August News...

Issue # 24 – August 2, 2010

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND SUMMER PROGRAM
Thanks to the efforts of Candia Tolbert, program director at No Child Left Behind and the dedicated case workers and foster parents, we’ve been able to serve a group of kids who are in foster care and have attachment and relationship issues.

Our goal in this program has been to offer opportunities to bond with the horses, with each other and with us as we present them with fun challenges designed to encourage working together and relying on each other for problem-solving as well as creative-thinking.

This group varies in age and emotional development and consists of up to 15 children at a time. In order to offer appropriate experiential learning for this group, we switched up our game plan from using our natural horsemanship model to a program where playing games is in an integral part of the learning process.

We’ve also seen the kids become more attached to the horses over time. They were not all immediately attached which is what we traditionally observe in our other programs. During our fourth session on 7/28, one boy who has been reserved and hesitant with the horses grabbed his helmet and said, “I’m going straight to Otis!” Another boy exclaimed, “I want Dudley!” We take this as a good sign that the horses are naturally doing their “job” of creating a bond with the humans in their herd.

We want to thank all of the folks involved in making this special program happen! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Recently Received Feedback from a Spring Program Participant

Horses for the Spirit is an amazing program. It lets horses and humans bond. This program let me find friends, and it made me a better person. The games are fun and all the horses are great. I had Henry and he was a good companion. Horses for the Spirit is a wonderful way to find yourself. I really recommend it to everyone. The thing I didn’t like was the cold weather. Overall, I loved Horses for the Spirit. — H.M., Social Services Program, Spring 2010

(It was ridiculously cold this Spring, especially on the graduation day for this program. These kids amaze us with their willingness to tolerate so much just to be with their horse partners! – DC) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STOP BY AND SAY HELLO AUGUST 20-22, 2010

We have a booth at the Wild Horse & Burro Expo again this year — stop by and say hello! This is a great annual event, so don’t miss it!

Location: Reno Livestock Events Center

Dates: Friday, August 20 to Sunday August 22

Times: 8 am to 5 pm on Friday & Saturday/8 am to approx. 3 pm on Sunday ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WINE & SPIRITS FUNDRAISER COMMITTEE – WE NEED YOU!

Our Second Annual Wine & Spirits Fundraiser is November 4, 2010.

The first year was a great success and we want to make this year even better.

That means We Need You!

Whether you’ve volunteered for us before or not, if you want to help make the 2010 Wine & Spirits Fundraiser a smashing success, then now is the time to step up!

If you can commit time to helping put this event together, please reply to this email as soon as possible. The committee, headed by Deb Conrad, needs people to help find a venue, find raffle and/or silent auction donations, secure business sponsorships, help with logistics and last but not least, get people to the event.

If you can help with any area of the event, please let us know by emailing deb@horsesforthespirit.org.

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AUGUST 15, FACILITY CLEAN UP – ALL HANDS ON DECK!

The weeds are taking over the facility! Garbage has blown into the ravines! Minor repairs are popping up all over the place!

It’s time for a facial for our facility and we need as many folks as we can get to make short work of a big job!

When: Sunday, August 15, 9 a.m. to noon

Location: 9500 N. Virginia St.

What to Wear: Long sleeves, gloves, long pants and good shoes — the weeds are pretty nasty!

What to Bring: Any yard care tools you think might come in handy!

What We’ll Provide: Beverages and lots of good snacks to keep you going!

Reply to deb@horsesforthespirit.org to sign up for a little hard work with good people! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FREE TICKETS TO THE WHITNEY MYER BAND CD RELEASE PARTY

Horses for the Spirit had the distinct pleasure of having the Whitney Myer Band set up and play a semi-acoustic set next to us at the Art Paws & Bark Fest event on July 18.

Young Whitney Myer backed by her father Scott on guitar and her uncle Fred (long-time supporter of Horses for the Spirit) knocked our socks off. They are a mix of soul/funk/pop music and Whitney’s vocals are super smokey and sweet. We were amazed at her talent and the way the band grooved with her in just the right way. Wow! Reno’s got talent all right!

Horses for the Spirit has 50 FREE tickets to their all-ages CD Release party at the Knitting Factory downtown Reno on August 26th. The party kicks off at 6:30 pm. Bring your family and friends for a great evening of free entertainment and join us as we help pack the house for this great band!

Reply to deb@horsesforthespirit.org with your name and email address and the number of free tickets you’d like to this event.

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THANK YOU!

We want to thank Circus Circus Reno for allowing us to park in their gated parking area during the Reno Rodeo Parade. It made it very easy for those of us with trucks and trailers to park and unload and get ready!

We also want to thank BJ’s BBQ for giving us a really great deal on meals for our kids and volunteers at the NV of the West event in May. Our budget for program expenses is not unlimited so when businesses offer us discounts we really appreciate it and it helps our funds go further.

We couldn’t do what we do without support from foundations and individuals in our community. We are grateful for the support and know that the kids who have been able to participate in our programs because of your financial support are very thankful too!

RENO RODEO FOUNDATION

2010 GRANT FOR $6,000 FROM AN ANONYMOUS FOUNDATION

June Newsletter...

Dear Friends,
Our spring programs have come to a close and we’re thrilled to report that despite
some prolonged inclement weather both programs were a great success! (Read “In Their
Own Words” below for participant feedback.)

Thanks to a local foundation which prefers to remain anonymous and the contribution
of the Reno Rodeo Foundation we were able to conduct one 8-week program with the
McGee Center and another with several foster families brought to us through Social
Services.

We are so grateful for this financial support — without it, we would not be able
to serve these organizations which have not been able to pay for any of the program
costs.

We rely on the financial support from granting organizations and from the community
as well to keep bringing horses and kids together for positive transformation.

Please help make our Fall programs a reality for kids in Washoe County by making
a tax-deductible donation today!
Donate online by going to our website and clicking on the Donate button the right or mail your gift to us at:Horses for the Spirit
4790 Caughlin Parkway, #421
Reno, NV 89519

Sincerely,
Deb Conrad
Executive Director Pro Tem
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IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Feedback from our Spring Program Participants

Horses for the Spirit enjoys sharing the feedback we receive about our programs.
The participants and those involved in their care express thoughts about the program
that illustrate what we’re all about!

I learned a whole lot with this program. It is very similar to real life. The horses
are a lot like the humans and the way you act towards a person is pretty much the
same way as you would act like to a horse.
–S.A.

Some things I learned in Horses for the Spirit is leadership, responsibility and
patience. With all these things I never had. Horses for the Spirit has helped me
a lot with these qualities. The leadership part helped me with most of the things
I do in my life. Responsibility has helped me at home with my family and it has
also helped me with my mom’s relationship with me.
–I.G.

I want to thank whoever made it possible for me to participate in such a wonderful
program with the horses. I feel as though I have found some new things about me,
for one I like horses now! The bond that grew between me and Kiawah is a strong
one. I learned so much from this program how to make the horse do as I want and
how to make them go forward and backwards, how to make them jump over things and
stand on things! If I had the chance I would definitely do this program again. My
experience with the horses has taught me some things in life like How to create
a bond with some one like a friend or even an enemy. It also taught me that trust
takes time. Thanks for this wonderful experience!
–J.S.

When asked “What did this student gain by participating in our program? What skills
did he/she gain that will help student in life?” one foster parent replied about
his foster daughter:
[She learned] some patience, how to communicate differently and how to be able to
direct thoughts differently without getting angry and frustrated.

One young lady had this to say:
I played with a horse or should I say pony that was very much like me, Magic. Though
some of the time she was stubborn, most of the time we got along great! Unfortunately
I grew somewhat attached to Magic, but I’ll live. I’ve always looked at horses as
beautiful creatures, not that its any different now but, I still look at them as
beautiful creatures, but I also look at them as not so different from us.

I will never forget this, and again thank you!
–L.M.

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PLEASE JOIN US!

FREE TO ATTEND – FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR HORSES FOR THE SPIRIT!

HELP US RAISE FUNDS FOR FALL PROGRAMS

Horses for the Spirit will receive 20% of all sales on Thursday, June 24, 4 pm to
6 pm.

Plus, there will be appetizers and libations… and you’ll still have plenty of time to get to the Rodeo afterward!
RSVP to Deb Conrad

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LOOK FOR US IN THE RENO RODEO PARADE
SATURDAY, JUNE 19 – VIRGINIA ST/DOWNTOWN RENO – 10 A.M.
Come on down and celebrate the beginning of the 2010 Reno Rodeo by cheering us onas we ride in the Reno Rodeo Parade!

Thanks to Circus Circus for letting us park our trucks and trailers in their gated
parking lot! We appreciate it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AROUND TOWN
July 18 – Art Paws & Bark Fest, McKinley Arts & Cultural Center
We’ll have a vendor booth and hopefully be able to bring a couple of horses!

August 20-22 – Wild Horse & Burro Expo, Reno Livestock Events Center
Visit us at our booth and watch a few of our volunteers and their mustangs strut
their stuff in the classes!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for the recent donations!
Jan K., Pat O., Samantha C., Bob C., Lynn N., Kathy P. for financial contributions.
Heidi for the Wheel Barrows and Erin De Los Santos for materials for the stairs
to replace the ramp leading up to the classroom.

May Newsletter...

Come see us at the Reno Rodeo Foundation’s NV OF THE WEST fundraising event!

Saturday, May 22nd from 1:30 pm to  3:00 pm

We are holding our “graduation day” festivities for our Social Services group at the NV of the West fundraising event for the Reno Rodeo Foundation.

This will be a great opportunity to speak to some of our program graduates and observe them in action with their horses. Please join us!

Go to NV of the West to purchase tickets and look for us in the small arena at Bartley Ranch.

By purchasing a ticket to this event, you will be supporting the efforts of the Reno Rodeo Foundation to serve kids in our community. The Foundation does great work and we hope you’ll support them and come out and see us! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FREE TO ATTEND – FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR HORSES FOR THE SPIRIT!

HELP US RAISE FUNDS FOR FALL PROGRAMS

Please join us for this event and bring any of your art-loving friends with you!

Horses for the Spirit will receive 20% of all sales on Thursday, June 24, 4 pm to 6 pm.

Plus, there will be appetizers and libations… and you’ll still have plenty of time to get to the Rodeo afterward!

Location: Gold Room Gallery at the Eldorado in lovely downtown Reno.

RSVP by June 9th to Deb Conrad. Email or call 775.224.5999

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PROGRAM UPDATES

McGee Center Program

During the week 5 session the girls had a visitor from a private foundation that has granted funds to Horses for the Spirit the last two years.

Mary received cheerful hellos from many of the girls as they exited the classroom and headed to the arena. She got a chance to see the girls doing simulations to encourage awareness of non-verbal communication before moving on to practice doing so with their horses.

Mary commented on the connection she could see between the girls and their horses and, as a horsewoman herself, knows the strength of that bond and how it can open up avenues for learning about yourself and others.

We love to have visitors and really love it when they see the importance of what we’re doing! We are very proud of how all of our kids shine for us — they are natural learners when put in a situation where they are allowed to explore the possibilities and their enthusiasm cannot be missed when they are with their horse teachers.

The McGee Center program has three sessions left: May 10, May 17 and June 1 (graduation)

Social Services Program

We have a great group of foster kids in our program on Saturdays this spring. (Of course, we always think they are great!) We even have two foster parents participating in the program as well this time around. We are excited to receive feedback from them at the end of the program about how this worked for them and what they got out of the program.

One of the highlights of this program is that the young man who had no interest in participating in the beginning is now one of our most enthusiastic participants!

The connection with his horse and the sense of accomplishment when he is successful with Dudley is likely the reason for this turn around. This is a great example of how the horses reach the kids and break through barriers with them.

The Social Services program has two sessions left: May 15 and May 22 (graduation)

Visitors are welcome! If you want to observe a class in session, please contact Deb via emailor call 775-224-5999. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SHIFTS SEEN IN NEW HORSES BEING UTILIZED IN OUR PROGRAMS

Maureen Kimberling, a new volunteer who is also bringing her two mares to the Monday program with the McGee Center, shares the story of the positive transformation she’s seeing in her horses from being in the program!

Heads held high, eyes wide, lips clenched, and bodies rigid, my two Quarter horse mares looked at their new surroundings. Nifty, age 29, and her daughter Dream, age 15, stood away from the other horses and humans in the big arena. As she herded Nifty away, Dream left no doubt of her feelings, ears flat back, hindquarters ready to turn and kick if any of the other horses got too close.

Both mares moved off as a volunteer walked toward them with a halter in hand. These are not wild, untrained, or never ridden horses, but this was a new experience, a new placeand their natural instincts took over: fright equals flight. Their first day with HFTS at a volunteer training program ended after the knowledge and skills of Natural Horsemanship were used to calm the horses, get them haltered, and work with them to build confidence in a gentle, friendly way.

At the next meeting with their HFTS “friends”, the wariness and tensions were still there, but both horses calmed sooner as the Seven Games started, and friendly hands and gentle body language helped them gain trust and confidence.

The next week, Nifty and Dream were each chosen by a program participant. Brandy and Cassy used the love, language, and leadership they were learning about in the program, and soon the mares were lowering their heads, blinking, and licking their lips – all signs that the horses are calm, thinking and ready to be partners with their humans. Brandy and Cassy added the Porcupine Game to teach the horse to follow a feel and yield to pressure.

The next week Nifty and Dream were introduced to scary items. Brandy and Cassy used skills of approach and retreat to help the mares feel comfortable with plastic bags, tarps, balls, and a hula hoop. For these mares, this was truly an act of trust and confidence.

Nifty and Dream now mingle more confidently and comfortably with the other horses in the HFTS herd as they wait for the program to begin. The partnerships with the girls are growing and I feel that my horses are learning new life skills alongside Brandy and Cassy.

(Horses for the Spirit’s vision is to partner humans and horses for positive transformation. Our focus is on the children we serve, but we also know the importance of the positive transformation that happens for many of the horses who join our herd for a period of time. – Deb Conrad, Executive Director Pro Tem ) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special Job for Magic...

Magic is the smallest member of our horse herd this spring and she has ended up with a very special job in our Saturday program with Social Services kids. One of the young ladies who is participating loves horses and the day before the program was set to start, she fractured her arm and showed up that first Saturday with her right arm in a sling! This is not particularly conducive to being able to safely work around the horses.

Thankfully since Magic is a small pony and such a good girl, we were able to pair Magic up with this young lady with the fractured arm. So she is able to participate along with all the others despite her injury!

Two of the girls in the group selected Magic to be their partner, but in a great show of flexibility, the girl without the fractured arm gracefully agreed to pair up with another horse.

4/10 – The Boys Get to Goof Off!...

Fame & Otis

Otis with Nostrils Flared from Quite a Workout

Wally & Otis - Running Fools

Wally Chasing Otis

Otis & Dudley

Wally & Otis

4/10, 8:30 AM – ROBBIE TO BE INTERVIEWED ON ...

Catch Robbie being interviewed on the Reno Morning News Show with Dan van Enoo and Elizabeth Rose tomorrow, April 10th about 8:30 a.m.! Tune in to 780 on the AM dial…

April 2010 Newsletter...

THANK YOU RENO RODEO FOUNDATION!

We received notification in mid-March that our request for funding from the Reno Rodeo Foundation was approved!

We are extremely grateful to receive support from the Foundation again this year. Their generous grant allowed us to buy a EdenPure Infrared Heater for our classroom — which we will be enjoying this Saturday as we start our program with Social Services.

The funds will also purchase Graduation Day t-shirts for 50 program graduates which we will be purchasing through Cabinet Ink, the Children’s Cabinet program designed to teach teens viable skills in the screen printing industry. And last, but not least, the Foundation also provided funds for general program supplies.

Please support the Reno Rodeo Foundation whenever you can – they are doing many great things in our community, not just for us, but for many wonderful organizations. Thank you Reno Rodeo Foundation – we appreciate your presence in our community! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SAVE THE DATE! THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 4 PM TO 6 PM

The Eldorado Hotel Casino is hosting a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception every night of the Reno Rodeo for a different charity from 4-6pm.

Horses for the Spirit’s night is Thursday, June 24th from 4 pm to 6 pm.

The artists are Donna Long, painter, and Jerry Smith, who does beautiful bronze sculptures. Donna recently had a show at the Coral Springs Art Museum

Plan to come on out and enjoy the artwork and maybe something will strike your fancy! We hope so because 20% of each sale on our night benefits Horses for the Spirit!

More information coming soon! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PROGRAM UPDATES

McGee Center Program – continues through May 17. (Volunteer spaces full!)

Social Services Program started Saturday, April 3 and continues through may 22. (Volunteer spaces full!)

Children’s Cabinet Program: TBD

Visitors are welcome! If you want to observe a class in session, please contact Deb via email ] or call 775-224-5999. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WALLY AND MAGIC… A NEW MODEL FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Bruce and Landess Witmer of PetFolio Magazine  might just start a new trend of community involvement with Horses for the Spirit.

We sure hope so!

In an effort to support Horses for the Spirit and what we do for kids in our community, the Witmers graciously and generously temporarily donated two of their horses, Wally and Magic, to our “herd” for spring programs. And they are financially supporting every bit of their care while they are with us!

Landess has been sharing what she’s doing with everyone in hopes that this idea catches on with others.  She’s even garnered interest of a local veterinarian for future participation.

How does this help Horses for the Spirit?

* The new horses offer more variety in “Horsenality” for the kids to experience;
* With a couple horses living at the facility, there are fewer horses to trailer;
* The financial support of these two horses makes it possible for Horses for the Spirit to put more funds toward scholarships for kids;
* More involvement from people like Landess and Bruce in our community means word gets out more about what we’re doing!

How does this benefit the Witmers?
* Their horses receive exposure to new situations in an environment that emphasizes the dignity of the horse;
* Their horses, although already well-trained, will receive natural horsemanship training in the process of going through the programs with the kids, with extra training as necessary from qualified volunteers;
* Their horses will receive love and attention from youth in our community who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and situations;
* And the Witmers get the satisfaction of knowing that their contribution to Horses for the Spirit is contributing in a positive way to youth in Washoe County.

THANK YOU BRUCE, LANDESS AND THE WHOLE WITMER FAMILY! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GRADUATION DAY AT “NV OF THE WEST” EVENT

Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 22nd and join us for our graduation day celebration at the Reno Rodeo Foundation’s NV of the West event!

Watch the kids play with their horses in celebration of all that they have accomplished and get a chance to talk with them one on one about what the program has meant to them. We felt this would be a great opportunity for the kids and for those of you in the community who would like to get a personal feel for why our programs are successful.

We’ll provide more information as the date nears. In the meantime, visit the NV of the West website to find out more about this incredible event that will benefit children through Northern Nevada served by the Reno Rodeo Foundation! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RGJ WISH LIST PROVES BENEFICIAL

Thanks to our Wish List article in the March 29th Reno Gazette-Journal Horses for the Spirit is receiving donations of two, yes two, laptop computers and an all-in-one printer/scanner/fax/copier plus extra ink cartridges.

Thanks to our donors – you know who you are! One of the laptops will stay in the classroom with the printer so we can print things out on the fly and the other laptop will be available to travel to presentations and booths at events. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THANK YOU NISHU!

We want to thank Nishu Varma for helping us purchase a copy of QuickBooks for Non-Profits at a greatly reduced price. The upgrade to a version specifically for non-profits will offer tools that will be very useful to us! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter and encourage you to send it to friends, family and colleagues who might be interested in Horses for the Spirit.

Sincerely,

Robbie Maus, Board President, Program Director, Equine Manager

Erin De Los Santos, Board Secretary

Pam Olivieri, Board Treasurer, Volunteer Liaison

Deb Conrad, Board Member, Executive Director Pro Tem

Wish List in RGJ Today!...

March 29, 2010

Organization: Horses for the Spirit, founded in 2005, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to offering equine-assisted learning programs to youths in Northern Nevada. The programs have been developed to teach positive life and social skills to youths 12 to 18. Although the primary target audience is children at risk of failing in traditional settings, it is the group’s desire to serve all children in the community who have a desire or need to participate in one of our programs.

Magical Magic...

Magic and her big buddy Wally spent their first night at the Horses for the Spirit facility last night.

Magic, true to her name, was magically out of her pen this morning and in the big pen with Wally.  She was just relaxing and enjoying some morning sun.

When I went in to round her up and put her back in her pen so she could eat her breakfast in peace, she decided it was play time and started hurriedly walking around the perimeter of the corral, playing Catch Me If You Can. And seeing as it was Monday morning and I was trying to get to work in a timely fashion, this game was even more hilarious to her because I didn’t really want to play that game.

Wally just followed me around like a puppy dog while I tried to turn the tables on Magic and play If You Want to Run Away from Me, Here, I’ll Help You… it only took a few moments of my game and a nicely timed step in her direction to get her to submit to being caught. Whew! I wasn’t going to be late for work afterall.

I was able to get her back in her pen and tied the gate shut tightly so she wouldn’t be able to use her magical powers of pushing the panels apart so she could get out again.

She’s one smart cookie. I am looking forward to more Magical Magic stories as she stays with us over the next 2 months and gets to play with the kids.

We cannot thank Bruce and Landess Witmer of PetFolio Magazine enough for generously allowing us to use their horses and to sponsor them as well!

Wally and Magic Ready to Join the Herd...

Landess Witmer of PetFolio Magazine sent an email today letting us know that Wally and Magic are ready to join our herd next week when we start our program with McGee Center.

Wally can be seen here with his friend Taylor…

Wally the gentle giant poses with his friend Taylor

Dexter, Landess’ son, spent some time getting Magic all prettied up for us and she’s ready to take the HFTS herd by storm!

Dexter and Magic the pony

Landess also sent over a photo of Magic giving all she’s got to “The Girls” (Bella, Kiowa and Dakota who are quite the clique when they are together). It is a great example of body language and herd dynamics!

Magic Gives "The Clique" a Lesson in Dominance