The Lower Connecticut
Valley Educational
Riding Association,
Inc.
LC.VER A Hadlyme, Ct.
'¡
06439
Vol.
2 No.
April
2
1983
FORTHCOMING I
•
The sketch, as most everyone knows, is the symbol for our Raffle. Don't turn that dial! This is not just another plug for the Raffle there's a new idea coming right up. But for those who may not have heard the Raffle is truly SENSATIONAL! A trip for TWO First class on the QE-2. Transatlantic one way on the QE-2, transatlantic the other in the SST CONCORDE. More details later but on to the new idea. The idea came from where good ideas come ---I stole it. It came from one of our most dedicated volunteers who just does not like to sell tickets. But, said this volunteer: "If anyone would like to sell TEN tickets for me I will buy one in their name''. Now this gave me the idea for TWO gifts for the price of one, The QE-2 trip is great for anyone but how specially great for a newly married couple or just any couple who could not consider doing it on their own. YOU offer to buy one ticket for them if they sell TEN for LCVERA. The first gift is the funds go to LCVERA the second gift the truly outstanding trip. Now if you the one for you know so couples--just a few people wings, who
that is
need help in buying every ten--because many deserving let me know, I have standing in the will help.
More details about the tickets and the trip. The tickets are $25 each. Your name, address, telephone number and $25 per ticket sent to LCVERA will get you tickets by return mail. The trip has a great variety of options. You can go either way by QE-2--You can come right back or arrange to stay and vacation abroad--There is a wide choice of dates; you can even put the trip off until next year. Back to the mundane! If you or any of your children, 16 and over, would like to help by selling tickets we would love to hear from you. Even if you don't care for my purloined idea of two gifts
for
one.
..
.,
Jake
Developement
BOARD MEETING March
3,
1983 Anne's INSTRUCTOR'S REPORT i':'dicate~ five classes, including field trips, at District 18. The last session is coming up - a vet to talk to the kids. Janie Davison and Anne are in the process of teacher conferences in preperation for workshops with volunteers on March 22th and 24th. Actual riding begins the week of the 28th. Some new riders are expected. Sandy Meissen and Anne are presently putting together record and student goal forms. Anne said the classroom sessions were great; the non-riders could also participate. It is amazing how much was learned so quickly.
The meeting was held at St. ANN's Church in Old Lyme, Connecticut and was chaired by Judy Lightfoot, President. Sis gave the co-director's report and mentioned LCVERA's membership in England's and New Zealand's RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association). She passed around copies of their publications, as well as the latest one from NARHA showing safety equipment and a very good section on choosing suitable mounts for programs. She has ordered more copies of this pamphlet for LCVERA's use. The new President of NARHA is Martha Kyne of the Pittsburg area. The vice Presidents are Marge Kittredge and Nancy Winter. Excellent leadership Sis feels. The Nominating Committee presented the slate to be voted at the annual meeting on April 27th:
OUTREACH: Judy <Lovelace) reported plans underway for get-togethers with the Pony Club and 4H'ers.Thre will be an informal meeting at Center School on April 6th at 7:30 p.m. of Lyme/Old Lyme parents, including volunteers and board members.
on
MEDICAL: Don reminded those present of the American Academy of Pediatrics meeting on March 23rd at the University of Bridgeport.He hoped some of us could attend the meetings.
Class of '84 Mrs Arthur (Bim) Christianson Mrs Ashton (Jonnie) Edwards Mrs Alan (Margo) Greener Mrs Frank (Grace) Hamilton Frank Hamilton John (Jake) Jacobs Addition to the Class Donald Rankin, M.D. OFFICERS Chairman: Mrs Richard
(Judy)
Vice Chairman: Mrs Lyttleton
(Sis)
of
Chairman Judy reminded us that the next meeting is our annual one, and she will ask all committee chairmen to make a short annual reports.
'84
Lightfoot
Lytt
Gould
2nd Vice Chairman: Mrs Stuart (June)
Hotchkiss
Treasurer: Mrs Frank
(Grace)
Hamiliton
Secretary: Lyttleton
Gould
2
Gould
From March 16th to March 20 Andy Weyer, Edi Griswold and Nancy Poulson attended a conference at the Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center in Warwick, New York. The following is a report from Edi about their experience:
We arrived at l<utz Camp at 11:30 p.m., weary yet high on nervous energy and the laughter had sustained during the three hour drive. We were three to a room, six to a bathroom and we slept on the floor on our mattresses because all the bunk beds slanted sideways. We talked until one or two a.m. and finally slept.
Although all the information was valuable and interesting, what really kept us going was our various hostesses. They gave us so much and they inspired L\S tremendously. They impressed us and they amused us. They certainly enriched my mind and soul, and they opened my eyes to how much there is to be learned and how much growth there is to be achieved. I definitely benefited from the conference and I hope I will keep growing. I have a list of books on order and I have started taking riding lessons. I am more aware of what I am dealing with while volunteering and I am even more interested in the program.
we
We went to the Winslow ~~nference to enrich our minds. We ,so enriched our waistlines! The delicious food was abundant. On we had a candlelight Friday night dinner because the electricity went out. That was also the night that some people stayed up until three a.m. talking and drinking wine. The following night the chef put on a second dinner at eleven thirty p.m., fearing that those of us who stayed up woL,l d waste away without further sustenance' It was a special treat and a special dinner.
Someone wondered now LCVERA benefited from sending volunteers to the Winslow Conference. How could LCVERA not benefit from educating its volunteers, instilling them with enthusiasm and understanding, and encouraging further knowledge and professionalism? LCVERA will enrich itself IN PROPORTION to the enrichment of its participants and supporters.
We had fun at the Winslow Conference, but we also worked hard.All. the lectures were heavy duty introductions to terminology, disabilities, developmental patterns and stages, riding and teaching techniques, equipment, vaulting and hippotherapy and more' We took notes non-stop, we collected piles f handouts, we watched and we ,.articipated in demonstrations, and we really never got a break because we ate, slept, and dreamt ''the
Winslow
experience
11
Edi
â&#x20AC;˘
3
Griswold
CHRIS'
STORY
by
CHRIS'
by
INSTRUCTOR
Holding his head VERY carefully and letting words out between clenched teeth, Chris arrived for his first lesson. He was protecting the stitches and wounds from reconstructive surgery inside his mouth. This sturdy little 8 year old boy was coming to work privately with a therapeutic riding instructor because his mother felt that his attitude towards her and his feelings about himself were making him terribly unhappy. She reported to the instructor over the phone that Chris had suffered an early childhood temporary conductive hearing loss through repeated ear infections which still persisted and that he labored under multiple learning disabilities. To her he was fearful, unsure and clumsy, rarely suceeding in the physical skills that occupy growing boys such as running, climbing, riding a two-wheeler, etc. During t~e summer vacation the mother-son relationship was building in unpleasantness through Chris' frustration with himself. He was increasingly uncooperative and belligerent. The two were at logger-heads. Could riding a horse make a difference? From the outset of his lessons Chris was encouraged to take charge of the entire sequence of fetching the horse from the pasture, leading, cross-tying, grooming, tacking, planning his lesson, untacking and returning the horse to pasture. Initially he was sceptical, doubting that he could perform this or that task, sliding a fearful glance at his mother who usually watched from a distance; but as proficiency increase~ he brought a swagger to
CHRIS'
MOTHER
Our older child is intelligent, yet he cannot get his thoughts out. He wants to swim and play soccer but the other children ignore him because he is different. He lacks coordination. The love and friendship between the two brothers is incredible, but the younger one is on many of the same levels and more coordinated and he's four years younger. This child is Chris, who is almost nine and suffers from many learning disabilities. Parents want the best for their children and sometimes something comes along that finally seems to be an answer. That's what LCVERA is to ~ts. We first learned about equestrian therapy from the television series "Quincy". About a year age they presented a program about equestrian therapy and what it was about. So we found an idea - but where could we go to find out about it? The staff of his school didn't know of any therapeutic riding program but the school's learning disability specialist gave us the name of a woman who had children who rode and one of her children had a learning disability. She gave me Anne's phone number and in two months Chris started to ride. He rode during July of '82 and it was 1 wonderful Chris and I have always loved one another but the tension between us was great. Getting dressed in the morning is an hour long process. During the time he rode our relationship improved dramatically. But one month with no riding and we were back to what our relationship had been before. 4
his work, established a partnership with his horse (a Morgan/Percheron cross twice Chris' height) that included ~oncern for the horse's health and happiness and his level of fatigue (perhaps the same concerns that Chris had about himself). He seemed concerned, too, about the horse's relative position in the herd of horses, ponies and donkey. One bright morning when Chris' mother made a misguided suggestion, Chris reminded her politely that he knew how to do it and perhaps she would like to resume her distance. With one-to-one instruction Chris learned to walk and trot, halt and change direction independently in the ring in six weeks time. Each step was firmly established before moving on so that Chris was SURE that he could try the next step. Ring lessons of half hour duration were often followed by a walk in the woods, sometimes alone with the instructor leading but more often with Chris' mother walking on ahead. Chris was delighted with these mounted tours of the woodland, enjoying his vantage point and carefully guiding his mount over uneven ground. During the six weeks of beginning instruction Chris' mother reported that his attitude at home had improved, changing to pleasant, happy, confident cooperation. Riding and learning about horses sustained Chris' interest throughout the summer and served as a focal point for his personal success. The entire experence, furthermore, was SHARED with his mother who ~as amazed and proud of his achievement, giving that relationship a chance to get back on track. 1n the seven months following Chris' initial riding experience, his behavior has followed a remarkable pattern, as reported by his parents and teachers. When Chris is not involved in a weekly riding program (group or individual) he becomes
It wasn't till June of '82 that Chris finally learned to ride his bike without training wheels. When school let out for summer he went back to riding h1s hot cycle because his younger brother could not keep up with him. In September he decided. to ride his bike again and after one twenty-five foot ride he added baggage - his four year old brother who did not have the balance to ride on his own. What a sight that was! Chris now takes him everywhere. After the Guilford Fair in September, June Hotchkiss contacted us with all the LCVERA information and scheduled Chris to ride. Based on my own judgement, I took Chris out of school for his lessons. His teacher and principal were new to the school, didn't know Chris and were unfa~iliar with LCVERA. The aide in his self-contained classroom had seen many changes in him over the summer on the playground but had been unable to explain the change. Chris, who is in the second grade, was mainstreamed for homeroom because he was a model of behavior. In December, after lessons ended, he started to become frustrated again and by the middle of January he was sent to the principal's office three days in a row for inappropriate behavior. This was something that had never happened. The teacher was so concerned she called me. We had to do something. Again it was back to private lessons with Anne. Well, the funny thing is, in March while I was away at Winslow, Chris reported on the phone that he needed one more "good day document" (for the best behavior in his class) and his dad would owe him a pizza for perfect a perfect week. As far as academics are concerned, his reading, math and handwriting have improvrd more than we e>:pected. His short term memory also has improved.
s
uncooperative, belligerent and disruptive in school and at home. While actively participating in the weekly lessons he is sure of himself, sweet-natured, helpful and exhibits a greater tolerance for frustration. Overall, Chris' balance, coordination and attention span have improved in all aspects of his life. He performs better in a one-to one teaching model with minimal distractions but also enjoys being the most proficient rider in a class. Riding should be used primarily to strengthen Chris' muscle groups, improve balance and coordination and increase attention span. This should give him a chance to proceed towards a level of proficiency consistent with other riders in his age group, the latter goal allowing him to gain status with his peers and establish his own self-worth. Anne T.
Chris will never outgrow his learning disabilities but with his new found self-esteem he can learn the best way to adjust to them. He suceeds more and can control frustration better. LCVE~ has given him the gift of self-esteem. Chris'mother,
Nancy
(In this computerized era machines have a way of swallowing material; some times never to be seen again! This is my excuse, anyway for the exclusion of the Evaluation Committee's report from the last Newsletter.Fortunately I have a good retrieval service an, hereafter follows Patti's report. With many apologies:ed)
Wright
Instructor
EVALUATION COMMITTEE The recently formed Evaluation Committee, chaired by Patti Peoples, is hard at work evaluating LCVERA's present purposes, goals and progress; and making recommendations for the future. Topics discussed so far include: 1 - individual goals for each rider. 2 - written records of goals and progress for each rider. 3 - development of an education committee to promote on-going training and education of our volunteers and assistant instructors. 4 - better communication between parents, teachers and volunteers.
PICNIC The Vasiloffs have kindly offered the use of their McCulloch Farm on Wipporwill Road in Old Lyme for a LCVERA picnic, June 12th (rain date June 18th). All riders and their families are invited. Bring your own picnic. There will be pony cart rides and a short trail ride.
Patti
6
Peoples
ANYTHING THEY
VDU CAN
CAN
DO
DO
,.TOO
While you flex your muscles in front of your morning
ATTENTION
ATTENTION
ATTENTION
Intensive
Volunteer Training Sessions for New Volunteers AND Those With Less Than One Year's Experience Anyone who would like to sharpen skills or lend a hand in training novices
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1983 1O:3Oa.m. - 12:3Op.m. CRICKLEWOOD FARM Old Lyme, CT. All Board members, parents, friends and neighbors invited
mirror
and congratulate yourself on your nimble brain, consider this: The light over your mirror was perfected by a deaf man. While your morning radio plays, remember the hunchback who helped invent it. If you listen to contemporary music, you may hear an artist who is blind. If you prefer classical, you may enjoy a symphony written by a composer who couldn't hear. The President who set an unbeatable American political record could hardly walk. A woman born unable to see, speak or hear stands as a great achiever in American history. The handicapped can enrich our lives. Let's enrich theirs.
••••
- NAHE ______________________________________ _
RAFFLE LUXURY TRIP THE QE-'.2 THE
FOR TWO CONCORDE
ADDRESS ______________________________________ _
Fill in the stub .•• send LCVERA your_ check for the number of tickets desired we will send you your tickets.
PHONE NO __________________ _ 7
•••
.LOWER CONNECTICUT VALLEY EDUCATIONAL
RIDING ASSOCIATION,
INC.
NEWSLETTER
58 Otter Cove Old Saybrook,
Drive Ct. 06475
OFFICERS/TRUSTEES: Hrs. RichardLightfoot (President) Hrs, LyttletonGouldJr, !VicePresident) LyttletonGouldJr, ISecretary) Hrs. FrankHaailton ITreasurer)
TRUSTEES Hrs. AlanBieber Hrs, WilliamBoyd Hrs, AshtonEdHards Hrs, H,H,Francisco Hrs. JohnGreene Hrs. AlanGreener FrankHamilton Hrs, Stuart Hotchkiss Hrs, Waldo Johnson Hrs. Jeffrey Lovelace Hrs, SandraHeinsen Hrs. DennisPeoples Hrs, Andrew Pfeiffer DonaldRankinH,O. HONORARY PaulPiersonH,D, JohnWal sh
NonProfitOrgan. U. S. Postagt. PAID Hadlyme,Conn. w43~ PermitNo.J. ,
L.CV ER A Hadlyme, Ct.
06439
Mr. & Mrs. John Pfeiffer Rowland Rd. Old Lyme Ct. 06371