Isa Topete can’t help but smile when
she’s riding. Although she has severe disabilities, you would never know that
when watching her on horseback. After four years at Hearts Therapeutic Riding
Center, Isa has become confident and strong. Her mother, Annie Topete, believes that Hearts
has helped her daughter most by providing a safe and nurturing environment. “The
big thing for me as a parent with a disabled child is that we can just be
ourselves here,” Topete explained. “Everyone at Hearts knows Isa and can give
her the support she needs."
This summer, Hearts will continue making
a difference for children of all abilities through a unique Summer Horse
Camp. “The summer program is
particularly powerful, because we include children with and without
disabilities,” said Program Director, Connie Weinsoff. “We talk about the
differences among the horses as a way to help kids understand and respect their
own differences. By riding together,
children with disabilities and those without disabilities are able to build
relationships and learn from one another.”
Each camp day includes a riding segment;
opportunities to groom, tack and bathe the horses; plus a hands-on, educational
topic of the day such as equine nutrition, vet care, and horse behavior. All classes are taught by certified riding instructors.
At the end of the week, riders will demonstrate their new skills for family and
friends in a mini-horseshow.
Children will leave the Hearts Summer
Horse Experience knowing much more than horsemanship and horseback riding
skills; they will leave with more self-confidence, higher self-esteem, and a
greater appreciation for the value of other people.
“We focus on empowerment, peer
interaction, and education,” said Weinsoff.
“Even though the camp is only for five days, the kids make a visible progression
in that time frame. They go from feeling anxious or nervous on the horse or
with their peers, to feeling confident and comfortable.”
Come
to the Hearts Horse Show to learn more about Camp
May 27th 9am-4pm
Camp Presentations at 11:00 and 1:00
Dates: June 11- 16 (FULL)
June 18-22
June 25-29
July 30-August 3
August 20 -24 (Select one day -- parents and kids ride together)
Time: 9
am-12 pm
Tuition: $350 per
Week
For more
information, call Connie Weinsoff at 805-964-1519 or visit www.HeartsSB.org
If you are looking for summer activities ideas you have probably come across a mountain of things that you can do. Summer is a time for activities and there are so many of them that you can choose to do. Horseback riding is a good activity that can be done in the summer.
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