Happy New Year

2008 is gone and we look forward to a great New Year. Hope you enjoy the slide show of 2008 memories.

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Strides/Sinlimites Survives the Porter Ranch Fire!

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On October 13, as we were watching the fire at the east end of the valley, we heard on the news that fire had broken out in Porter Ranch, to the west of us. The fire followed Sesnon Ave, which coincidently ends at our street. Our barn manager, Cathy and volunteer Alan stayed at the ranch to keep me informed of what they saw, and to be prepared to evacuate if necessary. The news announced that the fire was now at the end of Sesnon. Our Executive Director and several of our volunteers raced to the ranch to get ready to evacuate.

Meanwhile, a call came in from Kersten at Day Creek Ranch, who had trailered our horses to this ranch 9 months ago. She heard about the fire and asked if we needed help evacuating. We said yes, and she made it from Simi Valley to Granada Hills in a record 30 minutes! By then, we had heard that the fire had entered the canyon below us to the west, and was coming over the hill to the east. There was no time to wait for the trailers. 6 volunteers, our barn manager and our Executive Director took 13 horses down the hill to the park, arriving just as the trailers did. All the local evacuation centers for horses were full. "No problem", Kersten said. They were taking our horses to Day Creek Ranch. Unlike most of the evacuated horses, who are housed in close quarters or tied, our horses are now in posh stalls and grass pastures, fed the best hay and taken care of like the show horses that are housed at this amazing ranch.

Strides/Sinlimites is grateful to everyone who offered to help (and there were a huge number of offers!) and especially to Laura and Bob Day of Day Creek Ranch, for their generosity and caring for our special horses. A special thanks as well to the volunteers, most of whom had never led a horse before, for risking life and limb to save our horses. And of course, we thank the brave firefighters who fought off the fire right up to our fence and didn't let it enter the ranch! We are blessed.

If all goes well, Strides will bring the horses back Saturday and we will be open again next week. Saved by angels!!!

Kiwanis Equestrian Competition for Special Athletes

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Eleven Strides/Sinlimites riders took home colorful ribbons and tophies at the the Hansen Dam Equestrian Center on September 28, 2008, put on by the Kiwanis club as a benefit for therapeutic riding centers. Strides has participated in this show every year since our inception. Twelve of our riders signed up for the show. Unfortunately, Tess was ill and unable to participate. Participating were: Harrison Berlin, Katy Tennesen, Henry Chadavarian, Dina Dror, Melinda George, Kaarya Hammond, Emelia Mancia, Blake Mills, Devin Munoz, and Kyle Porkowsky.

We are proud of all of our riders, who took ribbons in Equitation (demonstration of basic riding skills at the walk, trot, halt, turns, and backing up), Trail (riding through an obstacle course to demonstrate control of the horse under trail riding conditions), and Futures (pre-dressage test,where riders follow a specific set of movements around the arena.)

We don't yet have the complete set of results, but we do have a slide show of the riders (see above). Congratulations to all of you! Our volunteers this year were the best we have ever had, and made the show go smoothly for us, and our horses, Beau, Chiquita, Padu, Mavica and Monoply, were great! Everyone had a wonderful time, and we are looking forward to doing it again next year.

7th Annual Ride-a-Thon and Halloween Music Fest Sunday October 26, 2008

Strides will be hosting it's 7th Annual Ride-a-Thon, with a twist this year. In addition to giving our riders an opportunity to help us raise money while demonstrating their riding skills, we have added a Musical Extravaganza and Barbecue Lunch to the mix. Performances by Rambling Jack Elliott and Sean Flynn (you may not know who he is, but ask your kids!) will headline the show. We will have Halloween games and contests as well, and a Silent Auction. This is a great time to buy early Holiday Gifts! This event is open to the general public.

The cost for the show and lunch is $15 for adults with advance reservations and $20 at the door. For children 4 to 12 it's $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Children 3 and under are free. Admission is also free to anyone raising over $100 for the Ride-a-Thon.

Please call us at (818) 341-4737 to make your reservations, or e-mail info@strides.og. We look forward to seeing you there!

Our Latest Slide Show

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Volunteering: A Family Affair

Our wonderful volunteers (and their parents) have been busy beautifying our ranch. Most people volunteer to help directly with the riders and horses, but keeping our ranch clean and running well, painted and weeded, and in good working order is all part of the job. Amanda Garrison's dad (see photo, left) noticed that we had painted our office and volunteered to paint the tool shed. It wasn't enough for him to slap on some white paint. He made a sign welcoming our visitors to Strides, and even painted directions to the arena and stalls. In fact, the whole family got in the act. Amanda and her mom (and sometimes her dad) feed our horses in the evenings. Her whole family, including her brother, painted all our jump poles in bright colors. Dad put up yellowjacket traps. We love the example this family has set for all of us.

Strides/Sinlimites benefits from Whole Foods Market

The Chatsworth store of Whole Foods Market has chosen Strides/Sinlimites to be the beneficiary of a fundraiser it is having through September 2008. Anyone bringing in a reuseable bag for their groceries may designate 5 cents per bag to be donate to Strides/Sinlimites. This is a new fundraiser for Whole Foods Market, and we are excited to have been chosen as the beneficiary, as well as helping the environment. We urge you to shop at Whole Foods Market, bring your reusable bags (or buy one there) and show your support for Strides/Sinlimites Therapeutic Riding Centers.

Letter of Support from US Congressman Howard Berman

Strides Therapeutic Riding Centers recently became Strides/Sinlimites Therapeutic Riding Centers, starting the first Spanish-speaking therapeutic riding center in the United States. Strides/Sinlimites has received a wonderful letter of support from Howard Berman, member of the Congress of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 28th district of California. It reads as follows:

Dear Friends:

I strongly support the mission of STRIDES/Sinlimites Therapeutic Riding Centers, Inc. to use horsemanship to improve the bodies, minds and spirits of people with special needs and people who are socially and economically disadvantaged.

I congratulate Strides/Sinlimites on its efforts to reach out to the Spanish-speaking population of Los Angeles. I also commend Strides/Sinlimites for initiating therapeutic riding programs in India, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Ecuador. Strides/Sinlimites provides a great service to the disabled in Los Angeles and all over the world.

Congratulations on your success and recent expansion.

Sincerely,

Howard L. Berman

Kyle and Strides Represent Autism at the Midsummer Night's Dream Fundraiser for Equestrian Special Athletes

Kyle thanks his horse, Calvin, after his demo.

It was a magical night at Moonshadow Ranch during the first fundraiser held by Special Sprit, Inc. a new non-profit founded to raise funds to benefit children with special needs who ride. Our rider, Kyle, was chosen to represent children with Autism that night, and he made us proud! It's difficult enough for a child with Autism to be in a new place, let alone ride a new horse! Kyle rode a Haflinger gelding named Calvin in the arena in front of a large audience who came to support this new fundraiser. Calvin is larger than the horses Kyle is used to, and he was afraid at first. But after he rode him (including kneeling and standing on the horse), Kyle asked, "What horse am I riding next?" Kyle enjoyed watching the vaulting demonstration, and wanted to kneel and stand just like them on his borrowed horse.

Kyle has been riding with Strides for over a year. He had only a few words when he started, but talks up a storm now. He loves horses, and this was a chance for him to shine.

Strides/Sin Limites Honored by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

On May 16, 2008 Strides/Sin Limites received an award from Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, which reads:
"As Mayor of the City of Los Angeles and on behalf of its residents, it is a great pleasure for me to extend my sincere appreciation to Strides Therapeutic Riding Center for their outstanding services to disabled children. Your program has really touched the lives of many children with disabilties and I congratulate you on your continuous services. Your dedication has been of great beneift to the community. Best wishes for continued success!"

Strides Executive Director and Sin Limites Program Director Teach the First Therapeutic Riding Instructor's Class in Pachuca, Mexico

Lydia instructs a future instructor in positioning a rider

Nora teaching vaulting positions

The University of Pachuca in Hidalgo, Mexico, has a well-established therapeutic riding center funded by the University. In an effort to improve their program and make it NARHA compiant, they hired Strides Executive Director, Nora Fischbach, and Sin Limites (Uruguay) Program Director, Lydia Lercari to teach a week-long course in therapeutic riding instruction. Representatives of therapeutic riding centers from all over Mexico attended the course as well. This is the first course of its kind taught in Mexico, and we were honored to be a part of teaching and demonstrating the safest and most effective methods of providing therapeutic riding.

8 Strides Riders Participate and Win at the annual CALNET Horse Show

This year 8 Strides riders were selected to participate in the annual CALNET Horse Show at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on April 20, 2008. Ellen, an adult with quadruplegia, participated in Para Equestrian Dressage riding Padu and took 1st place! She also rode in the Obstacle Course and took 2nd place. Kaarya, who is 5 years old, rode in Pole Bending (a race) on Mimi and took 1st place as well, and in Obstacle Course she took 6th place. Chloe, who is 15 and one of our volunteers, rode in two Dressage Classes and took 1st place in both of them! It was Harrison's (10 years old) first time at the horse show. He took 2nd place in Dressage on Beau, and 2nd place in Obstacle Course. His sister, Elizabeth, who is 8, also showed for the first time. She took 4th place in Dressage on Mimi and 6th place in Obstacle Course. Barbara, an adult born without legs, showed for the first time after only taking 5 riding lessons and only 3 short lessons in Dressage. She took 3rd place in Dressage on Beau, 3rd place in Pole Bending on Mimi, and 3rd place in Obstacle Course on Beau. Laura, 15, rode Padu to a 3rd place in Obstacle Course and 6th in Pole Bending.

This was a very large horse show, bringing riders from all over California. Our riders, horses, and volunteers were amazing, and we are proud of them all.

Strides Riders Win Big at the Tri-Valley Horse

On September 30, 2007, twelve of our Strides Riders and 4 of our horses participated in the annual Tri-Valley Horse Show, held this year at the Hansen Dam Equestrian Center. Last year, only 35 riders in total participated, so it was easy for our riders to win. This year, the numbers were up to almost 150! Despite the greatly increased competition, our riders took home ribbons galore, including better than a dozen 1st place ribbons

Strides Executive Director Honored as a Judge at the Venezuelan International Paralympic Horse Show

Strides' Executive Director, Nora Fischbach, was invited Venezuela to judge at the International Paralympics and Special Olympics Horse Show in January, 2008. The show was divided into two parts, Special Olympics in the mornings and Para Equestrian in the afternoons. Special Olympics is specifically for riders with mental delays, while Para Equestrian riders must have a physical disability. The three day show took place in the city of Valencia in Venezuela. Nora was housed at the Olympic Village along with the disabled athletes participating in the show and their trainers.

Three countries participated in the show, bringing athletes from Chile, Uruguay and Venezuela. Although the United States was not represented in the show, the American flag was displayed along with the others to honor the judge from the USA. Riders were not allowed to bring their own horses, but were required to ride the horses provided by the hosting therapeutic riding center and surrounding equestrian facilities. This provided a level playing field for all riders, as they had equal access to the same quality of horses. The riders and their trainers chose the appropriate horses in advance of the show, and riders had 2 days to practice on those horses before the actual horse show began.

"It was amazing to see the courage these riders displayed", said Nora. "It's scary to ride any horse you don't know, but to see these riders with disabilities ride a horse they don't know in a horse show, in a strange arena and in a strange country is really awe-inspiring!"

Strides Has a New Home!

Strides will be moving to a new location by the end of this year, and thanks to a wonderful article in the Daily News and a spot on KFWB radio, we were able to find a great new home in Granada Hills, only a few minutes from where we are now. It's hard to leave the only home we have ever known, but there are definite advantages to our new location:

**We will have a huge sand arena without any trees in the way (but there is shade). See the photo above.

**We will have REAL trails! Trail rides for everyone!

**There is a REAL bathroom...flush toilet and sink.

**No more mud. The entrance is flat, you can drive right up to the arena and mounting block (only those people in wheelchairs or with dificulty walking, please), and the footing in the stalls is excellent. Every horse will have a huge stall with lots of room.
** The location is only a few blocks from the 118 freeway at the Reseda exit, so getting there is really easy.

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We will begin moving on Saturday afternoon, December 22, after our classes are finished at noon. We need all the help we can get. We estimate it will take us a week or two to move everything, so whatever help you can give, on whatever days, we need it. There are no classes the week of December 24 to January 1, so we will have the time to make the move. If you can give any time that week, please let us know by e-mailing Nora at nora@strides.org, or call (818)571-0048.

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Our new location is 11582 Longacre Ave., Granada Hills. Our landlords are Diana and Frank Vigil. They are wonderful people who have a disabled adult daughter who lives in a group home now. We want to thank them for this great opportunity. Our thanks also to some special people who made this possible, including: Alan Pollack, who pestered the Daily News to write this article, Sindee Simolovitch and Jeri Creston who worked very hard to help us negotiate on the Chatsworth property (even though we didn't get it), Julie Neumann, Cheryl Carr, Michelle Garza and Lydia Lercari who all drove around trying to find us a new home, and all the volunteers and parents who helped us during this transition time. We appreciate all of you more than we can say.

Healing Touch for Animals Workshop

On April 1, 2007, Strides hosted at Healing Touch for Animals workshop at our ranch, focusing on using Healing Touch for horses. Eleven students attended the Level 1 workshop, where they practiced techniques they has learned the previous 2 days. As best I can understand it (not having taken the course), the technique is a transfer of energy to the horse from the practicioner along areas long identified by Chinese and other Asian cultures points which can become blocked and interfere with healing. The idea is to unblock these areas so that healing can occur.

We chose Sable, Chiquita, Bubba, Cuervo, Mimi, Teller, and Zane to receive treatment during the workshop. All these horses have some lameness or stiffness except for Mimi, who was chosen because we hoped it would relax her. The students used a variety of techniques, which you can see in the photos above. As an uninitiated observer, what I saw was that the students unfailingly identified where the problems areas were, and that our horses were extemely relaxed by the end of the session, almost to the point of falling asleep. For example, Sable does not like to stand still and is very "mouthy". She was totally quiet and relaxed and stood for over an hour quietly once the treatment began. She rested her head on the shoulder of her horse leader and all but fell asleep.

It was difficult to tell if the session did much more than relax the horses, as it was only one treatment and most of the students were novices. Sable, however, showed considerably more strength and stability in his hind end the following days. I believe this was as a result of a combination of the Healing Touch treatment and the treatments he as been receiving from a former volunteer, Sha'Ron Kleinbeck, who has been doing light therapy on him, which also focuses on moving energy.

One of the students in the class has offered to come back and do additional Healing Touch therapy for our horses, and we look forward to seeing the results.

A visit from our English rider, Pat Blackledge

Once a year we are fortunate to have a visit from a disabled rider from England. She comes for one lesson only, and it always makes our day. This year, we challenged her more than usual, and she wrote the following e-mail to us after her lesson:

Hi Nora,

I just wanted to thank you and all the volunteers for what I think was probably my best ever lesson yesterday. I felt I had so much confidence in the whole team that I could tackle anything you asked.

It would really be unfair to compare that with a typical lesson back home because there I'm in a class of about five riders and we don't have enough volunteers to give each rider such individual help and attention. Even if I could afford a private lesson every week, our structure is such (We hire the use of the arena and horses at certain times) that the volunteers wouldn't be available. Plus, I'd guess Chiquita is special even by Strides standards. Crispin, who I usually ride, is used by our good dressage riders in competitons but even he can sometimes be hard to get into a good, active walk. Chiquita seems to do it naturally. And when I tell them I only had to say 'Trot' and she did it immediately - I'll be the envy of the group. Maybe I should just move to California and ride regularly with you!

I've had no physical repercussions from trotting. The reins, while being great for my left hand, probably weren't good for my right and I've had a very sore wrist since last evening. I could tell it was doing some damage during the ride but was enjoying myself so much I ddn't want to change anything. I still wouldn't. It was well worth it.

Thanks too for letting me ride despite our getting hopelessly lost and arriving late. I'd actually given up all hope of a lesson and only really turned up to explain and apologise.

You've made me realise that I'm capable of quite a lot more than I'm currently achieving. I'll see what I can do about that and hope to report back to you next year! Best wishes to all the team,

Pat

Strides Riders at Pierce College Horse Show

Four Strides riders, Hannah Lerner, Clea Lerner, Jessica Bibb and Jordan Spiva, competed in an able-bodied horse show this past weekend at Pierce College. Unlike disabled shows, where riders are competing on schooling horses like ours, at an able-bodied show our riders are competing against riders who are often riding $20,000 horses and wearing expensive riding gear. Also, unlike disabled shows, the classes are larger and not everyone wins a ribbon. Despite this "handicap", our riders did exceptionally well. Check out their ribbons in the slide show above.

A visit from a Gypsy Vanner horse

For the week of March 19, we will be hosting Braveheart, a 3 year old Gypsy Vanner horse, at our ranch. Braveheart is a beautiful gelding, about 15.3 hands high, with brown and white paint markings. He's here to see how he reacts to our riders and how our riders react to him. We are also selling raffle tickets for $10 each to win a 3 year old Gypsy Vanner gelding (in the photo above), to support the American Gypsy Horse Association's Angel Babies program. They will be donating Gypsy horses to therapeutic riding programs. If you have always dreamed of owning your own horse, this is your chance to try to make that dream come true. Ask Nora, Nichole or Michelle at the ranch for raffle tickets, or go to www.aghba.com to purchase tickets online.

2007 Calendar

March/2007

1 - Applications for Spring Quarter go out
Week of 11-17 - Riding Evaluations
Week of 18-24 - Evaluations continued if necessary
Week of 25-31 - Strides Closed for Quarter Break
24 -Last Day to pay for new quarter without penalty

Riders: Please try to attend the two weeks of evaluations. These allow us to plan your goals for next quarter

April /2007
3 - First day of Spring Quarter (Late fee of $25 applies as of this date if you have not paid for this quarter)
20, 21, 22- CalNet Horse Show


May/2007
6 - Mother's Day (Almost) Horse Show at our ranch.
26 - Closed for Memorial Day Weekend

June/2007

Week of 24-30 - Closed for Quarter Break

July/2007

3 - Summer Quarter Begins
4 - Closed for Independence Day
Strides Summer Camp - dates to be determined

August/2007

31 to Sept 1- Closed for Labor Day Weekend

September/2007

Week of 24-30 - Closed for Quarter Break
30- Kiwanis Club Horse Show