My Summer Project

It was extremely difficult for me to decide what I wanted to spend my summer project doing. Finally, I came up with the idea of going back to riding horses, since I have not ridden in over two years. Instead of just riding horses, however, I discovered a very unique farm called OATS. At OATS, the volunteers dedicate their time to children with disabilities and teach them how to ride. The goal that OATS (Alternative Therapy with Smiles) wants their riders to accomplish is to become an independent rider without any assistance from their volunteers.

When I heard of OATS I knew this was what my project was going to be about. I loved the idea of being able to ride horses again, but now I also get to spend time with inspiring children, and hopefully be able to bring some joy to their lives. Although this project is going to be fun, it is also a bit nerve wracking since I have not been around horses in about two years. I also want to develop a bond with these kids. Now I'm not just responsible for controlling a horse but I'm responsible for the safety of the rider. As a volunteer, I will help tack horses, clean, and spend time with riders. I will mostly be leading a horse by a lead rope, while the rider uses the reins to steer. My responsibility is to guide the rider while the instructor teaches fundamentals. The rider does most of the work. Some children require more assistance, which I do as a sidewalker. In the blog, there will be entries of kids that I've met along with events that happen while I volunteered. Along with that, I'll be doing a little research on using horses for children with disabilities. Some of the disabilities I will encounter are autism, cerebral palsy, etc. I can not wait to get started and see them grow.

My goal of this project is to help these children and make them smile. I want so much to help them grow, and become stronger. Even if I'm only helping one child that is great! At least I'll help bring joy to their lives. This is not just a project that I can stop at the end of Summer. I plan on getting attached and volunteering at OATS for as long as I can. Well I hope everybody's projects are going well :) I'm very excited to start mine.