Dream Part I: Starting the therapeutic riding course, 8-week intensive

by Paula Boisseau
(Connecticut)

Well, something I have dreamed about much of my life is possibly about to happen within the next week.

I like many Americans have found myself jobless and fearing that I could loose my home. I am not a big gambler, but at 54.999 years of life, I have to believe in myself and take this gamble. If I don't believe in myself, who will believe in me?

I am a Virgo -a "double Virgo" at that. Not that I believe much in the horoscope signs, but if you read the traits, I am a perfect fit for working with animals and being outside. I love it. So here I am out of work, not yet approved for unemployment and filling out the paperwork to enroll in this 8-week intensive class to become certified as a therapeutic instructor. The course is held at the High Hopes farm in East Lyme, CT. (www.highhopestr.org)

I am excited but just as nervous. Part of the requirement is to have taught regular riding lessons and also volunteered at a like farm, giving lessons to the physically and mentally challenged. I have given some friends riding lessons, but that is about it. I have never owned a horse either. I have always volunteered at friends, neighbors and even strangers homes and farms just so I could get in riding time and experience working with the horses.

I actually missed the enrollment period, but I called and talked with the director and she said it sounds like a fit. The course is roughly $2,000 and I am dipping into the meager savings that I have to pay for it. I will be driving about 45 minutes each way to the barn for a 9 to 5 class for the next 8-weeks.

I am not even sure I have insurance coverage, as the unemployment office is so backed up, they won't be calling me until August 28th, on my birthday, to tell me if I qualify or not for unemployment and the Cobra insurance plan. Rumor has it, that if you qualify for another insurance plan, you are required to take that. I happen to qualify for the bank retirement insurance plan because of my age and years of service, but I am not technically retired and do not collect a pension. This wonderful retirement insurance will cost between $757 to $822, whereas the Cobra insurance would be $425. So basically, IF I qualify for unemployment, 1/2 or more goes to my mortgage and the rest would go for the retirement insurance plan. And the Government wonders why people go homeless? Maybe we do need some rocket scientists in the white house. These guys are not figuring it out.

Anyway, I want to try to document the trials and tribulations of the course as I proceed. I hope that I have time with the travel and other life commitments to keep up with the journal, I think it will be great to look back at this one day.

Out of the requirements, I had to have CPR for Adults and Children as well as basic first aid for both. There was not time to go to a Red Cross class prior to the clinic starting, so I did an online class. They gave me a card and I do feel capable, but only because I was previously certified in both years ago.

I am off to study the common and uncommon horse diseases, the anatomy of the horse and then to give another basic lesson in English dressage. Wish me luck as I proceed in this endeavor.

May I also say, many, many thanks to a rather new, but very dear friend Becky G. If it were not for her, I would have no horse to ride or to give these lessons on. She has two beautiful horses and lives 4-tenths of a mile from my house. We met one day when I was walking and her husband was at the mailbox. I stopped and asked him if his wife needed any help at the barn like exercising horses, cleaning, etc. He said, "Yes, but don't bother her now, she is riding and takes it very serious."

Becky and I met later and we worked out a deal that I would exercise her 27 year old, 17.2 hands, Hanoverian-Thoroughbred horse and help clean stalls in exchange. One and one-half years have since past and I am still there, helping out in so many more ways. I have even been given the chance to ride her 16 year old Hanoverian, 17 hands show horse. He is a warm-blood flown she purchased about seven years ago and had flown in from the Netherlands. This horse and Becky ride at Prix St. George level. What an animal! What an opportunity I was given. If it were not for her, I would not be able to do the therapeutic riding certification class.

My goal or end result is to start a Non-Profit farm for therapeutic riding and therapeutic art. It would ideally be located in a beautiful green rolling meadow town, perhaps in Vermont, New Hampshire or upstate NY. I would have lots of acres and the basic barn, arena and pastures would already be established. We would be able to take in rescue horses or older horses that are gentle, to use as our mounts for the kids and individuals that come to the farm.

One barn would be dedicated to giving art lessons and free-design/imagination classes to children. Of course we would pull in lost of money from those individuals that have more than they know what to do with (LOL). Perhaps a gentle, horse-loving, artistic benefactor will read this blog and contact me to have me take over his exquisite farm so that we can begin this dream.

Today is day "minus 3 and counting to day one!"

p.s. Please forgive my grammar and possible run-on sentences. One day I will be a perfect journalist!