Happy New Year!

I wish you a Happy New Year and  hope that 2015 will bring a lot of Spirit in your life :)

You can help

Dear Friends
Please consider giving to SPIRIT Open Equestrian Program, Inc. today and help us start stronger in 2015
We expect high vet costs soon, and would like to fence and seed some good grass at a part of our field. Can you help us?
Donate by midnight December 31 to make sure your gift counts toward the 2014 tax year. Online donations are secure and guaranteed to be processed immediately. Paypal button is at our website www.spiritequestrian.org

If you are mailing in a check donation, please send your donation to
Spirit OEP,
2705 West Ox Rd,
Herndon, VA 20171

Thank you for your generosity to Spirit in 2014.

SPIRIT Open Equestrian Program

www.spiritequestrian.org

Missing Mr Higgins

Please, share - mr Higgins, our cat, main coon, male gray and white tabby, did not come home since Christmas. Last time seen at the Frying Pan Farm Park, near the Spirit barns.
If you have seen him or know anything, please contact Spirit Team at spiritoep@gmail.com
Reward for info leading to having him back home.

Infinity

Our old mare Infinity Ily is back at Spirit. This time we have space for her to keep her safe and happy. Thank you Louise for keeping her for a year
I am glad that we are ready now to take care of this great mare.
What a great opportunity for the whole team, EAL students and everyone around to learn important life lessons.
Life has it's magic circle, and being beautiful, healthy, strong and young even if it happens all together, never last forever .
Friendship and love last longer than just a period of having fun together
There is a great joy and it is rewarding to take care of old friend even if clock is ticking, because if we can not heal or reverse a time, we can create some nice moments and assure that she is not forgotten, and will never be.

We do know that Infinity is on her way to meet Courtney, but until that moment come she will be with people who take care of her and remember her from 7 years ago - beautiful, strong, smart and spirited Morgan mare who carried on her back hundreds of Spirit riders of all ages, abilities and special needs....and she did take care of all of them well.
Now is our turn to take care of her.
I know that Spirit Team will do it the best way 

Volunteer Appreciation Day

• It was a big day at Spirit Farm today - volunteers of all ages, friends and riders came after morning work with horses. 
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• Sue and Sarah were with us!!! Shannon, our vet and friend, parents and kids united 
• in best wishes to each other 
• and sending messages to our friends and donors who make Spirit able to serve and 
• enrich the lives in our community healing and teaching life skills with horses
• Thank you all moms who provided cookies for this season. 
• 
  
• They are almost all gone, and have just a few to give to those who miss the party today 

  
  

  
  

See you this Saturday!

Dear friends and families!
Donor Appreciation Day, Saturday, December/20th at noon time at Higgins (Farm) House!
It is a Open House for friends and families, riders and parents....
Come and share stories and pictures, sweet memories of 2014, celebrate all of them and exchange hugs and best wishes with Spirit Team.
RVSP at the Event here to give us an idea how much soup, pizza and cookies we need 

SPIRIT Open Equestrian Program

• 

  SPIRIT Open Equestrian Programhttps://www.facebook.com/events/998756910138153/

  

  Volunteer Appreciation Day

  Saturday at 12:00pm

  SPIRIT Open Equestrian Program in Herndon, Virginia

Stay at home warm and cozy :)

Thursday Dec /18th - sorry , no EAL or Volunteer training :(

Dear Santa....

Dear Santa,
beside Farm, hay and some $, Spirit would be able to use:

Office equipment - specifically,
Computer 
Canon XL240/241 ink
2 drawer filing cabinet
Hope we deserved it 
Thank you!

Spirit Team

Winter trail ride or extra Therapeutic Riding lesson for you!

EAL students and famililes of our Therapeutic Riding students, help Spirit to say Thank You, and send best wishes to our donors and supporters!
Open for all volunteers as well.
Share your story what keeps you with Spirit and about miracles you witnessed. 
Let's send best wishes and thank you to those who help Spirit!


Contest for the best Thank You/Greeting card
First three the best greeting cards will win winter trail ride or extra individual TR lesson 

It has been hand written, creative and personal note with seasonal good wishes addressed to "Spirit Donor/Supporter/Benefactor" or you can choose the name at the list of donors at the Blog

No limit on cards you can bring
We need them before or at Saturday/Dec/20th - at our Volunteer Appreciation Day gathering at the Farm.

Busy Saturday and happy herd :)

EAL, volunteer training, horse care and construction project -two sheds

Joy, peace and relaxation at the field

Seasonal greetings from Spirit Horses (they were all laying down before I came with phone to make a photo :) )

It is a Holiday Season !!!

No Therapeutic or Beginners Riding Classes until a week starting Monday, Jan/12th

Volunteer Schedules - to be sure what is going on, or to put your name into the schedule, please use THIS shared doc 

Intensive Volunteer Training (for old and new volunteers) will be done Saturdays Dec 13th and 20th 

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION DAY - Dec/20th (after training) noon-3 PM - Dear volunteers, come celebrate and have fun at the Farm!

December show went great!

See PHOTOS from the event Dec/6th

Thank you all wonderful people who helped it happen :)

Good to know about Spirit -

The Spirit mission is to provide therapy, learning and improvement of life skills healing of the body, mind and spirit - using Equine-Assisted Activities.

If it is easier to say what Spirit is not, here it is - we are not commercial or riding club, we do not rent our horses, or provide any similar activities.
We are right about to start a Capital Campaign to assure a long term home for Spirit and it is very important what kind of message we are sending about us.

Our Vision is to teach, heal and improve life skills...and we do it in different programs and formats.

There is a growing scientific branch of research that verifies the benefits of human interactions with horses and how it can be used to improve a quality of life for people of different condition and age.
Spirit Organization is part of that growing movement. It includes all levels of physical, intellectual and emotional benefits for individuals and community. And we have seen the results!

The Ride for Spirit event is to help people understand and see the results of our Mission.

It is not about Pony Rides, and most of the time is not about horseback riding at all...even it seems to be for someone who does not understand Spirit's Mission.

Understanding our mission (and how we are unique equestrian program in area) is a responsibility of the each of us - members of Spirit Team. Our story is about how horses can change our lives, how they can teach us about important life skills, how they can help us heal body, mind and spirit. That is what Spirit does and that is what we need support for.

Thank you for all you do for Spirit to keep it work and grow.
Best wishes and blessings to all...and see you Saturday if not before
Dada

If you are an existing volunteer

Please take a minute see document at link below, and make any changes you need, or send us an e-mail at spiritoepvolunteers@gmail.com with your comments, ideas, suggestions. 

Ride For Spirit Volunteer Schedule (on line shared document)

Holiday Season :)

Dear volunteers and EAL students,

hope you had a great Thanksgiving with your families, friends, dear and loved ones.

Are you ready for all what is going to happen in a next month?

All special holidays to celebrate and events to be a part of?

Ride For Spirit, our presentation and fundraising even is close and I am excited for time together with all of you working together to present our students and program and help get some funding for Spirit's future 

Thank you in advance for your time and energy. Sometime next week will send you detailed schedule with time and riders/participants and our program activities. 

Monday-Friday, next week we shall practice and get our horses ready for this show. 

There is on line document with names and positions we have so far. 

Please take a minute and make any changes you need, or send me an e-mail with your comments, ideas, suggestions. 

Ride For Spirit Volunteer Schedule (on line shared document)

As you probably noticed, our Office is working hard to improve and organize our communication and assure that we have enough helping hands to provide all scheduled programs. 

As a result, we are back to our on line schedule where you can add your name or take it off, make comments. I feel that is the best way to keep us all at the same page. 

So here it is:

Spirit Program Volunteer Schedule (on line shared document)

Note that we shall have an active Friday next week, and let me know (put your name in the document)  if you want/can help about it. Dressage ring should be already set up, but we have to transfer a lot of things from the Farm to the indoor ring, and set up appropriate seasonal decoration.

Please, send all your comments or questions to Carrie, Spirit's Volunteer Coordinator at this address

spiritoepvolunteers@gmail.com 

Talking about the season - this is an invitation for all of you to bring suitable decoration for the space and horses as well and make our team shine at the Saturday show. 

Thank you again, for all what you do to keep Spirit strong and our service affordable to the community. You touch so many lives and create special moments for all with Spirit. 

Best wishes, and lot of love, 

Dada

Too much snow and rain together...not fun at all :(

It is messy out there.
No activities today, beside I will feed horses and put them in stalls tonight 
Take care and stay safe and dry.
See you Saturday, weather permits , for volunteer training and EAL activities
Happy Thanksgiving Day !

Thank you!

Dear Volunteers and EAL students, friends of Spirit

First of all, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving, and hope you are going to enjoy the day with your family and friends!

At this Thanksgiving season I want to be sure that you know how much I personally am thankful for your presence in Spirit Program.
Your time and energy is something which empowers this organization to follow it's Mission and change lives through all kind of horse related activities we do here. We all grow and change at the same time, just helping and serving with Spirit.
Thank you!

Schedule for this week and reminders for the nex one 

Tuesday (today) - see you at 5 PM
Wednesday if it is bad weather we shall cancel activities
Thursday - HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Friday -Day off
Saturday - see you at 9 if weather permits 

Next week, we shall have regular activities - getting ready for the Saturday Event - Monday-Thursday 5-7.

FRIDAY, Dec/5, please, consider some help about last minute practicing, ring set up, and we need some adult with bigger car to help transfer bunch of (light) boxes from the Farm house to the Indoor office area.

Please visit our shared chart (in e mail, or contact me if you do not have it )and put your name if you can help
Bring friends and families at the event Dec/6th and help us promote what Spirit does!

Thank you!

Best wishes, and blessings to you and your families,
fondly,
Dada

Welcome Stitch!

New member of the Spirit family is here.
For now, he has Coco as official girlfriend.

Samson is upset...but too slow to reach Sticth, anyway. :)

Saturday

Saturday - EAL and Volunteers activities are ON at the Spirit Field 
Big QH show is going on at the Park, but so many things to be done, and maybe some clients at the round pen

Holidays and no activity days at Spirit

Important info about no activity days at Spirit for all EAL students and volunteers

Frying Pan will be closed and the gates will remain locked on Thanksgiving day. The Indoor Arena will be locked and set up for a weekend event. No horses will be allowed in the Indoor arena on Thanksgiving day, November 27.

Here are the other days we will be closed with the gated locked for the holidays.
December 24 and 25
December 31 and January 1

Rain all day long tomorrow

Tomorrow, Monday 11/17 all activities canceled.
Too much rain to do anything....all activities and make up lessons we can do Tuesday.
Take care and stay warm and dry.

Parktakes

Have you seen the FCPA Parktakes Winter magazine in your mailbox?.
Look for our classes there (page 61).
Registration begins online and by phone on 12/2. Register early, our classes usually fill up fast.
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes/

Parktakes Online - Fairfax County, Virginia

www.fairfaxcounty.gov

Contact Fairfax County: Phone, Email or Twitter | Main Address: 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035Technical Questions: Web Administrator