THERAPEUTIC & PUBLIC RIDING PROGRAMS. P.O. Box th Ave. N. Creston BC, V0B 1G0 ph. (250)

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Shanon Skinner
5 years ago
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1 Report to CDSCL AGM September 22nd, 2012 Summary The Therapeutic and Public Riding Programs continue to grow in popularity. Our therapy horse herd provides continuity for our riders as they have all been working this year RIDERS # of therapeutic rides a week # of public riders VOLUNTEERS # of volunteers INSTRUCTORS # of certified instructors # of instructors in training Total # of instructors Riders As the number of therapeutic riders has been growing, we ve had to limit the number of public riders. This was done because the horses should only have 8 riders a week so that they don t get overworked. To help meet demand for the public riding program while saving wear and tear on the horses, a stable management course was added. The course was taught by our assistant instructors in training, Avis Hutchinson and Shayla Leacock. Five new riders have joined the program this year. Three of them are from the Bonners Ferry, Idaho area.

2 The disabilities that our riders are challenged with are quite varied. Downs Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), cerebral palsy (CP), multiple sclerosis (MS) are the most common disabilities seen in the program. Rider Development Luanne Armstrong was entered in the Sea to Sea Video Para Dressage competition offered by Equine Canada and she came in first place in her category. 7 other riders have been entered in the September 15 th Para Equestrian video competition, riding in Equitation and Obstacle classes. Izabell Hollis and Vera Staples, two therapeutic riders, participated in a local horse held at the Creston Flats Stable in June. In late October, Para Equestrian Classifier, Marion Slatter-Blitstein, will be visiting the riding center to classify 4 of our riders. Classification provides riders with a physical disability the opportunity to compete against other riders with similar abilities. Riders are assessed by accredited classifiers and are given a Grade based on their function abilities in areas such as: muscle power, joint range, and coordination. Marion classifies riders all over North America and we are very fortunate to have her visit Creston. Volunteers Our volunteers are fantastic, enthusiastic and energetic and very much appreciated by the riders, caregivers, instructors and horses! This past winter, volunteers helped with the daily chores; cleaning pens and feeding lunch. 6 new volunteers joined the team this year, while one of our long time volunteers, Gail Reed, who has been helping since 2005, has sadly had to stop helping with the lessons.

3 Student Jobs Thanks to the Columbia Basin Trust s new program, School Works, CDSCL was able to hire Shayla Leacock to help in the office and at Therapeutic Riding from January 2012 through May This program is also offered from September 2012 through May 2013 and CDSCL has been approved to hire a student for 15 hours a week, being subsidized $8 an hour. The program was again a recipient of the Canada Summer Jobs grant. Thanks to the union for supplying a concurrence letter this year, we were able to hire Shayla Leacock for Barn Manager, Assistant Instructor duties. Shayla also helped out in the office. Instructors Christine Ross, our head instructor has certification as a CanTRA Instructor and as an Equine Canada Instructor. Christine attended the CanTRA conference in PEI this June. Judine Maki, an Equine Canada Certified Instructor, continues to offer 4 public riding lessons on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Peggy Hawes is a CanTRA Assistant Instructor. Michelle Whiteaway passed her CanTRA Intermediate Instructor Exam held in April in Maple Ridge. She can now teach up to 4 riders in a group lesson. Michelle also took her her Equine Canada Rider Level 4 exam and was successful. Shayla Leacock, is registered in the CanTRA Assistant Instructor course and passed her technical evaluation in April in Maple Ridge. She expects to take the exam in the Spring of Avis Hutchinson is registered for the CanTRA Assistant Instructor course and passed her technical evaluation in April in Maple Ridge. She expects to take the exam in the Spring of 2013.

Volunteer and Instructor Development Christine Ross and Barb West developed the Special Needs Education Series which was presented over the winter months.

4 Volunteer and Instructor Development Christine Ross and Barb West developed the Special Needs Education Series which was presented over the winter months. 4 sessions dealing with different types of disabilities were held for volunteers and instructors. The sessions were well attended and very informative. Events In 2012, the following events took place: March An Open House and volunteer training session was held April a booth was shared with the woodshop at the Home and Garden Show April May 8 week spring session June Therapeutic Riding Horse Show, participated in the Creston Flats Open Show The Therapeutic Riding Horse Show and Appreciation BBQ was very well attended! July 4 week summer session and 3 day summer camp August Kraft Celebration Tour we won! September October 8 week fall session September 15 Tanya and Alexis participate in the Creston Flats Horse Show and do very well!

November Date TBD Salty s Retirement Party Fundraising and Donations The program continues to be supported by individual donations, local businesses and foundations.

5 November Date TBD Salty s Retirement Party Fundraising and Donations The program continues to be supported by individual donations, local businesses and foundations. Once again, the bulk of the funding came from the Direct Access gaming grant. People continue to be very generous with their donations. Of course, the big news this year was the program winning the $25,000 Kraft Celebration Tour Award. This involved a lot of effort from many, many people. The program beat out the Kimberley Nordic Club with 171,142 votes, while Kimberley amassed a total of 143,390. The $25,000 award will be used to purchase a new horse so that more riders may be accommodated, improve the mounting ramp, install a wheel chair accessible washroom facility and upgrade the flooring surface in the tack up area so that people with mobility issues can get around more easily. Grants were received from: Creston Kootenay Foundation to purchase vests to identify instructors and volunteers: $1248. Columbia Basin Trust Community Initiatives (Town of Creston) to replace the alley fence with post and rail fencing: $2200. Town of Creston, RDCK Area A and Area C - $200 each to help with costs related to promoting the Kraft Celebration Tour. Paralympic Canada to help cover the certification costs for instructors: $2500. Kraft Celebration Tour Award to upgrade the facility new mounting ramp, new horse, accessible washroom, upgraded flooring in the tack up area: $25,000. Direct Access Gaming Grant (Province of BC) : $35,000 to help with operational costs.

Fundraisers were held: Potluck lunch to raise money to buy Emma : $5036, including a $1000 donation from the Creston and District Credit Union and $500 from the Creston Valley Gleaners Society.

Triathlon Sponsorship to raise funds to buy Cupcake the horse: $3480, including a $1000 donation from the Creston Valley Rotary Club.

6 Fundraisers were held: Potluck lunch to raise money to buy Emma : $5036, including a $1000 donation from the Creston and District Credit Union and $500 from the Creston Valley Gleaners Society. Second Annual Art Trot silent Art Auction held at the Rec Centre in February raised $2500. Triathlon Sponsorship to raise funds to buy Cupcake the horse: $3480, including a $1000 donation from the Creston Valley Rotary Club. Facility Upgrades Feed room foundation repair, paint job and garden area. What started out as simple project to repaint the feed room turned into an reengineering project when it was discovered that the foundation support beams were rotting away. Thanks to Terje and Alex for fixing it all up, painting it, putting on roofing material that doesn t Before leak and adding a cute rock garden in front! After

Thanks to Terje for taking on this project! New tool shed construction.

Thanks for Lyn Kistner for donating his tree felling expertise. Damaging tree removal.

The root system was invading the septic system.

7 Tack up area paint job. The tack room area looks fantastic with new barn red paint with white trim. Thanks to Terje for taking on this project! New tool shed construction. Thanks to Terje Munkerud and Alex Nilsson for building a new tool shed on the old cement pad Dangerous tree removal. About 7 trees suffering from Armalaria, a root rot fungus, were felled and removed. Thanks for Lyn Kistner for donating his tree felling expertise. Damaging tree removal. Alex Nilsson and Terje Munkerud cut down the big willow tree. The root system was invading the septic system. Branches, branches everywhere Dead branches have been falling for years around the property and in the horse pens. This spring, Alex and Terje did a great big push to remove them absolutely all of the piles! This took hours upon hours of volunteer time and trips to the dump. Thank you so much, the property looks great!

8 Lawns, lawns and more lawns! We invested in a second riding lawn mower to keep the acres of lawns neat and tidy. Thanks to Russ, our new neighbour, Shayla and Michelle for keeping the grass down. Over 120 hours were spent mowing the lawns since spring time. Reforestation. Thanks to Ted and Avis Hutchinson for replacing the downed trees with little baby trees.

Horses Sadly, we had to make the decision to retire Salty.

Tour win. Salty has a very bad heart murmur and is losing strength. We plan to keep Salty with the herd as long as he is not suffering or in pain.

She was purchased using funds from the $25,000 Kraft Celebration Tour award.

therapeutic riders as well. Her purchase price was $2,500 and she is worth every single penny.

9 Horses Sadly, we had to make the decision to retire Salty. Salty is an incredible horse who has made so many riders happy and he was featured in the TSN video that was produced as part of our Kraft Celebration Tour win. Salty has a very bad heart murmur and is losing strength. We plan to keep Salty with the herd as long as he is not suffering or in pain. A retirement party will be held in November to properly honour the huge part that he has played in this program. Peanut joined the herd in late August. She was purchased using funds from the $25,000 Kraft Celebration Tour award. Peanut is a 13 year old Morgan mare who has lots of training that will benefit our independent riders and she is absolutely wonderful with our therapeutic riders as well. Her purchase price was $2,500 and she is worth every single penny. Pippi is an 18 year old Morgan cross mare who is on loan to the program through October Pippi will help take on Emma s usual riders while Emma is recovering. Emma was purchased in the fall of Funds were raised to cover her purchase price of $3500. Unfortunately, in the summer, Emma required surgery on her leg, but she is recovering nicely and should be back to 100% by the spring.

Blue has bounced back from retirement again!

In addition to taking therapeutic riders, he is also the head of our horse herd, as was obvious this summer

Windy, an 18 year old Morgan mare, continues to do very well with our therapeutic riders.

Team TRP competed in the CDCC s first annual triathlon and funds were raised via sponsorships.

The Creston Valley Rotary Club donated $1000 to help purchase Cupcake Inga, at 20 years old, is also starting

10 Blue has bounced back from retirement again! Thanks to an antiinflammatory prescription medication, Previcox, Blue is doing really well for his age. In addition to taking therapeutic riders, he is also the head of our horse herd, as was obvious this summer when he took on the job of keeping Emma company as she recovered from her surgery. Windy, an 18 year old Morgan mare, continues to do very well with our therapeutic riders. Cupcake arrived in November 2011 and funds were raised to cover her purchase price of $3000. Team TRP competed in the CDCC s first annual triathlon and funds were raised via sponsorships. Team TRP came first in their category. The Creston Valley Rotary Club donated $1000 to help purchase Cupcake Inga, at 20 years old, is also starting to show her age. She has lost patience with being horse handled, so she will be mostly used for riders who are becoming independent, as well as the public riding program. Kit, at 12 years old, is in her prime. She continues to be an awesome part of the program, suitable for therapeutic riders and first choice for riders who are learning to canter.

11 Want to keep up to date with what s going on with the Program? Find us on Facebook! Creston & District Society for Community Living Therapeutic Riding To see the video that TSN produced, please navigate to this link in your browser:

January January 1-2 office closed January 1-4 No Lessons January 5 & 6 Friday and Public Lessons resume January 8 All lessons resume

January January 1-2 office closed January 1-4 No Lessons January 5 & 6 Friday and Public Lessons resume January 8 All lessons resume Our 2017, 20th Annual Dine & Dance event This is Our story was a huge success! Over 300 came out to enjoy an evening of fun, great food, dancing and a live and silent auction. All proceeds from the event