Ride-Like-A-Knight at Special Olympics

by RLAK Program Director Liz Dulski

This past weekend Ride-Like-Knight headed to Raleigh for the Special Olympics Equestrian Tournament. Rider Josh Dazey and Red Ted represented RLAK in 3 events which included showmanship, western riding, and western equitation.  

This year was a bit different because five other RLAK instructors came along to help work the horse show. The instructors include Hallie Myers, Claire Pollard, Sarah Lishen, Willow Goodman, and Stacy Canty. The instructors helped work the warm-up arena, ring stewards, rider check in and cheer on Josh and Coach Brooke Ellington. Josh and Red Ted had a successful weekend of showing. He took home a bronze medal in showmanship and fourth place in western equitation. Brooke said “Special Olympics gave myself and my student the opportunity to be in competition. Understanding that winning was not the most important aspect of the games.” 

After the weekend was over we asked the other instructors what they thought about the weekend. Claire Pollard said “Special Olympics gave me the opportunity to see the competition aspect of therapeutic riding and enabled me to see where I could take riders as an instructor in the future.” Claire was lucky to get to ring steward with a judge all day on Saturday. Sarah Lishen said “Over the weekend at Special Olympics I got the opportunity to make sure all riders where present for their classes. I got to meet the coaches one on one and gained knowledge as to why certain equipment was used.”  Overall it was a great weekend and learning experience for everyone involved. We will be back next year going for gold.

Our Upcoming Weekend

Ride-Like-A-Knight is heading to Special Olympics today! Josh Dazey and Red Ted will be competing in several classes with Brooke Ellington as their coach. Liz Dulski and 5 students are travelling to help organize and staff the horse show. At home we are preparing for back to back western shows Saturday and Sunday to kick off the horse show season. The western team has some new riders, the region is growing so will some exciting competition at the barn this weekend!

Fall 2014 Begins!

So as always the beginning of the semester has been a whirlwind at the Equestrian Center! Lessons started on September 1^st (yes we have school on Labor day, but get the Wed. before Thanksgiving off) and from all accounts have been going well. The hunter seat coaches adopted the motto, “Stirrup free September” so all riders that are able have been riding without stirrups. Those that are not quite ready for that have been in 2 point for extended periods to get their legs deep and secure. Dressage has done some no stirrup work on and off the lunge finding muscles that these riders had forgotten about. Western riders have had equally demanding lessons with Carla and Lindsey.

Last weekend Matt did a teaching marathon for the IEA boot camp. Hunter seat riders volunteered to get the horses ready and on Sunday we held an IHSA style show with a beach themed draw table. Ride-Like-A-Knight started up on Sept 8. The program has a couple of new horses that are being eased into the program, Nora a Norwegian Fjord and Cooper an adorable paint pony. Riding Council has had its first general meeting with info on work study, what to wear, TH volunteering, plans for our 5k in Oct, team tryouts, the eventing club, up-coming western shows and a reminder from Peggy to do well in all things academic.

So this weekend is tryouts for IHSA, IDA and the hunter seat show team. Next weekend RLAK heads to Special Olympics in Raleigh, we have our first western shows of the year and a few students are going to Pinehurst to work the dressage shows at the Harness Track. 

Equestrian Program Reviews - Ride-Like-A-Knight Therapeutic Horsemanship Program

Brooke Ellington and Hallie Myers reported on the Ride-Like-A-Knight Therapeutic Horsemanship program from 2012 - 2013. Their report included Special Olympics, horse updates, instructor mentoring and the benefits of volunteering in the RLAK program. Click here to read the report.

Highlights of 2013

January

• Equestrian program participates in the Martin Luther King day of service
• Scrimmage or Head to Head with University of South Carolina Gamecocks for IHSA Western & Hunter Seat teams.

February

• Snow Globe dressage show at the Equestrian Center. Lindsey Agaliotis and Kristen Parker qualify for IDA Nationals.
• Hunter Seat and Western team win their Regions and qualify for Zones.

March

• Our online store opens
• Ten students attend the PATH Intl. Region 3 conference in Hilton Head, SC
• Jeremy and Jennifer Sansbury welcome Greer to their family
• Several students qualify for IHSA Zones as Individuals at Regionals hosted by St. Andrews
• IHSA Western team wins the Zone and qualifies for Nationals
• Host first Easter Egg Hunt at the Equestrian Center

April

• IHSA Hunter Seat team wins the Zone for the first time in our program’s history
• Alumni weekend brought St. Androids from 2002 to town and a trail ride at the Equestrian Center
• Lindsey Agaliotis earns 3rd at first level and Kristen Parker 7th at Introductory level at IDA Nationals Mt. Holyoke College in MA.

May

• IHSA Western team Reserve National Champions!
• IHSA Hunter Seat team 8th
• Horses ship to camp

June/July/August

• Horses at camp, projects worked on, staff vacation and travel time, getting ready for the new school year. Horses come home early August.

September

• Josh Dazey represents Ride-Like-A-Knight and Scotland County at Special Olympics in Raleigh with Red Ted and Quinn
• IHSA Team place 5th at Tournament of Champions Invitational at Randolph College

October

• First ever back-to-back IDA dressage shows at St. Andrews
• Show team travels to Carolina Starz and Greensboro horse shows

November

• Students and staff attend Path International National Conference in Orlando, FL
• Showing Under the Stars – Halloween Edition!
• Scottish Pilot Club donates helmets to Ride-Like-A-Knight

December

• Ride-Like-A-Knight joins Amazon Smile program
• Horse Illustrated publishes an article featuring advice from Carla Wennberg and photos by Pebbles Turbeville

RLAK joins Amazon Smile Program

When you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate to the St. Andrews Ride Like A Knight Therapeutic Horsemanship Program. Support our program that provides therapeutic horsemanship opportunities to almost 100 riders spanning a wide age range with a variety of disabilities for 7 nearby Carolina counties. Every time you shop will provide donations that will support horse care, equipment, supplies, training and continuing education. Shop AmazonSmile today to support the St Andrews Ride Like A Knight Therapeutic Horsemanship Program. 

Ride-Like-A-Knight Supported by The Scottish Pilot Club

Article from The Laurinburg Exchange

The Scottish Pilot Club of Laurinburg recently donated helmets to the Therapeutic Horsemanship Program at St. Andrew’s University, Ride-Like-A-Knight.
The program provides hands-on learning experience for St. Andrew’s students who wish to prepare for a career in Therapeutic Horsemanship. The center gives participants with a wide-range of disabilities in the St. Andrew’s community and surrounding areas the opportunity to participate in horseback riding activities. The Scottish Pilot Club is a volunteer service organization that focuses on helping people with brain-related disorders.

http://www.laurinburgexchange.com/news/news_local_features/2831529/Knight-riders-gifted-with-new-helmets