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A personal letter from Marjorie V. Kittredge, Isn't it wonderful what horses can do? Those of you who ride and compete know the exhilaration and joy of being on a horse that carries you up and over with grace and ease. Think what it would be like if you couldn't walk, or see, or carry a thought through to a conclusion? Imagine if you were so fearful you didn't dare try new things or couldn't go out of the house by yourself. Our horses and volunteers do wonders for people with all sorts of disabilities. Since 1964, Windrush Farm, its horses, volunteers, and instructors have been helping people of all sorts by building confidence, ability, and physical prowess. Volunteer Joyce Copland put it well when she said, "In three hours on my very first day as a volunteer, I watched a hesitant, scared adolescent, who didn't want to enter the stall and who cringed from the touch of an adult human hand, transform into a beaming teenager, patting and hugging his horse and confident of his new found abilities to trot on a one thousand pound animal." We have a group of "at risk" youth awaiting adjudication that assist with our head injured riders. They walk next to and help support those who have poor balance. Their reaction to helping is wonderful. "Wow -- they think we're good enough to help!" It makes us realize that many of them have never had the opportunity to give of themselves. Imagine these observant, street wise adolescents attached to THEIR riders! The wounded healers help the healing wounded! Windrush pioneered as one of the first centers in the country for riding for the disabled; now there are over 650 centers. There are competitions for disabled riders nationally and internationally. I was fortunate enough to judge the World Championships in Denmark last fall. We had twenty-eight countries represented, their riders all competing in Dressage on borrowed horses. A marvelous sight. I was then asked to join the head of the International Para-Olympics Equestrian Committee to go to a conference in Croatia where they have two centers. Interestingly enough, Croatia didn't pay much attention when it was just "therapy". When it became "sport therapy", it created a whole new attitude, and our conference then drew over 250 people from 11 different cities -- doctors, therapists, equestrians, and just interested folk. It is wonderful to see equestrian therapy grow all over the world. We are headed toward the Para-Olympics in Sydney -- two weeks after the Olympics. Very exciting! To all of you who park at Groton House and pay a fee, thank you for helping our horses at Windrush mend many lives. -Marjorie Kittredge |
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(c) 2008, Groton House Farm |
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