This weekend after Thanksgiving big meal

This weekend after Thanksgiving big meal 

Friday - for volunteers, their families and friends
If you do not go shopping, come to the Spirit Field - at 11 AM (until 1 AM) we invite you to meet Spirit horses and have a tour at the Farm.
Mentors and volunteers in training - possible trail ride, or NH training, too 

Saturday - GOOD BYE PARTY FOR INFINITY AT NOON; work day again at the farm house....creating more posters, cleaning, and taking care of horses and field, as well
Volunteer training again 9-11, then working at the house 11-1

Sunday - Infinity is leaving Spirit field and going to her retirement home at Louise's field. Thank you, Louise, for offering a loving home for our wonderful mare.
Infinity served to Spirit Program for over the 5 years, and she deserves some green fields and easy life

Happy Thankgiving!

Thankful for all friends of Spirit, volunteers, families and supporters who make Spirit's Mission alive, helping us to heal, teach and improve quality of life together with Spirit horses
Wish you all happy Thanksgiving Day!

This and that...

1. FYI - horses are happy & dry in their stalls. Anxious to stretch their legs in indoor tonight, so come and let's have fun together
   Also, we do have make up lessons tonight.
   
   Updating Open House Story - we are good with curtains (thanks to Susan, Sara and Louise). Still missing rugs and some folded tables.
   
   All is ready for this Sat final cleaning and organizing - Yeah!
2. 
   

   Got any extra time over the holiday weekend? Like to bake or cook???
   
   We are looking for volunteers to provide finger food for next week's open house (Dec. 7th). Please contact Mindy Griffiths to volunteer and please specify what you want to bring. We are trying to keep it simple with only finger food.

New schedule

Dear volunteers
Our Fall class just finished, but we have two more weeks of make up lessons 
Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, no scheduled activities at all. 
All Saturdays , especially 7th, 14th and 28th are workdays and we need you as much as you can give us your time and energy 
Week evenings our schedule until mid January and first 4 week Winter Class, all activities will be 5-7.15
Special program at the no school days for Assistants, Mentors, and volunteers in training

Tomorrow schedule:
horse care
barn chores
horse training (trail ride for mentors and assistants, ground work for rest of the Team)
field care
gardening
cleaning and organizing Higgins House for the upcoming Open House Event

See you!

Just had to share....

Why A Father Had Horses For His Children 
(author unknown)

My daughter turned sixteen years old today; which is a milestone for most people. Besides looking at baby photos and childhood trinkets with her, I took time to reflect on the young woman my daughter had become and the choices she would face in the future.

As I looked at her I could see the athlete she was, and determined woman she would soon be. I started thinking about some of the girls we knew in our town who were already pregnant, pierced in several places, hair every color under the sun, drop outs, drug addicts and on the fast track to no-where, seeking surface identities because they had no inner self esteem. The parents of these same girls have asked me why I “waste” the money on horses so my daughter can ride. I’m told she will grow out of it, lose interest, discover boys and all kinds of things that try to pin the current generation’ s “slacker” label on my child. I don’t think it will happen, I think she will love and have horses all her life.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has compassion. She knows that we must take special care of the very young and the very old. We must make sure those without voices to speak of their pain are still cared for.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned responsibility for others than herself. She learned that regardless of the weather you must still care for those you have the stewardship of. There are no “days off” just because you don’t feel like being a horse owner that day. She learned that for every hour of fun you have, there are days of hard slogging work you must do first.

Because my daughter grew up with horses, she learned not to be afraid of getting dirty and that appearances don’t matter to most of the breathing things in the world we live in. Horses do not care about designer clothes, jewelry, pretty hairdos or anything else we put on our bodies to try to impress others. What a horse cares about are your abilities to work within his natural world. He doesn’t care if you’re wearing $80.00 jeans while you do it.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she understands the value of money. Every dollar can be translated into bales of hay, bags of feed or farrier visits. Purchasing non-necessities during lean times can mean the difference between feed and good care, or neglect and starvation. She has learned to judge the level of her care against the care she sees provided by others and to make sure her standards never lower, and only increase as her knowledge grows.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned to learn on her own. She has had teachers that cannot speak, nor write, nor communicate beyond body language and reactions. She has had to learn to “read” her surroundings for both safe and unsafe objects, to look for hazards where others might only see a pretty meadow. She has learned to judge people as she judges horses. She looks beyond appearances and trappings to see what is within.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned sportsmanship to a high degree. Everyone that competes fairly is a winner. Trophies and ribbons may prove someone a winner, but they do not prove someone is a horseman. She has also learned that some people will do anything to win, regardless of who it hurts. She knows that those who will cheat in the show ring will also cheat in every other aspect of their life and are not to be trusted.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has self-esteem and an engaging personality. She can talk to anyone she meets with confidence, because she has to express herself to her horse with more than words. She knows the satisfaction of controlling and teaching a 1000 pound animal that will yield willingly to her gentle touch and ignore the more forceful and inept handling of those stronger than she is. She holds herself with poise and professionalism in the company of those far older than herself.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned to plan ahead. She knows that choices made today can effect what happens five years down the road. She knows that you cannot care for and protect your investments without savings to fall back on. She knows the value of land and buildings. And that caring for your vehicle can mean the difference between easy travel or being stranded on the side of the road with a four horse trailer on a hot day.

When I look at what she has learned and what it will help her become, I can honestly say that I haven’t “wasted” a penny on providing her with horses. I only wish that all children had the same opportunities to learn these lessons from horses before setting out on the road to adulthood.

This is why a father had horses for his children.

If you can not load a dumpster or paint just come, help and support Spirit People at the Show!

Dressage show this Sat at the Park.
Spirit people and some horses will be there
Infinity (Becky). intro C.: 3:32pm
Intro B: 4:39. Pm

Spirit (Ayah). Intro B: 5:00 pm

Melan (Julia). Intro A : 8:40 am
Intro B: 10:31am

Come, help and support!
See you!

Work days this weekend at the field and in the Higgins House!

Need help this week end!
Beside ongoing lessons at 10 and 11 
We ordered a dumpster and we shall fill it this week end. Small fallen shed should be tired down. Saturday and Sunday, starting at 10 AM until 1 PM - let me know when you can come
Also, still some painting projects open at the house...anytime you can make it, just let me know.
Let's finish it and get ready for the Open House at Dec/7th
Bring a friend, sport team, earn your community hours, helpSPIRIT Open Equestrian Program!

Thank you all!

• Do not forget gloves 

  
  

•  Warm soup, pizza, tea, coffee on site for all hard working friends of SPIRIT Open Equestrian Program

  Warm soup, pizza, tea, coffee on site for all hard working friends of SPIRIT Open Equestrian Program

Meet Samson and Coco

Our herd is gorwing!
We saved Samson, 18h Belgium gelding - gentle giant form an auction and we are thankful for donation of Coco , another perfect pony !
See them and help us to recover Samson and bring his muscles back to his back and neck... :)

Busy fall and winter ahead of Spirit Program

Time is running...so many things we did and made a Higgins House a Spirit Home.
There are still two more rooms and hallway to be painted, we need to use a power-wash if you have it, and do some landscaping....

Can you make this coming Saturday a workday for SPIRIT Open Equestrian Program?

Silent auction is getting ready. If you want to donate, please contact Mindy or me

Event at November:

Dressage Schooling Show at the Park - Julia, Becky and maybe Ayah going to ride :)

Busy December ahead:

7th - Open House at 2705 West Ox Rd, Presentation of program Activities at the Park and Fundraising Pony rides for kids

14th - Fundraising Horse Show at the Frying Pan Farm Park

27th - Ride for Spirit December show at the Indoor Arena at the Park


Stay with Spirit and enjoy end of the year :)

More Halloween photos

Spirit Team for Halloween

Thank you Ioana, for giving me wings :)

Frederica fitting into her new job position

See it :)