Update :)

Well this week has been pretty awesome. Josh came over Monday, and he came over Friday.
On Friday I was at Hunkapi from 7:45 to about 10:15. I helped with a lesson with this little boy who is going to be in a Special Olympics horse show next Saturday. We were practicing the barrel pattern. He enjoyed it quite a bit :) I think Joe Tom did too(the horse). One of the instructors/managers, Tara, said he used to be a roping/rodeo horse. We were only walking though. After that I lunged and groomed Will who I was supposed to ride in a lesson at 9. But the person never showed up so we cleaned stalls instead. :) fun.

On Saturday I was there from 7:15 to 11:15ish. I led Joe Tom in 3 one hour lessons. This week was better with the OT. (Hippotherapist, specializing in occupational therapy). The first week was a little off...she just wanted to get to know the 3 kids and she didn't know very much about the place or how things worked. So I basically had to guide her through stuff. But this week was much better.

The first little boy wasn't quite himself. Dawn(the OT) had him push a little wagon with some food in it to Joe Tom. Then we got him ready. For some reason the little boy DID NOT want to wear the helmet. But in order to be on a horse the kids HAVE to be wearing a helmet. So we walked all the way to the other side of the property to see the 'baby horses'. He was able to hold the other end of the lead rope and walk next to me leading Joejoe. He is so cute. His mom and dad and little sister came along with us. They are very nice. His little sister absolutely LOVED the baby horses. Hah who wouldn't??? They were adorable and very sweet. The whole family plus Dawn and her daughter were able to come right up to him and pet him. He seemed to enjoy is very much lol. After that they were able to put the helmet on the little boy and he rode Joe Tom back.

The next little boy is the one I've helped with when I worked on Thursdays. He is very relaxed on the horse. It's kind of sad to me though, because there is no verbal communication with him. His parents have taught him some sign language stuff(like what Darius and Nicole taught Torianna). But that's it. I could tell Dawn got a little disheartened with him. He did most of the things she asked him to do though.

After that, my favorite lesson came. It's a girl, and she is going into highschool actually. She's the most independent of the 3. She can talk, and do most normal things. Her favorite thing to do is ride backwards. Yes, backwards. Sitting BACKWARDS on Joe Tom. It's quite funny. She just giggles and says he's like a pillow. She learned parts of the horse. And instead of saying 'Withers' she would say 'Feathers'. LOl! Part of the time she was able to ride without the lead rope. I walked up in front of her and Dawn walked next to her.

During that lesson, Amanda was having a lesson in the other arena. There's a boy in that lesson...he's much older than the little boys in my lessons...
It was so cool though because he was actually cantering/loping on Tuff with a huge smile on his face. Cantering is a slower more controlled gallop. He wasn't flopping around or anything! It's so cool to see these people with so called disabilities get on a horse and ride somewhat independently(for some) and others ride completely by themselves. Controlling the horse and controlling how they sit and ride. Who says they can't do things??!

It makes it worth it-the heat, soreness-to see those kids riding and have a big smile on their faces, laughing and enjoying themselves. And even with kids like the little boy in the second lesson who doesn't talk, you can always tell if they're enjoying the ride. They're so relaxed, and there's a look of pure delight on their face. Those horses make such a difference in those kids' lives, and I thank God every day for them.

The girls' mom always thanks us before she leaves. So does her daughter. The way the mom says seems to come straight from her heart. She directly thanked me, then Joe Tom and Dawn. Each with the same passion. These people really do appreciate what we(and the horses) do and know that it makes a difference in their childrens's life. That's what I love about it. That's what makes it so worth working in the heat and getting sore from walking 3 straight hours in a row. I love it. I will miss is very much the two weeks I will be gone from it for GO. I will miss those kids. Their smiles, their energy. And I will also miss Joe Tom :)


Now for some other random info. Ok so I just heard Miley Cyrus on a country station. Ew.
Praise band this weekend was fun. Lol. And now I can finally get some rest. hah this afternoon all I did was lay down and watch Untold Stories of the ER. This guy broke his ankle and since he didn't have health insurance, made a cast for it out of concrete!!!! He ended up hurting it worse and causing chemical burns on his foot. He also hurt his side and stitched it up with a copper wire. Seriously people??!! Then this gunman went wild in a hospital and shot a doctor in the head and side. He survived and recovered to go back to work. Wow! Then this 6 year old kid was thrown from a car in an accident. He fractured his skull, broke his jaw, lost teeth, broke an arm and a leg. He fully recovered. With the help of physical therapy ;) And then this other little boy had brain bleeding because he got hit in the head with just a golfball and almost died. Jeez! Talk about live like you were dying.

I haven't been all too excited about GO until about now...hah the week before. I guess I just don't want to leave. for a week. And not be able to see or talk to certain people ;) But I can do it. Hopefully.

Well my fingers hurt from typing. Wow I didn't know I could talk this much!! I will leave you with this :)