is looking at them with the words “EMPOWERMENT 2009 Sponsored by Maine CF Aroostook County Fund.” On the back of each shirt, their names and their specialties were printed.
The program began with children showing respect for country and neighbors, holding the American and Canadian flags and listening to the respective anthems. Then, first up was Starla, the ‘starter’ demonstrating how to gain trust between a horse and human then teaching a child who hadn’t ridden before how to balance on a pony.
Next Joey, our ‘obstacle guy,’ decked out in camouflage, hit a trail of obstacles, including a bridge with ‘water’ under it where he ‘fished,’ but only caught an old shoe, however he did get the pony to blow bubbles through a huge bubble wand!
Anthony followed, ‘on course’ across country, armed with everything from a fly swatter to sunscreen, wearing a flame orange safety vest, he also found the bridge and ‘water,’ but this time caught a nice fish for supper.
A guest appearance was made by Crystal Chisholm riding ‘Nikita’ accompanied by service dog, ‘Benny,’ demonstrating ‘good citizenship’ activities — all at the same time.
A circus followed with Shanely the ‘acrobat’ commanding a ring of clowns, along with riding on her knees and even standing on her mount. Cowboy Chris then came with the goal of speed. He had to perform a lot of gymnastics to qualify, then flew in circles with nothing but the horse’s back and a neck rope for support.
He was then so exhausted that he melted to the ground, only to be rescued by the emergency team with the pony buggy — but he was immediately announced fit to ride again, which he did to accompany Leader Lindsey.
Lindsey had practiced a drill team ride to marching music with her coach, Nancy, but this demo is for kids so Chris remounted and followed Nancy to match Lindsey’s moves through turns, circles and trot patterns. After a beautiful halt, the entire team squared up in the ring for group pictures.
The horse and pony coaches were rewarded with apples and the opportunity to roll in the riding ring, where the many children, families and friends who came to observe got to spend extra time with the large, gentle teachers: Shogun, Princess, Amber Nellie Belle and Nikita,
Staff members with Manes and Tails would like to thank the Maine Community Foundation’s Aroostook County Fund for sponsoring this program, which blends people overcoming all kinds of obstacles into proactive, learning and growing families and community.
For more information about the Maine Community Foundation go to www.mainecf.org or 877-700-6800.
Manes and Tails is a County non profit founded to support and expand the use of horses therapeutically in Aroostook. FMI visit www.mainesandtails.org or call Nancy Dumond Violette at 868-5324.
Contributed photo
Acrobat Shanely Alves is ‘on goal,’ to stand on the horse, Shogun.
