Saratoga, California Since
1955
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Horse camp helps 'at-risk' kids regain their emotional health By Suzanne Cristallo We watched the horses that placid summer day, a sense of peace warming us like the sun. They were walking slowly in a circle, carefully carrying the young girls who in just two days had learned to trust them. These were special horses carrying small bundles of nerves and depression, fears and compulsions all done up in jeans and new T-shirts. It was a pairing born in heaven, for these wounded children from broken, abusive homes were being shown that life does have sweet alternatives. And it was the horse that was doing it. "I feel there is a healing purpose for horses. I think God gave them to us for a purpose—to help us heal and grow mentally, spiritually and physically," says Lisa Grace-Alharayeri of Los Gatos. Lisa is one of the founders of Trinity Ranch, a Los Gatos-based, nonprofit organization with a nondenominational Christian perspective. The ranch program uses horses to help "at-risk" kids regain emotional health and growth. It all comes together at a horse camp held three times during the summer. From 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the camp in the foothills off Stevens Creek Boulevard there's a full schedule including riding lessons, arts and crafts, nature walks and "horse maintenance," which involves a lot of manure shoveling. The staff is all volunteer, made up mostly of horse-loving, stay-at-home moms—attractive young women who have dedicated themselves to becoming certified specialists in equine assisted psychotherapy. Some of them bring their own daughters along as junior volunteers or as "buddies" for the children in the program.
The campers come through referrals—from psychotherapists or foster parents. There is a preponderance of females on both sides of the program. "Camp is held three times a summer—two weeks are for girls and one is for boys," says Lisa, aware of the gender imbalance. "There's something about horses and girls," she explains, smiling. "It's a natural pairing. There just doesn't seem to be as much need for horses among the boys. The dynamics are different. They're a little less willing to let their hair down," she pauses, "but the horses read them. Horses know if they have a problem." Trinity Ranch program horses are kept at Whispering Creek Stables which sits on land leased from PG&E, whose 230 KV transmission lines tower overhead. There's a lazy, summer feel to the place—dusty trails winding into willow trees bordering a slow-flowing creek, contented-looking horses switching flies as they gaze at passersby. There is something special about a horse, as any horse lover will tell you—with abundant passion and in great length. They're magnificent. Watching them can soften the toughest cynic. "I see that beer ad showing those big Clydesdales running free in slow motion, and I get all blubbery," explains one enthusiast astride her Harley motorcycle. But beyond their beauty, there is another connection. It is that bond which the camp staff hopes to nurture in each child. Thirteen-year-old Jessica, after less than a week in camp, understands what it is. "They don't care what you look like or how you dress. They just want your friendship and company. I can talk to them without fear of rejection or being hurt emotionally," she says, reflecting on some darker corner of her life. "Just to watch them run takes all my sadness away and puts me in a contented world of my own. Nothing else matters when I'm with them. They take all my problems away." Problems among the children referred to the camp can be huge, even by adult standards: physical, emotional and sexual abuse, abandonment, depression, dark thoughts and obsessive-compulsive behavior. One 16-year-old girl referred by a therapist came with a case of severe depression and a compulsion to constantly wash her hands. She exhibited no interest in life around her, and had never before been around horses.
The staff started her with "horse maintenance" and grooming—two simple procedures where she would have to dirty her hands. That was a year ago. Today, she is one of the main volunteers in the program and serves as a mentor for other children. She has a job as a receptionist and can arrange her schedule to put in two days a week at the ranch. She feeds the horses a snack of grain at lunch and does various other chores around the barn. "I know where the manure goes, what the rules are, what horses can be put together," she says, explaining her duties. "I love the horses so much—Diamond has his bad days, Ljufur ("Sweetness" in Icelandic) is goofy," she smiles. "It's soothing being around them. They're always honest—open and trusting. They don't intentionally hurt anyone, and I have to be responsible for feeding and cleaning them." Reflecting on her own progress, she adds, "I used to be very irresponsible and now my mom says, 'Where did this come from?' It's turned me around. I'm a lot better off since I've come here. It's a comforting place," she concludes. That's a sincere recommendation for getting to know a horse. Perhaps more folks should, according to Lisa. "In Silicon Valley especially, kids have gotten away from nature and real time," she muses. "They are into video games and instant gratification. But being at the barn shoveling manure is real time. There's no machine to do that. It's a hands-on task, and you're dealing with a living creature." "I like doing maintenance, because you understand what it's like to have a horse and what it takes to keep him," says Brittany, 12. "It's really cool." The first horse to start the program two years ago was Moon, a gelding in his late 20s leased from a boarder at the Whispering Creek stables. The others followed, some leased from owners unable to ride for various reasons, others referred by vets. "They've seen how well we care for the horses, and they've come to us," Lisa says. There now are about a dozen gentle horses in the program: three are privately owned by Trinity members who bear the cost of upkeep; two are owned by the Trinity Ranch corporation; and the rest are leased. They are very special individuals chosen for their patient manners and almost intuitive sense that their riders are special charges. The breeds are varied. Trinity-owned Dancer is a bay Foxtrotter crossed with a Bakshir Curly, so named because the breed sports a coat that ripples with swirls and curls. Her curly coat reportedly is "hypoallergenic," according to Lisa, who says one woman with allergies who rides her seems to have no problems. Tempo is a regal gray Arab; Diamond, a dapple gray who loves his job with kids, is a quarter horse, and Osp and Ljufur—the clown—are Icelandic ponies. A favorite with little boys is Max, a buckskin Mustang who looks like the model for Disney's "Spirit," and another buckskin, Buck, a Norwegian Fjord who sports a six-inch high crew cut mane. The other "corporate horse" is Daisy, a thoroughbred whose Woodside owner donated her to Trinity because she wanted to "upgrade." Daisy is trained for hunter-jumping and is reserved for advanced riders in the program, which differentiates between therapy horses and lesson horses and places riders according to their skills. The volunteers who spend their days gently nurturing the wounded are skilled in many ways. Among them are Alicia and Chris Owen of Los Gatos, who spend time as board members. Alicia volunteers her days at the camp, taking small groups on nature hikes. Riding lessons are taught by Jane Morris of Cupertino, a veteran of 30 years of showing and training horses and a co-founder of Trinity Ranch with Lisa. Marriage and children separated her from horses for a number of years. "This is my way of getting back into horses. We're so blessed with the horses we have. It's exciting!" she exclaims. "Miss Janie," as she is affectionately called by the children, spends her days in the center of a round corral, talking the children through the simple routines of reining their horses with a soft halter and rope and maintaining good posture while balancing on a bareback pad. A volunteer walks alongside until the child gains confidence to ride alone. "Good, Sarah. Very good!" she praises a second-day camper. "Sit tall and let your lower legs hang quiet ... your reins are too long, honey. They're clear up to your head. Keep your hands low."
Working with a child who has never known a horse and who may have fears generated by incidents in her past can be a challenge. "Last summer we had an 11-year-old child who had large fear issues," recalls Lisa. "We put her with a teen volunteer and an instructor and worked all morning just to get her to sit on the horse without moving. By the end of the day, there was a small smile. By the end of the week she could walk, trot, circle and stop without buddies helping. She had learned to work through her fears, understanding that she didn't have to be perfect. It made me cry." And so it goes as two children at a time are ushered through their introduction to horsemanship. "Give him a big pet now ... a big hug. You both did well." After riding lessons, there are arts and crafts—a time to make horse-related things and perhaps exchange some thoughts. "I've always wanted to be a vet," confides one 13-year-old to another, "but the only reason I wouldn't is I don't want to see animals dying." Taking the opportunity to make a point, volunteer art instructor Karen Lott of Saratoga, chimes in, "Usually people who are good with horses are good with people. What if you used that tool with other kids?" Karen calls herself a "lifer." She and her daughter Haley, 10, came first to take riding lessons at the ranch. They became so enthralled by the experience that now they spend their summer days as volunteers. "It's a very healthy place to be," she observes. "There are lots of mother-daughter teams volunteering here." But volunteering is only part of it. The adults in the program first must be certified through a course offered by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA). EAGALA is a Utah-based, "nonprofit organization formed to promote, educate and provide standards of practice, ethics and safety in the field of equine assisted psychotherapy," according to the group's news magazine. It holds certification training courses all over the United States, Canada and New Zealand. A March workshop was held this year in San Jose hosted by several local groups, including Trinity Ranch. Participants learn to "read" their horses and the children they help and to understand that "just owning a horse does not qualify one as a horse expert or equine specialist. Rather, it is the cumulative experiences of working with numerous clients through crisis to recovery that builds a competent therapist," says Greg Kersten in a May/April issue of EAGALA News. Just as certified volunteers and special horses make the program at Trinity work, so do the donations. Just supplying the upkeep of one horse for a year costs a minimum of $4,000. And the need is always there. "We need volunteers and donations," Lisa says, pointing out that her church—Saratoga Federated—is a good example of where help comes from now. "The kids at vacation Bible school donated their offerings and helped fund a week of camp," she says with a smile. "While we operate totally with volunteers, we would like to hire a permanent staff person, and we need more camp weeks than the three we can afford now." The time is ripe, the days are warm ... and the horses are waiting. Trinity Ranch is located at 101 Church St., Suite 9, Los Gatos, 95030. For more information, call 408.354.4100 or visit www.trinityranch.org. |
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