Mane Impact: N.C. Therapeutic Riding Center

To all you goblins, ghosts and Lady GaGas!

2010-10-31T13:29:31-07:00

/ At this moment /

I have nothing to say, no words, just want to share this picture with you, capturing a moment on this day of Halloween. This is of my youngest child trying to blow out the candle in the pumpkin she and her grandma carved a few days ago.

We couldn’t make it to Margie’s Halloween party yesterday (Saturday) at Clearwind Farm because my oldest child had strep and I didn’t want to expose your children to her.

Did you go? Please send me your stories and pictures for the next update through the blog, website, newsletter and/or email alerts.

Wishing you a safe and haunting time tonight! ---- Sarah Shapard, Executive Director

P.S. On a completely unrelated note and in case you missed this interesting New York Times article “IPad Opens World to Disabled Boy,” visit http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/nyregion/31owen.html?_r=1

CEO, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce To Work for a Day this Friday at NCTRC / Rupert Isaacason, author of Horse Boy, to Speak at the Mane Event Sept. 23

2010-06-23T06:04:08-07:00

Aaron Nelson, CEO & President, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, recently accepted a job offer to work for a day this Friday at the North Carolina Therapeutic Riding Center as a sidewalker. He will be part of a horse show that will showcase what the children in the summer camp this week have learned.

To read what convinced him to accept this job, read the column published in today's Chapel Hill News at http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2010/06/23/57797/come-spend-a-day-on-the-farm-aaron.html . It's a good thing he accepted, because our second choice was Ronald of McDonald's. This clown would have stole the spotlight from the children during the horse show!

Equally exciting news: Rupert Isaacason, author of the Horse Boy, has accepted our invitation to join Dr. Joseph Pivens, director, Carolina Institute for Developmental Delays, UNC School of Medicine, as keynote speakers at NCTRC's annual benefit dinner to be held at the Carolina Inn Thursday, September 23.

This year's topic is on autism, and Rupert is a parent of an autistic child. After his son was diagnsed with autism, he and his wife used every tool in the bag they could find to help their son connect with them, and even traveled as far as Mongolia to ride horses and seek the help of shamans.To read an article about his book in an article published by the New York Times, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/books/15horse.html

The Mane Event will be held from 6 - 9:30, and also includes a silent auction and a live auction skit produced by Anoo Brod, a local improvisational actress, with her group of students.

Because Rupert's visit ---- and the auction skit --- will draw considerable interest, and there are limited seats, please get your tickets today via www.nctrcriders.org, or call 919-304-1009. Tickets are $65 for the general public and $45 for NCTRC, Autism Society and TEEACH members plus a guest at this discounted rate.

Grand Opening of "Wild Horses" Exhibition, Featuring NCTRC's Horses, To be Held This Friday in Durham at LabourLove Gallery

2010-05-19T08:44:15-07:00

The opening of the “Wild Horses” exhibition, by Kelly Dew, and a one-year birthday celebration of LabourLove Gallery will be held this Friday, May 21 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Gold Belt in Durham. More than 500 people are expected to attend, and some of the horses at the N.C. Therapeutic Riding Center will be featured in the paintings. The Golden Belt is located at 807 East Main Street in Durham and the exhibition will run until July 15. A percentage of the original artwork sales will be donated to NCTRC. Local homebrew master, Jason Salemme, will be on hand with different samples of beer, a traditional staple, at the gallery’s opening reception. For more information, visit www.labourlove.com.

LabourLove and NCTRC recently in the news: Bull City Rising: LabourLove preps to celebrate first year in business on Third Friday

As told by a mother: "She's a different child on a horse."

2010-05-19T07:44:42-07:00

May 9, 2010

“Briana, 6, is autistic. She uses signs to communicate. She has seen several occupational and speech therapists since the age of 2, and each time she meets with a new therapist, she has major meltdowns, that is, until she came to NCTRC. So many things have happened there that have blown me away. On her first day in class, for example, Briana touched her horse's nose. This astonished me. It may not seem like a major victory. But it was very significant. She was connecting, for the first time, to an animal. She has never done this with other animals even the two dogs we have at home. By the third class, Briana signed AND said the word “go” to her horse. I couldn’t believe it, she was talking! She just glowed and giggled with pride.

The movement of the horse seems to regulate her in a way that she can focus on talking to her horse. She is doing the tasks required of her by Margie Muenzer, her physical therapist, and she is doing them without any temper tantrums. She is not experiencing any behavioral issues she ordinarily would in a traditional therapeutic setting. She is a different child on a horse.” ----- Trica Wildman, Briana's mother

Briana’s progress can be attributed to her parents and the help of so many dedicated supporters, volunteers and professionals within the NCTRC community and beyond. Your involvement and gifts have made this possible for Briana and other children to help them reach their optimal growth. ---- Sarah Shapard, Executive Director

Note: The results of 2008 study "The Effects of Equine-Assisted Activities on the Social Functioning of Children with Autism," has found that using horses as the motivating nexus of a treatment plan is very effective for children with autism spectrum disorders. Funded by the Horses & Human Foundation, the study noted that they "improved in critical areas such as sensory seeking, emotional reactive, inattention and distractibility and sensory sensitivity. They also demonstrated improved cognition, communication as well as motivation following the intervention." The full report is posted at www.horsesandhumans.org.

Bent, Not Broken

2010-05-04T06:04:28-07:00

Shea and Michelle horsing around during last year's summer camp.

May 4, 2010

Bent, Not Broken

Written by Kassie Bracken and Erik Olsen and published in the New York Times on April 30, 2010

"Bent, Not Broken" is a story about a young teacher who was given a diagnosis of muscular dystrophy at the age of 2. This teacher attributes her success to her mother. She "didn't place any emphasis on my disability and expected a lot of me as if I was an ambulatory child.” To read more, www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/nyregion/02back.html?ref=health . Let this story inspire you. Let your child dream so big. Catch their dreams. When you’re with them, really pay attention. Be in the moment. Even if you are tired and just got home from work. Tune in to what they say. What makes them laugh? What books do they like to read? Favorite T.V. shows? What do communicate with their eyes or hands? Then find ways to support their dreams. Use the time you usually reserve to watch T.V. to make their dreams --- bit by bit --- a reality. Somewhere in my oldest daughter's room --- and on the floor --- is a clue to her potential in life between her rock collection, clothes, books and, an old favorite, a clipboard. ---- Sarah Shapard, Executive Director

Make some noise!

2010-04-05T06:02:16-07:00

Two Saturdays ago, on March 27, more than 15 people from NCTRC ran or walked along a nice 3.1-mile course in blue-sky-chilly weather throughout downtown Durham. Those who walked or ran are in the picture taken by Skeeter Lee, a lesson volunteer. Those who are not in the picture include some of the folks who ran and more than 90 individual donors! Altogether, as a group led by our outreach and education coordinator, Margie Muenzer, we raised more than $14,800 to serve children and adults of our community with disabilities and medical conditions! This figure is after the 15% that goes to the Volunteer Center of Durham for organizing the race. It also includes a match from an anonymous donor.

In the telling of this story, I’m thinking about this anonymous donor. I believe giving anonymously is an equally beautiful way, as is giving publicly, to partner with a person in need. If the three of us were to meet in the same room, no one but myself really knows who gave to whom. This has happened, and to watch this interaction is a humbling experience where the one in need walks away with dignity in place and the other of resources walks away knowing the impact of his or her gift. Thank you, all of you, for your support! ---- Sarah Shapard, Executive Director

When the clouds part, unveils the sun, the leaves will come

2010-03-15T12:24:56-07:00

March 15, 2010

Is it spring yet? It is for us, mentally, at Clearwind Farm. Even if the trees are still bare (pictured) and it is somewhat chilly, we are feeling, sensing and seeing changes in the air and on the ground and at the farm.

Classes, for example, started today. More than 40 participants, most of whom are children under the age of 15, have registered. More than 100 slots have been filled by volunteers to walk along side or lead a horse in these classes each week for the next 11 weeks!

More than 80 individuals are participating in or sponsoring someone in the Great Human Race and together have raised more than $5,700. While we still have two weeks to go, if the race were to end today, our kind, anonymous benefactor, a long-time lesson volunteer, will match an additional $5,700 for a total of $10,400!

Additionally, we have several events and workshops coming up over the next eight weeks! For more information, please visit www.nctrcriders.org.

Several students enrolled in a multimedia class at Elon University are working on three separate prototypes for our website, and our graphic designer, Jan Pulley, will be working closely with them. Chris Nadel is our new auction coordinator for the Mane Event this fall, and Lucy Castle and Mollie Purdy will be helping us with the Mane Event.

At the end of the day, none of this could have happened without your involvement as a staff member, as a board member, as a volunteer or as a donor. Thank you for your continuing involvement and for your support! --- Sarah Shapard, Executive Director

Fulfill Your New Year's Resolution on March 27, or Change Someone Else's Life!

2010-03-08T10:25:35-08:00

March 8, 2010

WHAT ONE PERSON ---- YOU --- CAN DO:

WALK, RUN OR SUPPORT THE NORTH CAROLINA THERAPEUTIC RIDING

CENTER IN THE GREAT HUMAN RACE ON MARCH 27.

Any dollar you donate or secure will be matched by another dollar!

With three more weeks to go, it’s not too late to participate in the Great Human Race on Saturday, March 27, or support someone in the race! More than 85 individuals are on the upswing donating more than $3,500 to support NCTRC. This will be matched, dollar for dollar, by an anonymous and generous donor who is also a long-time lesson volunteer. If the race were to be held today, we will have raised a total of $7,000!

This race could be an opportunity for you to fulfill your health resolution for 2010. Remember, the first day of the New Year, you might have said “I’m going to do this, change my life around.” To set up a webpage, contact Margie Muenzer at margie@nctrcriders.org.

Or, this race could be an opportunity to support someone else. Visit NCTRC’s Great Human Race webpage at www.active.com/donate/ghr2010/NCTherapeuticRiding, for a list of names of participants in the race. Read why they are involved. They include several lesson volunteers, participants, and parents. Then there is Lissa Lutz, a riding instructor, who has been involved with NCTRC for more than 20 years and and whose father, now 77, created Trot, our wooden horse. Diane Stranahan, volunteer coordinator, is another participant. Her entire family is involved as volunteers, and then we have Mary Beth Osborne who successfully, without the fireworks, earned her doctorate degree last spring!

We will put your donations to work for people of all ages who need help adjusting to their limitations and leading the best lives they can. For stories about how we are putting your donations to work, visit www.maneimpact.typepad.com.

We cannot express our gratitude enough to those of you who are involved through this race or in some other way at NCTRC!

---- Sarah Shapard, Executive Director

Introducting Trot, He'll be at the University Mall Day Camp Fair Saturday!

2010-02-26T16:48:59-08:00

Feburary 26, 2010

Hey everybody, this is Trot. Isn't he gorgeous? Look at those ears. My daughter [pictured] hated to leave him behind when it was time for us to leave on this day. I'll have to track down who made him. I promise, I'll get back to you with his story. In the meantime, he's camping out on the back of Audrey's truck tonight until she can bring him to the University Mall Day Camp Fair Saturday from 10 - 2 p.m.

Trot's going to be part of our booth where we will have opportunities to introduce NCTRC and pass out camp brochures to some of the parents from the community. I can't resist this opportunity to tell you who created those brochures. Jan Pulley, one of our lesson volunteers, created a very child-friendly and colorful brochure with a slight trick of motion. My oldest child got it right away by flapping the fold several times to create the motion of Jan's horse tossing his head up and down!

J.B. Hull of TriPrinters Chapel Hill ---- (919) 929-0271 ---- is convinced these brochures alone will sell the show for us! Jan also created a beautiful poster, complete with pictures we took, to showcase the work we do and Clearwind Farm. I'm telling you, because of Jan, our booth, well, it'll be all decked out in fancy clothes, like Cinderalla, for a short period of time!

Be sure to tell everybody you know about our camps. Call me, Sarah Shapard, at 919-304-1009 if you want to get copies of our camp brochures, or download one from www.nctrcriders.org.

Be Prepared to be Inspired

2010-02-17T10:57:32-08:00

February 17, 2010

What a long-time volunteer says of her Thursdays with Mario at the North Carolina Therapeutic Riding Center: “So, you see, it is not just a pony ride, it’s not just an outing, therapeutic riding goes much deeper than that. It is physically and emotionally beneficial to people who need to connect with the physical world that they can be so isolated from because of their afflictions.” --- Shannon Woolfe, long-time volunteer.

Read more: http://wolfyknowstheway.blogspot.com/2010/02/thursdays-with-mario.html