Join us for Junior Vet Camp at Triple Play Farm!

2014 marks the third year of this unique offering at TPF! Junior Vet Camp will allow kids between the ages of 10-16 the chance to learn “hands-on” from large animal veterinarian, Dr. Robbie Whaley of Piedmont Equine Mobile Veterinary Clinic. Utilizing the gentle therapy herd at Triple Play, campers will have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn about equine anatomy, basic equine health, emergency care, diagnostics and vet medicine as a career path. This is a rich, detailed workshop designed to provide a “real life” veterinary experience, and make them better horse owners and handlers.*

DAY 1 — Intro to Careers in Veterinary Medicine • Equine Anatomy • Equine Body Parts • Review Anatomy-Pop Quiz

DAY 2 — Dentistry • Floats • Lameness • Physical Exam • General Health Care • Vaccines/Coggins • Parasites • Wrapping/Wound Care

DAY 3 — Diagnostics • Ultrasound • Radiology • Endoscopy • Review Anatomy, Body Parts • Final Exam • Q&A session • Graduation!

WHEN: August 4 – August 6, 2014** [Day 1 and 2: 9am-4pm; Day 3: 9am-2pm]

WHAT’S ALSO INCLUDED: Lunch, Textbook, Piedmont Equine clinic t-shirt, Triple Play Farm t-shirt, Special Triple Play keepsake

COST: $275 per camper**

online casinoconstantcontact.com/register/event?llr=qifsuxfab&oeidk=a07e8wqltry72363400″ target=”_blank”>CLICK HERE to register today!

*Note: even though this is a “hands-on” workshop with the horses, there is no mounted/riding included in this camp. Agenda subject to change.

**The number of campers registered will determine the duration and cost of the camp. A minimum of 8 campers must be met. For 8 registrants = 1 day camp = $125 — for 10 registrants = 2 day camp = $200 — for 12 registrants = 3 day camp = $275.

The program rules are fairly simple, and the upshot is that they will be awarding twelve (12) $250,000 grants to small businesses who meet the criteria.  This grant would allow to grow services in several important ways, including:

• Building a covered round pen so that we are no longer dependent upon the weather in order to serve clients;
• Funding a dedicated, part time therapist staff position so that clients are not put on a waiting list;
• Underwriting programming costs for clients who have an impaired ability to pay for services;
• Expanding programming options, particularly with regard to at-risk adolescent girls and returning veterans.

The first hurdle to receiving this grant is to demonstrate community support by obtaining 250 votes from Facebook users. We have an amazing base of support and currently BGC a lawyer Peter Naessens told GamblingCompliance that even though some two blacklisted firms’ games were “innocent,” additionally they billed gamers real cash to experience games like mahjong and blackjack with the hope of winning awards having a financial value. have received 296 votes, so our application will definitely be considered! However, I am sure that every vote is helpful, so if you have a few minutes and more importantly, believe in our work with animal assisted therapy, please consider casting a vote.

How to vote:

1. Visit https://www.missionsmallbusiness.com/
2. Click the “Login & Support” button in the bottom right of the page then accept the Facebook login requests
3. Search for Triple Play Farm and vote for us.

(Contest ends June 30, 2012 and results should be announced by mid-September.)

As always, your support is much appreciated. Thank you.

But I also love this retreat because it recurs every quarter and there is a beautiful sense of continuity, of meeting each season to check in on each other”s lives.  Did the woman who was so excited about purchasing a farm find the property of her dreams yet?  Did the woman whose passion was working with animals find the perfect part mobile gambling time position?  We come back together at the farm for sustenance, so that we can re-enter the world in pursuit of our bliss a little fortified and once casinoves again resolved.

Last weekend, we engaged in round pen exercises with the herd as a way of exploring non-verbal communication and relationship.  With permission, I would love to share the reflections of one participant:

“…you helped me find my strength by turning There are 17,416 driving permit registered. fear into power into peace. By dancing with my fear, it helped me to acquire self confidence with steps toward self reliance. It was such a breakthrough that I am overwhelmed with courage. Change began with a choice, thanks for creating a new story in my life. The gift of the retreat will never be forgotten and deeply treasured.”

As I have said so often, it is a privilege to walk beside each client for even a short portion of her journey and it is my greatest hope that the farm is a place of safekeeping and recharging.  Come and see what the horses have to offer you…

Take, for example, my favorite breed, the Norwegian Fjord.  Although almost every breed claims ancient lineage, Fjord horses are truly one casino online of the oldest, purest breeds in the world with Viking era ties.  According to breed historians, “the topography of western Norway was a chief factor in the development of the Fjord Horse. This region is made up of steep mountains separated by deep fjords. Agricultural land makes up only about 3% of the entire country, and farming is limited to small rocky fields accessed by narrow roads. Horses might be asked to pull farm equipment, carry riders or pack saddles on rough trails, and occasionally ride in small rowboats when crossing fjords. Because an unruly horse could put itself and its handler in danger under these circumstances, breeders preferred animals that were tractable and quiet-tempered, but also strong and tireless.” In other worlds, the spooky Fjords never survived to pass along their gene pool.  What we are left with thousands of years later is a hardy, surefooted (most of the time), even tempered, adorable little pony package.

Also, in the natural herd, horses choose leaders who are deft at conserving herd energy.  There is greater social currency among the horses depending upon who is moving his feet the least.  As with anything else, we can”t expect them to concede to our wishes until we engage in methods that take into account their viewpoint.  Just because they aren”t saying yes does not mean that they are inherently lazy animals.  Let”s be honest…they”re not the ones lying on the couch with the remote…

So what can we learn from the herd?  In my opinion, the lesson is about not making assumptions until you have examined the context of another”s actions…or lack thereof.

People often ask what equine facilitated learning looks like.  An amazing thing happened in our arena this week, but let me back up a bit…

Kim Bridi, our mindfulness instructor and life coach (and owner of The Tree, a therapeutic yoga studio here in Davidson) and I decided to collaborate on a pilot Horseback on Yoga program.  I know as little about yoga as she does about horses, so it was a wonderful meeting of the minds, and there were obvious areas of overlap in our approach to working with growth and healing clients.  Our hope was that at the very least, everyone would develop core strength and flexibility…we had no idea!

One of our initial students was an accomplished yoga instructor who was interested in overcoming a past fear related to horses.  I didn”t press for details, and was so impressed as I watched her push deeper into the corners of her comfort zone each week.  She took trusting leaps of faith and achieved poses on horseback that I am quite sure I couldn”t strike on terra firma.

About halfway through the session, she did share her horse related trauma with me and I was frankly blown away.  When she was thirteen years old, she was riding across the moors on her mare and a feral stallion galloped up who was intent on breeding her horse.  To her horror, the stallion grabbed her by the shoulder with his teeth and tossed her aside before mounting the mare before her eyes.  It was months before she had full range of motion in her arm.

On our sixth and final session last week, I was her handler for the one hour class.  As we wrapped up and Kim asked if there were anything else that she would Thrillsilla on laaja ja laadukas valikoima hedelmapeleja, kasinopeleja , videopokereita ja jackpotpeleja. like to try, I took the lead rope and tied it into reins that I offered to her.  In the way that she approached every other challenge here, she bravely took up the reins and rode a lap, bareback and without shoes around the arena.  She shared with me that it was the first time that she had taken the reins in the thirty years since the incident…and it took my breath away to see her ride.  The horse with whom she had spent six weeks building trust with patience, pears and grapes tentatively picked his way across the arena with his ears flicking back to listen to her every few steps. She was content with walking one lap, but I don”t think that she will wait another thirty years to ride again.

Her reflection and gratitude about the class were so powerful–the experience had affirmed the power of her yoga practice and teaching, and opened the door to the possibility of having horses in her life once again.  I thank her for giving permission to share this personal story and as I think so many times…wow, a horse did that.  Kim and I just had to stay out of the way.

I am very excited to announce the fall program Horses. Hope. Healing. A Cancer Survivors” Retreat for a couple of different reasons.  For one thing, it brings some of my favorite colleagues together.  They are warm, capable, committed women who have a passion for their work.  

• Rosie Molinary is a local author/educator with a great gift for showing you the best within yourself and making you wonder why you didn”t see it there first.  She was an inspiration to our Girl Power campers this summer and will be leading the reflective discussions.
• Kim Bridi is funny and adventurous and so willing to give of herself for the benefit of Muslims forbid gambling, and charging interest on financial loans, and even though the photograph doesn't provide obvious evidence that Cisse was gambling, just his mere presence inside a casino has set the double standard hares running. others. She will be offering both group and individual Thai yoga sessions throughout the day.
• Julia Clodfelter, MSW, has a wonderfully gentle spirit that just makes you want to linger for a while.  She is a lifelong equestrian and will be co-facilitating the equine sessions with me.

This retreat also epitomizes my belief that the horses are good for your soul.  There is something rejuvenating about just sharing space with them that is hard to describe. They online pokies are excellent Unlike an opiate addiction or an alcohol addiction that would require a medically supervised opiate detox recovery or alcohol detox, there would not be a traditional detox needed for marijuana, although some over-the-counter medications may help ease any physical symptoms. practitioners of just being in the moment and meaning what you say. In my own darkest moments, they are often my first stop for comfort and peace.

This retreat, catered by Jennifer Brule of Finding Tasty, is scheduled for 8:30-5:00 on Saturday, October 15, 2011 and will be a gathering, a celebration, a sharing and hopefully an inspiration as these talented women guide you through a day of self-discovery.  I hope that you will consider joining us to see what the horses have to offer you.

 October 15, 2011  *  8:30 AM until 5 PM  * Davidson, North Carolina

Early Bird Registration is $189.00 (includes lunch, snacks, a signed copy of Beautiful You, and a Triple Play Farm shirt) and runs until September 20.  Registration after September 20th is $209.                

A minimum of 12 participants are needed to confirm the retreat.

To register, please contact:  Kris Batchelor (kbatchelor@aol.com) at Triple Play Farm (Facebook: Triple Play Farm) or 704-608-8441.

Recently, our friend Dawn Roth (www.dawnsroth.com) taught a barnyard yoga class on the front lawn at the farm adjacent to one of the big pastures. It was a class with exercises tailored specifically to equestrians. She had a handful of people roll out their mats starting at 9:00 a.m. and as I puttered around the house, I noticed that our entire herd of Fjords plus mini was lined up at the front fence as if a bobcat were approaching. They were alert and attentive with outstretched necks and wide eyes, and a couple never grazed over the course of the entire ninety minute class. The highlight for everyone, though, was when the whole class struck a warrior pose. As their outstretched arms swept from left to right…the entire herd turned and ran across the pasture! It was fascinating and hilarious and breathtaking.

So many times in life we underestimate the power of the message that our bodies are sending. One of my biggest lessons with the horses has been that the message that I think I am sending is not always the one that my body is showing. Sometimes I think that I am being clear and direct with my horse online casinos only to realize that my shoulders are a little hunched or my eye contact could be more direct. Simple physical changes result in him hearing me at a completely different volume. This experience was a beautiful example of the energy that exists within all of us just waiting to be harnessed (especially when we act together)…I know that the horses felt it that day.

Although Dawn has happily bought her own farm and is in the process of relocating to Lake Wylie, we will be continuing with our yoga programming this fall with Kim Bridi of Davidson”s The Tree: A Therapeutic Yoga Studio (www.thetreeyogastudio.com).  She will be hopefully continuing with a monthly meeting of Barnyard Yoga, as well as Mindfulness Yoga on Horseback, which should be an exciting new way to experiment with horse as partner.

Hope to see you at the farm.

This weekend, we went into high gear in preparation for the 2011 Lake Norman Parade of Barns. This is the third year that we have participated in this event which benefits therapeutic riding at Hinds” Feet Farm, a day program for adults with traumatic brain injury.

Hinds” Feet is a facility that will always be near and dear to my heart.  I began volunteering there in 2007 as they were just beginning their therapeutic riding program.  I won”t forget the very first time that we had all of the pieces in place…after searching for appropriate horses, dealing with administrative necessities and teaching horsemanship from the ground up, we were finally ready.  When that first member settled into the saddle, it suddenly just became about that member on that horse in that moment.

As an instructor there, the moments that were the most moving for me had nothing to do with using the reins or learning a two point position.  It was the joy of connection with a 1,000 pound animal and many of those moments came on the ground.  We had one member who was well over six feet and we simply didn”t have a horse that was a suitable size for him to ride. Instead, we paired him with an older mare who would literally stand all day Sa en av vare spillere valgte a bli v?rende inne og ha litt moro med Casinospill . for grooming.  As he methodically braided her mane, he was reminded of time spent braiding his sister”s hair.  A sister that he had lost after a tragic car accident which also left him with his traumatic brain injury. Until that point, he had chosen not to speak about his grief, but something about his time with the horse that day created a shift.  As I stood with him, I realized that some of the most profound moments happen out of the saddle and we certainly don”t have to be on the horse”s back to experience their gifts.

I hope that you will join us for this year”s Parade of Barns for such an excellent cause–we will be offering carriage rides as well as the following demos:

1:00 – 2:00    Meet the Drafts

2:00 – 300     Equine Massage for the Horse Owner

3:00 – 4:00    What is Equine Assisted Therapy?

Then at 4:30, be sure to head over to Hinds” Feet Farm for a catered dinner, silent auction, live music, and other fun activities.

By buying a $10 ticket, you are helping to ensure more moments of horse/human connection for the deserving members of Hinds” Feet Farm.

Compare the head of a horse to that of a dog. Unlike a predator, a horse’s eyes are evenly spaced on either side of his head and are among the largest physical eyeball of any land mammal. He has a field of vision that extends almost 350 degrees around his body with a small blind spot directly in front of and behind him. While grazing, he can lift his head and shift from binocular to monocular vision in an instant. His eyes are acutely attuned to anything that resembles the quick movement of an approaching predator and he must make constant judgment calls about potential threats.

Here at the farm, the way a horse sees is one of the first things that we often discuss when explaining equine behavior. We even have a specially made mask that offers an approximation of a horse’s visual field. We will often have the kids try the mask on and simulate haltering, feeding treats and leading so that they can have instant insight into the mind of the animal with whom they are about to work. It is always cool to hear their amazement as they wear the mask and watch how their body language changes without them even realizing it. In that first moment, their heads are often high and turning side to side just like a startled prey animal.

As people, we have a tendency to assume that every creature sees the world as we do, both literally and figuratively, and one big stepping stone to relationship is the empathy that develops when we adopt a much different perspective.