Ride for Spirit at 10 AM tomorrow

To all friends and those who like our program at FB and in life, come tomorrow and see Spirit Team and guests riding at the Ride for Spirit Show, first of two this December. 
Tomorrow, we will present para dressage class, with veterans (Horses4Heroes) and dressage class (intro B test), presentation of higher level dressage, and show jumping class. 
Support Spirit, meet our ponies at Pony Rides and celebrate abilities over disabilities :)

Getting ready for the show

Today and tomorrow  - last chances for practice your test for Saturday Ride for Spirit Show!
Volunteers, we need your help tomorrow, Friday PM to set up ring and do last touch ups for the show!

NO lessons tonight

To all who planned to come tonight. Sorry - no riding practice. I am sick and Sarah and Sue can not make it tonight, too. 
See you tomorrow, or Sarah will run the lesson. 
Thank you for understanding. :(
On the other side, all riders and horses did so well last night, that it does not seem that they need more practice :). Even Buttercup and Huckleberry managed to do Intro B test pretty well.

John sings at the church

John, our rider, will sing at the church Sat. Dec/1. 
What a great way to finish a day...hoping to see you there :)
I am passing an invitation his dad sent to me:

Hi Folks:

The Gluck fam is hitting the stage this sat night at our church coffee house.


John and Owen will be doing a Jesus Loves Me/Amazing Grace tandem during the 1st hour.
and then later our church 'll be doing about several songs of Jens that we've been singing during our services.
Finally the band Mars Rodeo will be playing out the evening.

Here's a link with the details for the coffee house.

Registration for Winter Class with Spirit at the Frying Pan Farm Park starts tomorrow!

Riders, families, do not forget, First Winter 4 weeks Class starts January/14
Registration Begins: 11/27/2012
On line by THIS link, or register by phone and call Park at 703-437-9101

Looking forward to seeing you at RIDE FOR SPIRIT shows Dec 1st and Dec 22nd!

See new ponies

Buttercup and Huckleberry!

About end of the year, shows....

Dear riders, and families.

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day with dear and loved ones.

I am thankful for each moment with kids in Spirit Program, for all help and support we have from wonderful people in community, volunteers and supporters, and excited that it is the end of the year already and time to present what we did this year :)

As you know, we are getting ready for the first show at Saturday, Dec/1st, so this week we will not have any lessons for kids in therapeutic program. Two weeks between show at 1st and 22nd, kids who registered for the show of 22nd will be able to come and have short practice if you want (15-20 min) for free or have an individual paid lesson Mon/Thurs at 6 PM. Please, contact me about schedule, as we will serve those who assign first for those spots. 

I will contact those who registered for show at 22nd by e-mail, soon after next Saturday with more details and schedule.

Until then, you still have a chance to sign for that show using THIS link. More info about shows, you can find HERE. 

Period between the Show of 22nd and beginning of the first Winter class ( January 14th) We need a break time for horses and training period for new volunteers. 

You are all invited to come at both shows, riding or not,invite friends and relatives to support Spirit Team and enjoy riding at Pony ride part of the Show. 

Thank you, 

fondly, 

Dada

Thanksgiving week end...

Happy Thanksgiving Day to all Spirit People, and I am hoping that you are spending it in joy and with love ones. 
Our lessons run as usual this Friday and Saturday, and I am looking forward to see you all riders and volunteers to trim of some festive bites ;)

Thank you!

Dear all,

I hope that you are doing well and are enjoying this wonderful season of Thanksgiving. 

I am thankful for all good things in my life, of which meeting people like you is a crucial element. 

Can not believe that it is almost the end of the year already. The whole Spirit Team, and I are thankful for all good things that have happened to our organization: for generous gifts which kept us going so far, for all the great people and kids we met, and for each moment of joy and achievements we witnessed over the years. 

We try hard to learn from each experience to become better and improve our service. 

NEW PONIES

Let me share few exciting news first. 

  

As our horses used to work hard 6 days a week, we decided to adopt two more ponies, not to put more riders in program, but to assure that we do not overwork our horses which are already working so hard, even in their old age. All of the hardworking horses of Spirit are our friends and we believe that they deserve the best possible treatment. 

So, here they are : Buttercup and Huckleberry, two mature, and kind ponies who are in training for now, but will be seen in lessons soon.

THANK YOU!

These wonderful ponies got a home at our field thanks to a generous donation from an incredibly supportive family that had been with Spirit for the last several years of operation. There aren't enough words to say how thankful we are for Anita and Vineet's support. Without such support, Spirit simply wouldn't be what it is today.

It is impossible to list all of the generous donors that have donated their money, gifts, energy, time and emotions in support of Spirit. Thank you all, for you are the reason we exist and do what we do.

Even though it would be impossible to list all of the generous people that have aided us over the years, here are just a few lists of people that help Spirit be what it is.

Daily maintenance of the field, and assistance in program activities is the gift of dozens of special people of all ages, and due to their work and daily efforts we can create all of the good moments for our riders in therapy and educational programs. Thank you Theresa, Susan, Don, Cline,Mark, Jeff...and many others.

Instructors and assistants of Spirit are to thank for the daily victories and smiles of the satisfied Spirit users. Without their efforts and time, we could not run the daily operations that we do. Thank you Kate, Lynn, Adrienne, Whitney, Linda, Sarah, Sue, Wendy, Eliina, and Veronica

Directors of Spirit are a supporting team that leads and represents Spirit as a successful and well organized group. Thank you Louise, Leslie, Julia, Cathy and Mindy   for hard work and all energy you put into Spirit Program. 

Our fundraisers created support we have never had before. Thank you Kathy, Susan, Hedy and Diane, and all who help them in their work.

There are some special friends, people who are not so visible at the lessons or daily work at the field, but they are our supporters with or without the title. They have recognized Spirit's Mission as valuable enough to support it. Thank you Tawny. Thank you Robin. 

There are some of you that have asked us not to mention their names, but your efforts are not unrecognized. Thank you as well.

RIDE FOR SPIRIT SHOWS

Additionally,

I am proud to be able to invite you all to our traditional presentation at the end of the year. This year we will have two Ride for Spirit events at the Frying Pan Farm Park in the indoor ring.

Saturday, December 1st - Dressage and Para dressage, show jumping - presentation of volunteers and adult riders in Para dressage

Saturday, December 22nd - Equitation, pole bending and synchronized riding for kids in Spirit Program of all ages and level of ability

Come and celebrate the abilities of our riders!

If  your kid is not involved as rider at this presentation, you can always come, with friends and family and use opportunity of some pony ride we will create for our guests :)

Happy Thanksgiving Day, and best wishes, hoping to see you at our Shows in December, 

Sincerely, 

Dada

NO lessons this week end!

Sorry, ...
... no lessons this week end...but interesting Pre Turkey Horse show is at the Park, so you do not have to skip your horsie moments :)
For volunteers - there is always something to be done around horses and at the field :)

Hckleberry and Buttercup at home

Pictures talk better than words...

End of the season

All therapies and educational programs will take a break during the holiday season and will continue at January/14/2013
All activities will be related shows in December and dedicated to volunteer training.

Stay in touch with Spirit!

End of the Fall session and plans for December/ January

This week we finish the Fall 8 weeks class, and we continue with 2 weeks of make ups. During the period of November 24 to January / 14 No lessons at all. due to preparation for Spirit Horse shows Dec 1 st and 22nd and short winter break after that.

To all Spirit riders and volunteers, please, register before 15th for the event of December /1 . for registration and more info CLICK HERE. 
If you do not have own horse to bring, be sure that you contact me about possible usage of Spirit horses. There are a limited number hors

es available, so do not waist your time, please. It is Dressage Intro B test (walk/tort), or any of novice Para dressage test for qualified riders.
Also, feel free to share this invitation with your friends in pony club or therapeutic program

Those who are interested in the participation in event of December/22nd contact me by e-mail, please. 
Looking forward to hearing from you

Reports

Last lesson for this 8 week class in Therapy went fantastic, lot of great moments and new achievements for all students...Plans and dreams about shows in December.

Infinity has pneumonia after choking and inhaling something nasty in her lungs. Thanks to Sharon from Hoof and Paw, she is safe under an aggressive antibiotic therapy. She looks happy and we are looking for fast and safe recov

ery

New ponies are doing great...just two days at the Spirit Program, and calm with a rider bareback walking with the group in the indoor! Also they both like ball and do not seems to be afraid of anything... Buttercup is searching only for Huck's presence and protection, and she is his source of confident, too. But they both follow the leader nicely and with lot of trust even when they have to leave loving partner ;)
Huck also seems to be delighted (re)discovering that Buttercup is not only mare in the whole world, but very noble and social acceptable manners, so far.

Need more photos of those new members of the family

To be continued :)

Welcome Buttercup and Huckleberry!

Spirit is welcoming two great ponies, Buttercup and Huckleberry!
Please note, that is not OK to come into their field, feed or touch them for any reason.
They need some time to adjust and slow and organized adjustment to new home, job and life.

Thank you for understanding!

Busy but all is good today

Cold and busy morning today at Spirit Program. Thanks to Sarah all lessons was safe and fun for so many riders who come despite of cold wind. Boys, Jeff, Sully and Boris took care of field, and we just started foundation for new run in shed for Buttercup and Huckleberry.
Lot of crushed stone has been leveled with bob cat, and we are almost ready to set the new barn up.
Above all, Infinity inhaled some food, and we had emergency situation with vet visit... After long procedure, some painkillers and whatever she needed (Thank you Sharon), she is much better now.
Tomorrow new ponies will be in Spirit family :)
Thank you, Bev :)
Wish you all a great rest of the week end, and thank you for help and support which keeps Spirit going.

It is cold

It was so cold tonight, and will be tomorrow morning, but I am looking forward to see you all for lessons and practice for shows in December. Take care and bring gloves :)

Help needed!

Oops! It seems that plan to bring H and B to Spirit Field failed. :(
Need solution (read: someone willing to donate his time, and truck/trailer and pick up our ponies at Amissville Friday or Sunday)
Please, contact me if you have any idea ...
_____________________________________________
Thank you! Solved :)