1979 Oct Newsletter

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FULLY ACCREDITED NARHA CENTER

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LOWER CONNECTICUT VALLEY EDUCATIONAL RIDING ASSOCIA't'·ION NEWSLETTER Vol.

1,

No.

October

1

6187

VOl.,UNTEER HOURS SEPT.- JUNE i .

-, Our noble instructor, Anne Wol/ ~tt, decided - one afternoon, to calculate the number of volunteer hours that were given to us just in our fall and spring programs last year.

It came to a whopping 6,187.

Congratulations to all!

We have grown since last spring with the addition of several new volunteers who were welcomed with open arms, and still we cry for more.

We are looking forward to the day when we will have enough volunteers so that the ones we have will not need to double-up on the jobs that make our organization work.

To this end, anyone who has any time or talent to give us is urged to contact Sis Gould in Hadlyme at 434-1407. we are looking for volunteers to handle typing, fund-raising, mailing, publicity, scheduling, and always, always leaders and side-walkers for the children.

Anyone with a knack for publicity (writers for copy, photography, artists, friends in 1he publishing business) is urged to call Marianne Pfeiffer in Old Lyme at 434-5621,

Tax Exempt

- Publicly

Supported

1979

LCVERA EXPANDED TO NORTH MADISON A new development this fall has been the expansion of our program to 3 locations.

Not only do we have three CP children receiving therapy at the Gould's on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but we now have six learning disabled children from Essex Elementary School meeting Tuesday mornings at Cricklewood Farm in Lyme, and eighteen children from the Madison/Guilford area meeting in three sessions on Wednesday at Race Hill Farm in North Madison.

The wonderful donation of the use of the Race Hill Farm facilities by Mr. and Mrs. John Beebe has already had a noticeable impact on our program.

The children in that area now spend much less time getting to and from their riding program, taking less time from their school day.

In addition to a beautiful indoor arena, there is a warm, comfortable, observation loun~overlooking the arena where parents and guests can watch the lessons in progress.

We so much want parents, doctors, educators, and interested parties to come and watch and learn about therapertic riding, and see for themselves how it works.

The observa· tion lounge has made this a more attractive proposition.

- Gifts

Tax Deductible

-2-

TV CHANNEL 3 FILMS LCVERA On a bright and breezy Wednesday, ieptem be r 19, WFSB Channel 3 in Hart :ord arrived at Race Hill Farm to :ilm LCVERA in a working session with ,ome of our Shoreline children.

The :ilm was shown twice on October 11. ~he video-tape was made for a feature >n the Newsday program shown at noon ,ith Anne Wolcott giving the comrnen:ary as she directed the class. ~hen, to our surprise, a shortened rersion appeared on the evening news.

We are grateful to WF'SB for help_ng to bring educational/therapeutic ~i ding to the public eye, and for 1elping us to publicize our fall >enefit Trail Ride and Country Walk >icnic.

INSTRUCTOR'S

REPORT - SPRING 1979

Th e year 78-79 has been one of tre~end ous growth for the lower Connec:ic ut chapter of NARHA; growth in """')w¡ bers of students and volunteers, ) th in riding proficiency and Jrowth in our volunteer training proJram.

We now serve 25 children from ; area schools.

More than 30 men 1nd women serve as volunteers both Ln the ring and behind the scenes. )f these 30, some 10 volunteers joined the program as a direct re;ult o f a news article asking for 1ddi tional people.

Levels of proficiency in riding rary widely amongst the children but Ln each case there has been marked )rogress.

3 new riders have joined iuring the ¡last 6 weeks and have in 1 short period overcome fear of fallLng, poor balance and a lack of 1wareness of themselves in space. )ver all, the groups perform basic ;rooming and tacking skills, mount :rom the ground with varying de;rees of independence, and execute )alance, flexibility and strength~ning exercises at the halt and walk. ie are now operating as a unit during ' \5 minute lesson.

Lessons are designed with indiviiual needs clearly in mind - expec:ations are high in every case but

no child is pushed beyond his limit of skill or nerve.

If possible, it i s the child who asks to go onto a higher level.

The program has a strong overlay of academic skills such as concepts (up, down, under, behind), directionality (left vs. right), auditory and visual memory, and sequential tasks.

Exercises are design ed to increase range of motion, ba lance and confidence.

A special esprit de corps is becoming evident as these students realize the support of cooperative interaction.

We are witnessing mental and physical developmen t th rough the sensory stimulation of the riding experience, as well as increa sed "socialization" through the demands of the horse, helpers, instruc tor and other group irembe rs.

Specific progress reports have been prepared for each child and are available to Board members, volunteers, parents and teachers.

A unique feature of our year was th e inception of a volu n teer training program.

Our first seminar was a 4 hour session providing discussion of disabilities, horsemanship, techniques of grooming and tacking and th e "psychology" of the volunteer helper.

Both new and experienced volunteers felt this to be a valuable program, one to be pursued on a formal basis . thro u gh out the year, callin g on the expert advice of surgeons,pediatricians, physical therapists, physical education teachers and any other specialists in the field of education of the handicapped.

A we ll trained core of v olunteers is th e single most i nportant key to the success of this program.

Respectf Anne T. Instructor

ull y, Wolcott

LETTERS FROM KERRY'S DOCTORS Kerry is a little girl with cerebral palsy.

For some time now, she has been re c eiv ing riding therapy on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Hadlyme.

-3e following are some notes on .. -rry• s progress

by Anne Wolcott and the positive, if guarded, response by her doctors for whom Kerry is their first experience with riding therapy.

At the outset Kerry was unable to sit in the saddle without support, had little head control, walked with scissors gait, fell repeatedly when walking and had no "functional" speech.

Instructor consulted with Kerry's orthopedic surgeon, Newington Children's Hospital evaluation team and her social worker to determine realistic goals for Kerry.

Goals achieved ares increased head control, inhibition of gait, increased balance and independent use of limbs, lengthened attention span, increased intelligible vocabulary as related to riding and personal interaction.

Riding goalss grooms and tacks independently ,'1,ing fine and gross muscles, mounts J • £ndependently, changes direction, sits upright and relaxed at walk and trot and performs a series of exercises at the halt and walk with and 90% of the without stirrups, riding time with a leader only...

ATW From Dr.

Johns.

Goetcheus:

It has been a real pleasure for me to be able to observe Kerry, as she has improved in her musculoskeletal status in such a dramatic manner.

She certainly has better co-ordination and, even when off the horse, is able to use those skills in producing a much improved gait pattern.

Her truncal stability has been greatly enhanced, and her ability to voluntarily relax opposing muscle groups has, certainly, contributed to a more efficient pattern of walking.

Although I certainly feel that ~he enhancement of certain muscle sroups in this particular type of exercise program is importpnt, I have to also state that it is the hours spent by interested individuals,whether that be in a -horse

rin9 or on training mats in an occupational therapy department, that contributes to these children's improvement in their self image and willingness to strive for self improvment because "all those people are caring."

I see this program as another useful adjunct in what must be a many faceted approach toward the treatment of the musculoskeletally deprived.

I am happy to have seen it perform well with Kerry.

Best of luck in your continued efforts on their behalf.

Sincerely yours, Johns.

Goetcheus,M.D. Orthopaedic Surgery From Dr.

Barry

s.

Russman:

Cerebral palsy is a term used to define a group of children who have problems with their large and small muscles because of the lack of development of the motor part of the brain and/or damage to that part of the brain.

These children may be mildly, moderately or severely affected.

All the children have, at best, very poor coordination.

Some of the children have increased muscle tone, which makes their walking very difficult.

I had the .opportunity to watch a patient of mine with a moderate degree of cerebral palsy ride a pony.

Certainly, that she was able to accomplish such a task gave her a big boost in her self-image.

Further, it helped her develop a sense of confidence in the use of her muscles and in the use of her coordination.

I certainly would encourage parents of children who have cerebral palsy to expose the child to this type of program.

It must be anticipated that not all children will be successful but certainly, if they are, it would be a great boost for their self-image.

Sincerely, s.

Barry Pediatric

Russman, M.D. Neurologist

-41979

SUMMER PROGRAM CANCELLED

The fuel shortage of early summer invaded the LCVERA, undermining our plans for a three week summer program.

Our summer program, innitiated a year ago, was so successful both in terms of maintaining and reinforcing the skills of our young riders and in providing them with summer fun, that we were hoping to do it again last summer.

Then came the "gas crunch."

It hit our volunteers, volunteer ponies (which are transported to our facilities for each session) and our riders (who come from a wide area in the Valley Shore).

Unhappily, there was no alternative than to shut down for the summer and hope that 1980 will be better.

"OPEN HOUSES" Something new to the LCVERA last year were "open house" days when the public, doctors, anyone interested · ·ere invited to watch working seswith our students. · ~ sions One was held a year ago and two more were held last spring.

It seemed that each one was better attended than the last.

Our guests were often surprized that handicapped children could ride.

They asked many questions, became enthusiastic and, in a few cases, made on the spot donations to our program.

More Open House days will be held this year.

SUMMERFESI' HORSE SHOW HIT BY DOWNPOUR Anna Comisky, loyal volunteer and riding instructor in her own right, organized the S umrnerfest Horse Show in Milford, Conn. on August 12.

A percentage of the proceeds from the show were to be donated to the Lower Conn. Valley Educational Riding Ass'n. and a large turn-out of horses and riders seemed assured.

Alas, the 12th dawned chill.

Everything from ' ~rdrizzle to downpour dampened more than everyone's spirits . . Only the stalwart arrived to participate and, sadly, the best efforts of all con-

cerned

could

not

salvage

the

THIRD ANNUAL BENEFIT "DAY IN THE COUNTRY" (c.1920)

day.

OCT. 28th

Mark your calendars now, our big benefit trail ride and country walk promises to be the event of the season!

Plans are well underway for a remarkable day.

"Day in the Country (c. 1920)" will be held at Mr. and Mrs. Frank Walcott's "Barzillai Farm" in North Plain (just off rt.

82).

Included in this year's plans are a demonstration riding class by some of our handicapped children, two trail rides scheduled to begin at approximately 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., a gourmet picnic "al fresco" from 12:00 - 2:00, a country walk featuring labled flora, approximately forty antique automobiles and music by Stu Ingersoll's band "Running Wild."

So dig deep in your attic trunks and come in costume!

The cost will be a $5.00 donation per person.

If you would like to assure yourself of a delicious lunch you may make an advance reservation.

Make your checks payable to: Lowe r Conn. Valley Educational Riding Ass'n., Inc. and send it Mrs. Frank Hamilton, Selden Road, Hadlyme, Ct. 06439.

And remember, it's tax deductible.

VOLUNTEER ARTISTS DISPLAY WORK Two artists were represented in the exhibit at the Deep River Savings Bank in the Old Lyme Shopping Center from Aug. 15th to Sept.

7th, sponsored by the Lower Conn. Valley Educational Riding Ass'n.

On the wall were animal portraits

by Molly Hanford Francisco of Old Saybrook.

Mrs. Francisco has been painting animal portraits for forty years and her work is in collections in the U.S. as well as abroad.

She works predominantly in pastels and directly from the animal.

Numerous top show animals as well as beloved pets of indeterminate breeding have been among her subjects.

-5/ Mrs. Francisco is a volunteer .-',.side walker" for LCVERA and will be offering a commission work to a lucky winner at the annual benefit function "A Day in the Country (c.1920)" on Oct 28th.

In the display case were a number of photograph s by a fine young talent Jane Hotchkiss of Madison.

Miss Hotchkiss has an associate degree in professional photography from Rochester Institute of Technology attesting to her competence in the technical side of her craft.

Her excellence in using her camera to record sensitive images is self-taught.

Miss.

Hotchkiss has a long stand ing interest in handicapped children and several of the photos in her display reflect that interest.

She has visited the therapeutic riding classes with her camera al~ays ready to document the progress and joys of the LCVERA children.

-Pfeiffer ******** ~•;~-J An exhibit of pen and ink draw- ¡'ings by Suzanne Burnham was displayed at the Deep River Savings Bank in Old Lyme sponsored

by LCVERA. Suzanne is a graduate of Green Mountain College in Vermont, where she studied art therapy, and is presently one of the proprietors of "New Horizon" a shop on Rt. 156 in Sound View, Old Lyme.

At her bank show, she features several drawings depicting experiences with the handicapped children served

by LCVERA, to which she belongs as a member and working volunteer. ******** "Frost paintings" were displayed

by Bobbi Kenyon-Rose at the Deep River Savings Bank from Sept 7th to Oct. 1st.

Done on glass and backed by crushed velvet, "frost painting" produces lovely and interestin g images. ******** From Oct. 1st to Oct. 20th the l:h, Acton Library and the Deep River Savings Bank will be displaying exhibits which telling about the LCVERA and our annual benefit.

WHERE DO THE FUNDS COME FROM? Grace Hamilton, i n her treasurer's report, revealed some varied and interesting sources of financial support for our organization .

From the Shorel ine Area: Th e Shore line Ass'n. for Retarded and Handicap ped, Inc. in Gui lford and the Madison Jaycees donated funds to help with the co st of the program fo r the Shorel in e children.

From Essex Area : Regional School District #4, the Lion 's Club and the Rotary Club a l l donated funds . Judy Lovelace and Debb i e Engl ish headed up a benefit movie shown at t he Essex E l ementary School whic h was a b ig succ ess and will be repeated again this year.

From Old Lyme: Marianne and Andrew Pfeiffer, whose jewelry can be purchased from such places as Tiffany's and Shreve, Crump and. Lowe, generously donated several "Friends " silver neck laces depicting th e ch il d and pony shown in our logo which have been selling successfu ll y .

From New London: Interested students from the Williams School ran a bake sale, headed

by Christian Wright, to rais e funds for us.

From Kill ingworth: The Curb and Snaffle 4-H Club , headed

by Pat Peop l es , raised and donated f unds for us.

From points ~st: Anna Comisky do nated a percentage of the profits from the Summerfest Horse Show in Milford to LCVERA. NATIONAL ASS ' N. OF SPORTS FOR CEREBRAL PALSY On August 2, 1979 , 23 riders from six states - as far as Illinois and Virginia - came to the Yale Polo Arena in New Haven, Conn . for a horse show . What made t his show very spec i al was that all the riders have Cerebral Pa l sy, and this was the first opportunity any of them had for competition on a national level.

The horseback riding was a part of the National Association of Sports for Cerebral Palsy national games, an event that drew 500 athletes from 33

-6-tates to take part in the field, ¡-:_--rack, swimming, riding and other activities based on the Olympic model, but restricted to physically handicapped individuals eager to demonstrate their ability.

As with all the other types of sports, the riders hoped to qualify for a place on a team which will be competing internationally.

Those senior riders who will be considered are: Lynn Barnes and Bev Jackson of the Hartford UCP; Cynthia Good and Susan Rogowski from the Winslow Foundation, Warwick, N.Y.; Wendy Shugal, Loudoun County 4-H Riding for the Handicapped, Virginia; William Hine, New London County UCP, Connecticut.

A special thanks must be made to the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association for sponsoring the ribbons and trophies, to Bonnie Gianotti, manager of the Yale Polo Grounds for the use of her horses and facilities, and to Jan ~~nd John Annelle of Cricklewood ....Farm in. Lyme who trucked in a van load of horses for those riders who could not bring their own mounts due to the gas crunch.

Without the support of volunteers too numerous to name, th e special riders taking part would never have been able to reach the level of riding ability that was demonstrated.

It was a spectacular achievement!

-Natalie Bieber

.

******** Lower Connecticut Valley Educational Riding Association, Inc. Newsletter Editor: Andr e a Weyer, Town Woods Rd., Lyme, Ct. 06371