Plans are in full swing for our Taste of Love 7, a cooking and wine extravaganza,  which will benefit Special Equestrians' Therapeutic Riding program. 

Joining us for the  evening will be top notch chefs from eight local restaurants. The chefs will be preparing their spectacular culinary creations, which will be paired with carefully hand-selected wines by Frank Pulice of Austin's Wine Cellar. 
 
There will be a silent auction throughout the evening and a live auction with Gina Birch and Jay Severson as our auctioneer.   The "World Famous" Cigar Bar will present a cigar rolling demonstration and they will offer complementary cigars to our patrons.

Taste of Love 7 is our signature event  and it will be held on February 21 at The Design Studio by Raymond, which is located at 13830 Jetport Commerce Parkway in Fort Myers.  Valet service for the evening will be provided by Frey Valet.  Tickets for the event are $100 each and they can be purchased in advance.  To purchase a ticket, contact Mindy La Croix 239-292-7031, Jan Fifer 239-851-7070 or the Special Equestrians office at 239-226-1221.  

For more information, go to this link  - Taste of Love 7

As Summer aged it got harder and  harder  for her to go out on the long rides we liked to do.  I knew I was going to have to get another horse for this.  We lived on a small property so I could not keep 3 horses there.  It was one the the hardest things I have had to do, to find a place for Summer where she would be happy.

We traveled all over Florida visiting possible places for her.  Then a friend mentioned Special Equestrians.  You were the BEST place we could have ever taken her. I know she is happy and safe with you.  I was blessed that you were close to me so I could come up once a week to see Summer and help out with the classes.  The transformation I saw in the kids while I was there was amazing.

I know that one day you will retire Summer and she will come home with me to live in Georgia.  We have plenty of room here and she will spend the rest of her days leisurely.  She deserves it.  Thank you all for everything you do.       

**Note from Dee Hollander, SE Head Riding Instructor
Summer is an all around horse, meaning that we put small riders on her that need the most care. She can also be ridden by the independent riders, trotting the poles and cones, doing rail work and all those riders in between that ride on line. She has a big heart and loves petting and treats. She is an older horse but still has a lot of "get up and go." These horses are extremely hard to find and we treasure those that are donated to us by great people who understand our needs and also love them enough to take them back when they are ready to retire.

The Ride-A-Thon is scheduled for March 6, 2010.  As many of you know, it is a fundraiser which Special Equestrians organizes each year, at the Babcock Ranch, to support our program.   Trail riders bring their horses to the Babcock Ranch to ride over 12 total miles of marked trails.  
 
The riders ask people and businesses to sponsor them with pledges for the ride which includes  a continental breakfast and a lunch from Rib City.  There are prizes for the most pledges brought in by an adult and a child.  A silent auction with great prizes and a 50/50 raffle are announced during lunch. 

Our Special Equestrian riders have their classes at the event that day.   They participate in the ride-a-thon and showcase their riding skills in a special arena at the Babcock Ranch.  Many of our non-riding volunteers participate with getting pledges, even though they do not actually ride the trails.  Everyone has a great time whether they are riding, volunteering or watching the SE riders show their stuff.

If you do not yet have a pledge sheet, you can download them from the link below which is on our website.  You can also find the pledge sheets in tack shops, feed stores and nearby restaurants.  You have between now and the Ride-A-Thon to get your pledges and we ask that you call into the office (239-226-1221) to make a reservation for our lunch count. 
 
We hope to see you at this great event which is not only a way to help us keep the program going, but it is an opportunity to behold the beauty of the Babcock Ranch and ride these trails that are not open to the public. 

To download a Ride-A-Thon Pledge Sheet and Babcock Release Form, click here - Ride-A-Thon

Since the weather cooled off, we have had many of our classes on our new Sensory Trail.  The Monday evenings this past summer, when our horse leaders worked with the horses at the Sensory Trail, really paid off.  The horses look like pros out there with all of the new activity areas.  The riders love the new sights, sounds and tactile experiences they are enjoying on the Sensory Trail. 

As you may know, the Sensory Trail was a partnership project between FGCU, Special Equestrians and the Volunteer Center of the United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades.  It was built in April of 2009.  Thank you again to everyone who helped make the dream a reality.  It is not only a great expereince for our riders, but it gives our horses a different place to work, keeping them happier and mentally healthier.  We are so fortunate to have the best of both worlds at SE, with our state-of-the-art Covered Arena and this new Sensory Trail area.

A photoshow of the SE riders having classes on the Sensory Trail, is in the works.   This photo shows Black, volunteer Kelly Headle, and rider, Devin Cannon at the activity area called "Object Permanence."