What They Can Do....

If you set a standard, kids will reach for it.  The special ed. class at Salinas High is proof of that.  Ten to eleven kids with  varying abilities have been coming up to the Buckeye weekly for 6-weeks.  The first day they showed up it was a little bit like herding cats - the kids were distracted and nervous.  Yesterday, as we practiced for their demo day next week (last session), they simply amazed me.  They were all involved and active in the process.  In the 6-weeks they have been coming to the barn they have learned to put a halter on a horse, to lead a horse through various obstacles, groom a horse, and perform simple moves on the vaulting barrel.  This includes the students in wheelchairs.  The highlight for all of the kids yesterday was feeding lunches to the horses in the barn.  The students who help read the feed board and prepared the lunches.  They took turns handing out the food.  Next week is their last week (until we find more funding) and the students will be putting on a demonstration of what they have learned.  The Principal of Salinas High will be there, as well as Cowboy TV (the school's online news show!).  It's time for these kids to shine!

Misti is leaving today......I'm proud and a little bit sad.  Misti is a young lady who came to us through the vocational program we set up with Peacock Acres.  Peacock Acres provides supportive housing, intense case management, and life coaching for youth that have been separated from their families.  Misti came to us through our vocational program we set up with Peacock Acres.  She worked hard to learn how to handle the horses and how to manage a barn.  She cleaned stalls, groomed, cleaned water troughs, turned horses out, cleaned stalls, assisted with lessons and cleaned. stalls.  I emphasize the cleaning stalls thing because it's not something I usually ask the kids to do.  I want them to have as much horse handling time as possible.  But I needed to see if Misti could handle the whole package - and she did.  And she did it with a great attitude.  She took the initiative to find an internship position with a breeding farm in Idaho.  We are going to miss her and wish her the best of luck!

I love my job.  God Bless!