Volunteering with Buddy Systems Therapy Riding and a Quick Ride on Chester

 Yesterday evening I volunteered with the Buddy Systems, a therapy riding program that my trainer, Meghan, helps run. Ginger, Reno, and Moe, the lesson horses, are the ones that are usually used for Buddy Systems. This time, Milo, a grey OTTB that just entered the program, was used as well.

 Mom and I were first with Moe and a girl named Kristen. Another woman led Moe(a halter is put over each horse's bridle), while Mom and I walked along the sides, supporting the girl. We walked around the arena several times, taught the riders a few stretches, then played a quick game with them. Each team led their horse and rider to one of the many buckets that hung on the fence. The rider would would grab an item from the bucket, and then the team would lead the rider over their own bucket. The rider would drop the item into the bucket before the team went to get another item. When the game was over, the riders dismounted one by one.

 A little later, the next session started. Milo had been put away, but Moe, Ginger, and Reno remained. This time, my mom and I were sidewalkers for Reno and his rider. One green and one red button, which the rider would press to tell us to stop and go, were affixed  to his saddle. After walking around the arena for a little bit, we once again played the fun game. All the riders seemed to enjoy it. At the end, we played red light, green light, with each team only stopping and going when the rider pressed the correct button(red to stop and green to go). I really enjoyed helping out and seeing how much the riders enjoyed being on a horse.

 After the Buddy Systems was over, I grabbed Chester and went for a quick evening ride to get to know him better. I rode him along the perimeter of the arena at the walk twice and did some walk-halt transitions. Then I made a trot circle around Meghan, riding it several times. Then I changed directions, heading to the right. There were a couple times when I didn't turn him all the way and he walked with his hindquarters to the wall, but it was otherwise great.

 A few minutes later, I dismounted and let my mom ride, as Meghan had suggested earlier this week so Mom can see if she likes Chester as well. My mom rode when she was my age, by stopped when she became an adult. Now that I am riding, she wants to get back into it again, which would be possible if I lease Chester.

 Since she hadn't been on a horse in a while, Mom just walked around for a couple of minutes. When she was done, she let me lead Chester back to the barn to untack and groom him. I then put him away so he could enjoy his dinner.

Buddy Systems Therapy Riding Program

 I don't think I have mentioned this before, but my trainer, Meghan, not only teaches lessons but also works with a therapy riding program called the Buddy Systems. The horses I ride in lessons, Ginger and Reno, as well as Moe, are also therapy horses. The Buddy Systems allow disabled people of all ages to ride horses, which is found to be therapeutic. It runs on volunteer work, so I decided that I wanted to help out make a difference in the lives of disabled people. Click here for the link to there website.

Meghan with Reno in his Buddy Systems attire.

 Yesterday evening my parents and I went over the Silver Rose Ranch to watch and participate in the program's orientation. Reno and Ginger had been tacked up by other volunteers, who would be leading the horses while the two participants rode. Some cones, barrels, buckets, and poles that stood upright line had been placed in the half of the arena usually portioned off for dressage. It was amazing watching how calm and relaxed Ginger and Reno were. It seems that they knew they were carrying special riders and needed to be extra careful. They both seemed to enjoy it.

 The volunteers played a mounted game with the riders in which the riders grabbed a ball that was in a bucket hanging on the one side of the arena, circled a cone, and rode over to another cone, which they would try to toss a plastic horseshoe onto. Next they rode over to the barrel, drew an animal on a board lying on the barrel, and weaved between two vertical poles set a little larger than a horse length apart. They ended the game by dropping the ball in a bucket at the end. It was cool to watch and is something I want to help out with regularly. It happens every Thursday.