The Windrush Whisper

A Poem: "I Promise"

Contributed by Matti Burns: From the perspective of a Windrush Participant

When I ride, I imagine that there are no side walkers;I imagine that I am galloping bareback across a green, wide spread field.

Across a field of dreams on my best friend;
I feel so free, I feel welcome for once.

When I'm on his back I feel so high up;
I really like that feeling. A lot.

When I'm having fun, I can tell he's having fun too;
But then I come back to reality.

"With these lessons, We'll be there some day," I tell myself, "I promise."

When we go back up to the barn to untack, I feel sad I will have to leave soon.

I come out of the tack room with a peppermint in my hand;
My horse eagerly lops it up with his big, goofy lips.

I tell him I love him and that I'll see him next week."I promise."

Amesbury School in Action

Contributed by: Cathy Mamakos, Special Educator at Amesbury Middle School. 

"I believe the horseback riding program gives kids who normally would not have the opportunity to move with grace and access areas they wouldn’t be able to (by riding on the trails and going into the forest and the fields).  It gives them independence, and an opportunity to work their muscles in a different way.  It also gives the kids a great way to socialize and to make connections with other kids, adults and the horse."

Tucker in a television studio!!!!

Yesterday, Tucker ventured to the broadcast studios at National Boston in Brookline for his 'shoot'. Along with the famous pony were Mandy Hogan, (WFTE Executive Director), Dr. Paul Spiers, (WFTE Board Chairman) and students from the Northshore Education Consortium. (WFTE participants).

All are featured in an upcoming episode of "What's the Alternative" on the Veria Network.

From the Dec. 11 posting...

On Friday November 30, a film crew was at the farm to film the first half of a segment that will be on a brand new television network. The network is a national television talk program about natural health, complementary and integrative medicine, and wellness called Veria. The show is called “What's the Alternative?” 

The show is about equine-facilitated mental health/equine-facilitated therapy. The class featured in the segment was from the Northshore Education Consortium. Filming will also take place in the television studio in January and the final piece will air sometime next spring.

Stayed tuned for the exact broadcast date...

Rider Profile: Determined Dexter

Contributed by Dexter's Mom, Suzanne Phillips

It’s 9 a.m. on a cold Saturday morning, and I am sitting in the observation room at the Windrush arena.  It’s warm in here, and I’ll be warmer still when the water heats up and I can refresh the tea in my travel mug. Dexter, my 14-year-old son, is across the road, up in the barns, hauling shavings and changing water.  I sent him up there well bundled, but when he returns, the coat and gloves will be off, and his face will be rosy.  He will be “filled up” with the good feelings of being part of a team, of doing meaningful work, of expressing his love for the horses (and for Coriander, the barn cat), and of being dead tired for a good cause.  This has been our Saturday routine for the past three months, and it is the most recent way Windrush has enriched our lives. 

Dexter started riding at Windrush in March 2005.  He was in the fifth grade, at the Winthrop School in Ipswichand he was struggling with the fact that people can be difficult to understand.Sometimes they think one thing, but say another. People might pretend to be happy when they are angry, or afraid. Attending school day after day was taxing for Dexter because of the complex social fabric. By contrast, time spent with animals was restorative.  When with pets at home or with cats at the animal shelter, Dexter experienced a connection that settled his soul. Several people, seeing this connection and knowing that Dexter’s social world would become more complex in middle school, suggested that he get involved at Windrush Farm. 

Jonnie's Story

We accept horses in all shapes, sizes, colors, and from all disciplines at Windrush Farm, and each one fits into our herd in his or her own special way. Regardless of appearance or previous lifestyle, all 25 of our horses have some very important things in common: they are devoted, loving, and all aim to please every day. This is why it is easy to consider each and every one of them part of our very own Windrush family.

Many of our horses have left and will continue to leave an everlasting hoof print on our family, but Jonnie has really made his mark in our hearts. This now 22-year-old grey thoroughbred was imported from England and sold to Windrush board member Tim Murray’s wife, Jane. Jane and Jonnie successfully competed in the eventing world up to the challenging intermediate level.

After the rigors of high-level eventing, Jonnie spent some time relaxing on the trails with Kirsten Geisel, daughter of a Windrush employee. Soon he was ready to compete once again at his full potential. This time it was with his new owner, our Associate Director, Josselyn Shaughnessy. Josselyn and Jonnie competed together at Radnor, one of the world’s most elite equestrian events, which had been a long-time personal goal of Josselyn’s.