This first week at Anam Cara Farm has been an amazing experience so far. I didn’t know how much I needed the calm sanctity of the barn and being outside all day until I was here! As well as having the chance to spend every day outside with the horses and other animals, I have also had the opportunity to witness a program where the horses clearly had a powerful impact on youth.
For this blog entry I’ve decided to focus on the program that I had the chance to be a part of this week called ‘Bold and Beautiful’. It’s a 6 week program where the students come for 2 hours to the farm where they talk about important lessons and spend time with the horses. I noticed that one of the main focuses was a talk around boundaries, setting boundaries and respecting boundaries. As soon as the girls came in they were immediately wanting to share how they have remembered the previous weeks lessons and about how excited they were for this week, the week where they get to ride the horses. It was an eye opening experience for me to see these girls come in ( 7 of them in grades 6-7) for the most part very quietly, and as the 2 hours went on I saw them all come out of their shell and share in a safe environment. When they did get to ride the horses the smiles on their face were huge and I could tell in that moment how important the work they do at Empowered by Horses is. Those students were able to feel calm, happy and seemingly care free in the moments they were at the farm, as these youth had been chosen for the program because they were considered at risk I think the safety and calming atmosphere of the farm made such a difference even in the short amount of time they spent there.
I am really looking forward to my next couple of weeks here and am excited to see what those weeks have in store for me!
I was really touched by the powerful message in your blog post, Jessica. I connected with both your own personal joy in and enjoyment of the sanctuary of the barn and the outdoors – a testimony to the power of being outdoors and in nature. Secondly, the work done at Anam Cara clearly has a very important role. I wanted to read more and educate myself better on equine therapy and I found some helpful information at: http://www.equine-therapy-programs.com/equine-therapy/
I’ve seen how animals help humans. My sister-in-law has a diabetic alert service dog. Also, my friend is a principal at an elementary school and she has run a reading program for the last 6 years called “Reading with Bruce.” At-risk readers read aloud to her dog, a gentle giant named Bruce.
It will be interesting to hear your thoughts after more time in your community field experience – are there ways to integrate the power of the experiences there with your own future plans as an educator? I really appreciated your comments regarding the lessons on boundaries in the “Bold and Beautiful” program. The very same ideas of setting and respecting boundaries is a significant part of the work we do everyday with children in our classrooms.
I am very much looking forward to visiting the site and seeing you and this wonderful place.