We Can Ride Blog

Former WCR client testimonial!

2008-08-05T12:29:00.002-05:00

I recently received the following letter from a previous WCR rider:

We Can Ride is a nice, friendly place. At We Can Ride has very gentle horses. The instructors at We Can Ride are nice to. I have a friend named Patti she is one of the instructors that teaches in We Can Ride. If you have disabilities sign up for We Can Ride class. We Can Ride helps a lot of people with disabilities everyone has sidewalkers and leaders when you are riding one of the We Can Ride horses. Love Ashley.

Long Time!

2008-07-29T08:35:00.006-05:00

Can you believe it's been March since anyone had time to update the We Can Ride blog? I can! With classes fully underway, the second session is just about over and we're in the middle of Summer Ride-A-Thon. There's so much going on we've hardly had a chance to breath let alone write a blog entry! Make sure you check out the rest of our website for some of the upcoming events - there's so much to do! Just to name a few:

Golf Tournament

Junk Bonanza

Annual Trail Ride

New Volunteer Training

Fall Ride-A-Thon

Fall Session

Harvest Horse Show

The Annual Meeting

Personally, I am excited for the Annual Trail Ride. This will be our third year and hopefully our biggest year yet! Make sure you sign up and start getting pledges if you want to ride with us. This year we hope to have a club award for the club/barn that brings in the most pledges as well as individual awards so get your barn and clubs geared up. Print some fliers and hand them out to all your horse-friends. What better way to spend a nice fall day than on the back of a horse!

Writing enthusiasts: We need you for our blog! If you're a part of We Can Ride (volunteer, rider, staff, parent, etc), help keep our blog exciting and new. If you have a story to tell type it up and email it to the We Can Ride office with the subject "blog entry" and we'll get it on our site!

Region 6 Conference

2008-03-17T07:57:00.004-06:00

One of the great things about being part of an organization like We Can Ride and NARHA is the opportunities for education and personal growth. This past weekend a few of We Can Ride's Instructors and I went up to Fargo, North Dakota for the Region 6 Conference. The Regional Conferences offer centers in each region a chance to gather for learning opportunities as well as vote on important topics in the region, discuss standards and wording, and brain storm with other centers.

Friday evening, after arriving in Fargo and checking into our hotel room, we gathered together for the beginning of the conference. Michael Richardson www.brokenrranch.com started off the night with an enlightening keynote that covered his abilities as a paraplegic in the horse industry and how having a solid relationship with yourself can take you further in this world than anything else. We followed up his keynote with pizza and beverages and a lot of discussion around the pool in the hotel and the opportunity to bid on several silent auction items.

Bright and early Saturday morning while the state representatives met, we filled up on breakfast and awaited our first session. I attended a talk on Cereberal Palsy and Developmental Adapted Physical Education (DAPE). The biggest idea I took away from this session were some great examples on how to educate our volunteers on what a rider with CP and similar abilities would experience in our program. If you're volunteering on Thursday evenings in Minnetonka you might get hands on experience with my "enlightenment!" I followed up that presentation with one regarding Physical Disabilities presented by an Occupational Therapist. After a great lunch and a meeting to discuss Region 6 matters we zoomed over to the NDSU Sheppard Arena for the barn demonstrations.

We were fortunate enough to have Michael Richardson lead a demonstration on his techniques for working with horses. He worked with two therapy horses from the hosting program. All from his chair in the round pen he exhibited how to work with a "sassy" horse at liberty and get her to the confidence level that would allow her to explore a "scary" tarp on the ground. He also worked with a "pushy" horse on leading and staying the proper distance from the leader. The horse demos were followed be a talk on Equine Chiropractics and Accupuncture led by a Certified Equine Chiropractor as well as a talk on tack fit and how the two things go hand in hand. When these sessions were complete we were free to explore Fargo and find some dinner. We ended up at the Lone Star for some really great steak and a fun waiter that we may have recruited as a therapeutic riding volunteer!

Sunday morning it was back up early as can be for the State Meetings. This is the chance for each state to discuss business, make decisions, and vote on leadership. I guess I was in the "right" place at the right time as it appears I'm now the Minnesota State Vice President for NARHA. We followed up our state meeting with attending the Standards Meeting. This was a place to discuss the NARHA standards and assist with wording so that they are easy to understand and make sense. Finally we attended the Instructor Forum for some lively discussion on various aspects of instructing therapeutic horseback riding. We were limited in time but I'm sure all of the instructors could have talked all day about their centers and ask questions of other instructors on games and classes and any number of topics.

So now we're back in Minnesota and I know the four of us that attended the conference are ready to start a new season of riding with We Can Ride. We're filled with new ideas and reenergized. The Region Conference is a great place to start off a new session and anyone can attend, volunteers, administration, board members, care givers, not just instructors. So maybe next year give it some thought, check out the topics, and put it on your calendar.

How to get ready for a new WCR season!

2008-03-06T11:31:00.002-06:00

It always seems like such a long time between your last therapeutic riding session of the year and your first riding lesson of the next year. Never fear! We Can Ride is right around the corner along with spring and warmer temperatures. Just think, this time next week it'll be an hour later in the day!

So while you're patiently waiting for the new session to start here's a few things you can do to get ready:

Clients:
1. Get out that helmet - dust it off, make sure it's a certified helmet, and make sure it still fits! Now is a good time to practice wearing your helmet and make sure all the buckles and clasps are in proper working order. If you've never participated in WCR before, practicing with your helmet is a good way to get in the mood!
2. Start stretching - don't forget that sometimes after your first ride you might be a little sore. Do some simple stretching: reach to the sky! touch your toes!
3. Brush up on your horse parts - do you remember where all the important horse parts are? Where is the horse's head/poll? How about the horse's withers? I bet you remember where the horse's tail is!
4. Remember your cues - do you recall how to ask your horse to "walk on?" How about asking your horse to "whoa?" Don't forget to brush up on your right and left so you can tell your horse which direction to go.

Volunteers:
1. Start stretching - stretching is always a great thing for both riders and volunteers. Have you been sitting at a desk all winter? Take some stretching breaks to get ready for spring!
2. Get strong - don't forget you might have to hold your arms up to steady a rider for a good portion of a class, so start working those biceps so you don't tire as quickly. Now is also a great time to get out for some regular walking to prepare for walking in a riding lesson.
3. Make a list - are there some things about therapeutic riding you'd like to learn more about? Make a list and ask your instructor when the session starts.
4. Dust off those boots - don't forget that the barn isn't neccessarily the cleanest place, get out those old barn boots so you don't have to tip-toe through the horse "apples!"
5. Get some WCR swag - if you want to help support We Can Ride and wear some groovy red and black, check out the WCR Wearables for some fun items!
6. Don't miss the first night - make sure you don't miss the first night during the week of March 24 (call the office to find out if your location is holding this class), you'll have the opportunity to brush up on your skills, ask questions, get a tour, and get to know your fellow volunteers.

I hope these tips will help get you ready for spring. I know all of the We Can Ride staff is looking forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks and ready to start another awesome session of therapeutic riding and driving!

What happens during the winter at We Can Ride?

2008-02-21T10:30:00.003-06:00

Did you ever wonder what happens between October and April while you're not volunteering, riding, or driving for We Can Ride? What do those horses do all winter? Don't they get bored? I'll let you in on a little secret, while you're taking a much deserved winter break, the We Can Ride horses are hard at work. Sure they have some time off right after classes are over, everyone deserves a break! But it's not long before they're back to work.

Some of the horses at Minnetonka get to help the residents learn horsemanship skills and riding. They even help residents learn to be good leaders for the Spring, Summer, and Fall sessions. Then in January, a few brave souls travel to the barn to help remind the horses what We Can Ride is all about. Most evenings you can't even recognized the volunteers because they are so bundled up with clothing to keep warm, you can't see their faces!

Some horses need exercise so they get lead, ridden, and lunged. Some horses need refresher courses and how to be polite in the mounting block and how to prepare for a client. Sometimes new horses arrive and they need to start training to become the best therapy horse they can be. A new horse has his work cut out for him. New things like balls, hula hoops, barrels, and poles can be a bit scary when you're a new therapy horse. So volunteers help the new horses learn that toys are fun and can help their clients during riding and driving classes. Corey is new this year and is probably going to work at the U of MN. For now he's at Minnetonka and learning all the ins and outs about being a therapy horse. His favorite thing to do is roll in the dirt when his lessons are over.

There's a few lucky horses that even get to help teach volunteers all sorts of new things: how to become a great leader, what the different parts are on a horse, how to tell if a horse isn't feeling very good, how to find the right saddle for the horse, or even how to find the right horse for each client.

Five Above

2008-01-30T13:53:00.000-06:00

The high temp expected today is five degrees above zero... days like today one would need a good pair of coveralls and mittens, hat, boot and boot warmers, and long underwear to brave the outside!

So here's a thanks to those of you taking care of our We Can Ride horses, no matter what the weather. Thanks for looking after everybody during the cold, and every, season. And don't you just love that the horses just do what they do living in this stuff?!

So it's after the holidays, and it's been a month to put everything away, and get settled... is anyone else starting to get the itch to get back to the barn? I am starting to look forward to getting back to seeing everyone, hugs for horses, high-fives for riders. Especially after watching last week's Extreme Home Makeover where they revamped a home and barn for a woman running a therapeutic horseback riding program... watching the warm sunshine and horses and riders and volunteers, I remember why I love it, and miss it.

But hey! If you haven't heard already, there are some great classes going on through WCR in their office and the barn. You can find that information on this very website! I took a bunch of the classes last year- and they were really great. And if you attend any classes in the barn- good place to warm up your hand quickly is right under the mane of any willing horse....

Poem by Guest Writer: Michaela

2007-10-03T21:28:00.000-05:00

This poem is dedicated to everyone at We Can Ride. By Michaela Powers.

Hope, something to look forward to
Overcoming, differences, challenges, physically and mentally
Responsibility, learning to take care of horses
Success, sense of accomplishment
Exercises, physical therapy
Break, just be a kid
Attitude, I can do anything
Completion, completing the task
Keep trying

Respect; treat others how you would want to be treated
Independent, freedom from disability
Discipline, determination
Inspirational, have a hero
Never say I can't
Graceful, gentle

We Can Ride Trail Ride Fund Raiser!

2007-09-11T11:18:00.000-05:00

I might have to retire my little old digital camera because these photos do not adequately represent the fun we had on the trail ride this past Sunday (and they're a little blurry)! It was a great day for a ride, that's for sure. The sun was out and it was a nice 70F.

Several groups of folks and their horses gathered in the Minnesota Valley Recreation area in Jordan, MN for some food, fun, and riding all in the name of raising money for We Can Ride. I don't know the official count but I think we raised over $1000! We had a variety of horses from cart horses to barrel racers attend the ride. Everyone was welcome and I think everyone had a great time.

Once again this year our very own barn manager, Stephanie, was the top fund raiser! There was also a drawing for door prizes that included saddle blankets, hay bags, and leather halters. Just about every horse from my barn was there, including Tom's newly trained Pintos! Check out the photo of Dick helping Tom get situated before the ride. Stephanie's dad flew up from Colorado to ride with us and we had a pretty good showing for the Thursday Minnetonka volunteers.

If you missed out, you'll have to keep an eye open next year and try to join in. The more the merrier!

Special Olympics!

2007-08-30T08:27:00.000-05:00

We Can Ride had a number of clients compete in the Special Olympics Equestrian Event on August 24, 2007, up at Woodloch Stables in Hugo, Minnesota. These athletes have been training for ten weeks at Bunker Park Stables in preparation for the event. It was a beautiful day that Friday and the competitors did a great job; it was fun to watch them compete in classes that included on-lead and independent guiding! Photos will be arriving on the website soon – please check back to see them. Congratulations to all our winning clients!

Here are the results:

Anne Beckering (Age Group 22-29)
Working Trails, 2nd Place
English Obstacle, 7th Place
Western Equitation, 1st Place
English Equitation, 5th Place

Bryan Belknap (Age Group 16-21)
Western Equitation, 3rd Place
Working Trails, 1st Place

Jillian Groen (Age Group 22-29)
Western Equitation, 2nd Place
English Equitation, 1st Place
English Obstacle, 1st Place
Working Trails, 3rd Place

Michelle Mack-Bohnhoff (Age Group 16-21)
Working Trails, 1st Place

Taylor Mattice (Age Group 22-29)
English Obstacle, 2nd Place
English Equitation, 3rd Place

Laura Nelson (Age Group 16-21)
Working Trails, 2nd Place
English Equitation, 2nd Place
English Obstacle, 1st Place
Western Equitation, 1st Place

Nicole Raines (Age Group 12-15)
Western Equitation, 3rd Place
Working Trails, 2nd Place

post by Patti Franz (client coordinator)

horses rule

2007-08-05T21:08:00.000-05:00

This is an art piece done of Rusty, the horse at the Minnetonka site. A client from my Monday night class made it. I love it. She has always been drawing her horse (no matter what horse she is assigned) but when this art piece of Rusty came it was just too much.

I think it's so neat the way that our clients connect with their horses. So many of them have their favorites. Each has a horse they look forward to riding each week. I'm convinced the horses remember them, too. Our horses have been expressed in many ways before, click here to see.

I think that's gotta be one of the best thing about his program, from instructors to volunteers to clients to horses back to the client and volunteers, it's just endless... it's beautiful.

I'm glad Rusty has got someone who loves him enough to make him into art.

Somebody Pinch Me Please

2007-07-24T14:42:00.000-05:00

After however many years it's been (almost a full 9, I figure) I can't believe how rewarding it still feels to volunteer for WCR. I'm about to finish my first session teaching my own class. Sure I taught last session, but this time, I was like REALLY in charge. It hadn't even occurred to me until a volunteer brought it up to me last night. We had just finished class 7 of 8, and after he said it out loud I laughed at first, and then felt like I needed to be pinched. A whole session on my own.

I'd almost even forgotten that his was my first. Nine years of class every Monday and I guess I've gotten pretty comfortable in the class setting. And even though every week it seems hard to come up with something to do- I always do come up with something. I see similar things in the volunteers. Getting to know their clients and each week getting more comfortable with certain things. Then on the other side they are trying new things with the stuff they aren't comfortable with.

I had a brand new volunteer leading in class last night. It was a slow and hot night and thought it would be a good night to practice. And she did great! And the end she almost let her horse out with her halter still on, thankfully I was right there and we caught her time. But I just had to laugh. I remember when I first started and let a horse out with the halter on, but then it was dark out. And we (the instructor, my mom and I) went marching out with flashlights into the HUGE pasture and retrieved the halter. I didn't do it ever again!

I get so excited for new volunteers, getting to feel that exhilaration that the first few sessions / year / years can bring. But then, what am I saying? It still feels that way after 9 years. I love going to class. I get excited about getting to see everyone each week. I like getting to work with the clients and volunteers. I LOVE seeing volunteers getting excited about what they are doing.

We Can Ride is good therapy for ME. I can't believe the session is almost over. I guess it's true what the saying says, "Time flies when you're having fun". I am having loads of fun.

Rake It In for the new Therapy Department!

2007-06-21T08:41:00.000-05:00

Introducing the new therapy department. A way to expand services and knowledge through the help of our very special therapists! First up- a little bit of fundraising. We've got these awesome rakes for sale for just $5. They are really cool in that they are shaped more like a hockey stick than your traditional rake. What an awesome way to get some yardwork done by playing some leaf hockey... and even better benefiting WCR. Contact the office if you are interested. 952.934.0057

Keep your eyes on the WCR website for all the exciting events!

2007-06-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

Busy Busy!
We just completed our annual tack sale (below are some photos of all the awesome stuff there was!) and in May we had a special event hosted by the Onion called Brewing for a cause.
Watch out because coming up is the annual golf tournament, ride-a-thon, and a trail ride fundraiser. See our News and Calendar pages for details on these events.

Familiar Faces

2007-06-19T08:11:00.000-05:00

Began my second session today, my first as a solo instructor. It was really exciting, and kind of a bit of everything coming full circle.

My class consists of several clients that have moved from the Independence site, which I was a Teaching Assistant at for a long time, so many of the faces were very familiar. All the time I spent there, at the shrine barn, learning about these clients and about the program. It was these clients that had taught me about different things, hooked me into the teaching part of the program.

So to start class and see their progress and successes is really cool. Now I can watch them grow on these different horses at a new site with new classmates. There's more to learn, me included. I guess that's another thing about WCR, often there are attachments that are made to a client, horse, volunteer, instructor, and because of the strength and longevity of the program we can follow each other as we grow and change.

And it's not just in the riding ring, over the last two years I've been to graduation parties for two of our clients. But we are all living lives, and having this common place to meet once a week for months out of the year. Through orchestra and band concerts, proms, starting school, birthdays, etc.

Every week when we ask what's new, talking about those things in our lives, and to look back at how long you've been in the program together, and all the things that have happened and changed. And that we were doing this, together, all the way along. I bet I don't even know that much compared to the beloved Bev & Dick. They know better than anyone what it means to watch someone change through the years and WCR. I'm only beginning to see what that means.

Well, for fear of rambling, I'll be done. Sometimes this program just moves me, and I realize how lucky I am to be receiving this kind of "therapy" in return for my service. It's definitely better than getting paid.

NARHA Certification

2007-06-05T12:37:00.000-05:00

Well, over the last four days I put about 650 miles and 9 hours on my car. I traveled to Oregon, WI (just outside Madison) to a therapeutic riding center called Three Gaits for a NARHA two day workshop and certification weekend. But it was all worth it for two pieces of paper that make it official- I am now a Registered Instructor.

Thursday and Friday were workshop days. It was during this time while learning and talking with two NARHA Master Instructors and about twelve other people hoping to get certified, I realized what a well rounded program We Can Ride is. Everything we talked about, every example they used, every scenario, I had heard or seen it before through WCR. I could think of a client, horse, volunteer, or an instructor that had taught me something, had educated me a certain way that allowed me to be this well educated instructor in training. It is a real testament to our program, and the people in it.

The we had to demonstrate our riding skills Friday night. I was on a cute paint horse named Snowcap, who was very steady and un-bothered by the thunderstorm, but that in turn made him a little pokey. It took some effort to get him going... but we managed to finish the pattern with all components. Then it was lesson time on Saturday. I had to teach a 20 minute lesson to two clients... with everyone watching! But it was really great, the clients were very smart and engaged while we learned about horse parts!

Equine therapy people are awesome people. Across the board with everyone that I met there, whether working on certification or volunteering, everybody was so helpful and supportive. Everyone wanted everyone else to pass. Sharing stories of experiences and horse stories, talking about lesson plans and class actives.

It was an experience unlike anything else. I am so thankful for the support of WCR and all the clients, volunteers, parents, staff and IOS who helped me on this journey. Who taught me something new, who were patient and encouraging and offered constructive advice. I will be continuing to learn and develop as an instructor with WCR's help, and I look forward to being able to help them grow in return.

So, I am happy to join Debbie and Signe as 2007's NARHA Registered (Certified) Instructors.

Here's my certificate!

Congrats to our newest Certified Instructor!

2007-06-03T19:07:00.001-05:00

I just got word that Jenni has just passed her NARHA Certified Instructor test! Congratulations are in order. Maybe we can get Jenni to make a blog post about her experiences!

Our Designer Wins a Webby!

2007-05-12T18:01:00.000-05:00

From the FindLaw Lawyer Marketing Blog:

The Webby Awards, hailed as the "Oscars ^TM of the Internet" and the leading international award honoring excellence across multiple mediums on the Internet, has recognized designer Ashley Marsh, for outstanding achievement in website design with an Official Honoree Award - a distinction that recognizes work exhibiting remarkable achievement.

The 11th Annual Webby Awards received a record amount of entries from over 60 countries and all 50 states. Out of more than 8,000 entries submitted in 70 categories, fewer than 15% received this honor and were deemed Official Honorees. The judging criteria for the 2007 Webby Awards includes visual design, navigation structure, content, functionality, interactivity, and overall experience. Ashley was honored in the specific category of "LAW," as a designer for FindLaw.

Earlier this year, Ashley donated her free time and award winning talent to design the new We Can Ride website. Thanks again, Ashley!

Autistic License

2007-05-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

A honest and courageous play now being performed at the Illusion Theater in downtown Minneapolis. This last weekend Patti (instructor), Scott (board member), Loren (volunteer) and I (Instructor in Training) went to see this play. I can't tell you all the ways it affected me... but I can tell you that you should see it.

It was, among many other things, a quick reminder to me how much we don't see. As volunteers and instructors and therapists we see an hour, sometimes only a half an hour, of the amazing lives our clients and their parents live. And it was amazing to see the workings of a REAL family's story of what their life is like at home. Visions of what the other 23 hours of the day, and the other 6 days of the week, all year long, look, sound and f e e l like.

I highly recommend it- it had all of us thinking about our roles in a new way. It's an amazing thing Stacey Dinner-Leven has given us with this play. Please PLEASE go see it and support it. And if that's not enough, Stacey sent an e-mail to We Can Ride specifically because she and her husband, Michael Paul Leven, used to bring their son to ride with us. Below is some more information, or you can go to the Illusion Theater's website at : http://www.illusiontheater.org/

Post by Jenni McCoy (Instructor in Training)

AUTISTIC LICENSE by Stacey Dinner-Levin
directed by Peter Moore: featuring Damon Brook, Camille D'Ambrose, Allen Hamilton, Ari Hoptman, Amy McDonald, Lynnea M. Doublette, Sally-Ann Wright and Michael Paul Levin
May 4 - 20, 2007

Reviews
"As a parent of an autistic child, this play hit the nail on the head. You laugh and cry. Anyone wondering what it is like to raise an autistic child should see this play. Outstanding." ~John, Audience Member

"This play is based upon our experience of raising a child with autism - the things that happened in our family - that were tragic, surreal and funny. This is the kind of stuff you can't make up! To me, theater was the perfect vehicle to tell this story and to give voice to all families living with disability." ~Stacey Dinner-Levin, playwright

Classes have begun at Chaska!

2007-04-24T09:47:00.000-05:00

We have been rewarded for our late-start of classes with beautiful spring-almost-summer evenings out there. Balmy temperatures make us happy, slight breezes keep the spring bugs away, and light surrounds us until the middle of the second class. The riding ring has been assembled, dis-assembled, and assembled again only bigger – and has been lined with woodchips. While the footing is a bit tricky for now, it is getting packed down becoming quite acceptable.

After an eventful winter for the horses, they have settled into their new home and new routines. They seem content to be in class again, and I've enjoyed watching the clients groom them, walk them, and whisper to them.

While the site is still not quite consumer friendly – we only have four chairs for now and lights for half of the arena! – it is really working out just fine and we are grateful to Jim and Betty for supporting us (often coming out to watch), Rachel for her continued support and interest, and the volunteers who are really pitching in and working hard. All in all, we have had a fine start to our program's new life at Chevalle!

This post is by Patti!

Spring is here!

2007-04-09T13:42:00.000-05:00

Well here we are! End of the "off"-season. Although, it can't be said that we were 'off' or even slow. So many things happened this winter in preparation for making this the best year yet.

All season long there were lots of great classes given by some of our staff, and the classes were well attended! Stephanie taught classes like Horses 101, Tack and Tack Fitting, and Why Pick That Horse? in the Mtka barn. Anne had a Developmental Sequence class and Judi held a Disabilities 101 class. There were also lessons like Leading a Therapy Horse and Sidewalking in Therapy Classes taught by Holland.

There was more than just classes going on this winter. For example Patti Franz lead a group of eight into developing the pilot Mentor Program. A program that will be launched at Minnetonka this session to aid in welcoming new volunteers to their first two nights of class. Another new adventure is the development at our new site in Chaska called Chevalle. Muffy and crew have been working very hard at getting everything ready for spring. And out in Delano they had a session of Hippotherapy on Fridays.

Every site was busy with winter conditioning - keeping the horses loose and moving in the cold months. Everyone was out in the cold (except maybe in Delano with their heated barn!) all bundled up and doing good work with the horses.

Now, with classes starting next week, there are sounds of paperwork being organized, classes being scheduled, clients anxious to get back, and I'm sure plenty of volunteers who feel the same. It's busy and exciting and we're ready!

Chef's Dinner kicking off our 25th year with a bang!

2007-04-09T13:37:00.000-05:00

What an exciting event to celebrate the big year ahead! With the help of about 38 chefs from all across the metro We Can Ride started off our first fundraiser right. With more sponsorships than before and a sell out crowd we take a good step forward into 2007. There were lots of familiar faces and some new ones: the University of Minnesota and Chevalle were there with tables and pictures of their new developments in the making that will include We Can Ride. Even Goldy the Gopher stopped by to mingle, bid on some items, and play a game before dinner!

One of my favorite things are the ice sculptures and this years were bigger and better than ever - including a 6' horse in the dining room - who knew it was strong enough to be sat upon?! And who better to find out than with Tom Bezek who took over as Executive Director at the beginning of this year. But before climbing the icy pony he talked about his Wild Hopes for WCR in 2007 including reaching the large funding goals and increasing the number of NARHA certified instructors.

Something else new this year was the Legacy Partner program. The dinner guests heard from a few people who've already stepped up to be Legacy Partners as they explained what it is about WCR that inspired them to be financial supporters through the Legacy Partner program.

I could go on and on- I didn't even get to the hair dye, silent auction, live auction, centerpieces, or chocolate fountain! Yes - there was a chocolate fountain.

Special thanks to all the chefs who donated their time and talents. Thanks to the residents of the HCHS for the flowers. And thanks also to all the volunteers who came to work behind the scenes and help everything run as smoothly as it did.

Excuse our mess!

2007-04-09T13:23:00.001-05:00

We're working through the usual issues associated with setting up a new blog, in addition to a new website design! So if things look a bit weird from time to time, don't worry, we'll get it fixed up in a hurry!

Welcome to our blog!

2007-03-06T15:28:00.000-06:00

We Can Ride is an organization full of wonderful things. All the efforts of the staff, volunteers, board members and clients come together to create this rewarding environment. And while it's easy to see the great results when someone does something new for the first time or accomplishes a goal they've been working on - it's the work of many that makes those things succeed.

There is so much that happens around WCR and we want to have a place to share the workings and events and successes of this program.

CONGRATS SIGNE! She just passed her NARHA On-Site Certification and will now be teaching classes as a certified instructor on Wednesdays in Minnetonka. Passed with 'flying colors' so I heard.