HEARTBEATS

November 2014

Wow! Who can believe it is almost Thanksgiving! Just a reminder that all lessons are off the week of Thanksgiving (11/24-11/29) and will resume the following Monday (12/1)!

We have had some frigid weather lately and want to let everyone know that we APPRECIATE your support and dedication to our horses and riders!

Keep reading below for some updates and important events!

Riding My Way Back

Another opportunity to view the film

Thank you to the over 100 folks who braved the cold last week to see our screening of the short documentary Riding My Way Back which chronicles one soldier's journey back from the brink of suicide. Through caring for a horse, the soldier begins the difficult process of reconnecting to the world around him and healing the terrible, invisible wounds of war that had nearly defeated him. This is not only one soldier's story, but the story of thousands and thousands of our service men and women. The film recently premiered at the GI Film Festival in Washington, DC, where it received the Founders' Choice Award.

If you missed the screening, there is another opportunity to see the film at The Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder on Thursday, November 20th at noon - part of a 2-week recognition of Veterans Day to engage veterans and the public in a wide variety of presentations, performances, discussions, art, movies, and more. Tamara will be part of a panel discussion and booth representing Hearts & Horses. For more information click HERE.

The Foundation for Global Sports Development Grant Received!

We would like to send a huge shout out to The Foundation of Global Sports Development for

supporting both our Changing Leads and Veterans program. This is the second year that we have received a grant for our Changing Leads program and we are so thankful for their amazing support of our programs! It is through such support that we are able to continue to grow and help so many people! You can follow the Foundation's blog HERE!

Thanksgiving and Winter Break is coming up fast!

While we will not run classes over the holidays, our amazing equine therapists still need their TLC every day. We are looking for volunteers for turn-out and turn-in as well as stall, run and paddock cleaning.

While we are on breaks, we will need help with turn-out and turn-in on Wednesdays (which is our "No Turn-Out Day" while in session). In addition, we would like to find some awesome volunteers who are interested in helping out around the holidays.

Thanksgiving week: Classes from Monday, November 24 through Saturday November 29 will be on break.

Barn team will run as normal for the week, but we will be looking for help around the Thanksgiving holiday, from Thursday, November 27 through Saturday, November 29. On these days, Wayne is looking for help cleaning starting at 8:00 am. Turn-out and turn-in will run as normal (9:30am and 3:30pm).

Contact wayne@heartsandhorses.org if you can help 11/27-11/29/14

Sunday, November 30 Rachel will need help starting with turn-out at 9:30, stall cleaning to follow, and turn-in at the regular time of 3:30pm.

Contact rachel@heartsandhorses.org if you can help on 11/30/14

Winter Break: Check back with us after Thanksgiving for information about Barn Team needs over December and January.

If you are interested in helping for any of these holiday times, please contact Wayne or Rachel at their email addresses above.

**Note - NEW TURN-IN TIME starting December 1, 2014 - 3:00pm.

*Attention*

Committed Cold Weather Volunteers

"Blizzard Buster Barn Buddies"

While we appreciate our volunteers all the time, we

REALLY appreciate them when classes are

cancelled, the wind is blowing and it's cold enough to freeze almost anything.

In appreciation of your dedication we have decided to hold a drawing at the end of December for a wonderful basket full of French's products, a Wusthof Knife set and t-shirts!

For each hour that you volunteer with Barn Team during these inclement weather days when class is cancelled, you can grab a ticket from Rachel, Katie or Amy in the Office. If you have any questions please e-mail Katie HERE.

We will hold the drawing at the beginning of January!

Hearts & Horses Cancellation Policy and Notification System

With all this winter weather blowing in, we want to remind everyone of the Hearts & Horses Cancellation Policy as it pertains to weather as well as how we will be notifying you of cancellations!

Cancellation Policy: Hearts & Horses will hold classes inside to allow riding during adverse weather conditions. Refunds or credits are not issued for classes that are cancelled for circumstances beyond Hearts & Horses control. Classes may be cancelled due to the following:

Larimer County is on accident alert status or weather conditions have the potential to deteriorate significantly by the end of class time.
Extreme winds or cold below 20 degrees.

Additionally, Hearts & Horses may cancel class if there are any safety concerns that could negatively impact our riders, horses or volunteers. Safety is a top priority!

Hearts & Horses will call all riders and volunteers when a cancellation is made. Notifications will also be posted on our website HERE as well as our Facebook page.

Welcome to Rachel Valdez our New Barn Manager

Rachel and "Pinky"

Hello, my name is Rachel! I am a senior studying Equine Sciences at Colorado State University with a minor in Business. I started working with Front Range Exceptional Equestrians when I was twelve. I volunteered with them for the next nine years after that where I volunteered as their Volunteer Development Coordinator and Herd Manager.

I got my own pony three years ago this December from Front Range Exceptional Equestrians. We enjoy lots of early morning trail rides along the foothills as well as some occasional jumping. Aside from horses and work I enjoy participating in a traditional Mexican folkloric dance group as well as performing aerial arts. I am extremely excited to be joining the Hearts and Horses equine team with Liz De Kock as Equine Manager and Wayne Warren as Resident Equine Caretaker.

Rachel can be reached via email at: rachel@heartsandhorses.org

Children's Hospital Colorado Autism Study

Now recruiting Participants and Volunteers!

Hearts & Horses is so excited to partner with Children's Hospital Colorado for a new study focusing on the effects of Therapeutic Riding on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study will take place at Hearts & Horses and run for 10 weeks starting Feb 28th through May 16th.

Please help spread the word if you know of a child that could be a part of the study. The intervention sessions will be provided at no cost and reimbursement will be provided for trips to the riding center and to Children's Hospital. Click HERE to see the flyer.

Currently we are looking for Horse Leaders and Side Walkers to help out in lessons. Both must be able to keep up at the walk and trot. If you are interested in participating but have never been to the ranch we will provide training to help you feel comfortable and confident with this study as well as your roles as either a Horse Leader or Side Walker.

Additionally we are looking for several volunteers to help with the "barn group" which is the control group and the 'barn activities' will be taking place in the ranch house so will require less physical activity.

We are looking for individuals to be consistent and reliable each week for the 11 weeks of the study! Please let us know if you are interested! You can e-mail Alex Whittey HERE!

In This Issue

Riding My Way Back

Grant Received

Barn Team Holiday Help

2015 Calendars for Sale

2015 Lesson Schedule

Guess Our Weight

Cold Weather Preparedness

Quick Links

2015 H&H Calendars

for Sale

2015 Hearts & Horses Calendars are HERE! Calendars can be purchased at Hearts & Horses for $12 each or 10 calendars for $100. Many thanks to Roger and Anne Bates for underwriting the cost of these calendars so that 100% of the proceeds go to support the riders who we serve!

We are happy to mail them out as long as we can cover the shipping charges. For more information, please e-mail Amy HERE.

2015 Calendar and Enrollments

This year has flown by! As we get ready for 2015 there are a couple things to remember. We need

NEW 2015 paperwork for ALL riders, both new and returning. Paperwork will be available the first week of December and can be picked up from the office or we can e-mail it to you, just e-mail Amy HERE!

Attached is the 2015 Calendar as it stands currently for our sessions and session breaks.

Session 1 starts January 17th. We will need all paperwork to us by Monday, January 5 if you wish to ride in Session 1!

2015 Session Calendar

Guess our Horses Weights

Meet Blanca

and

Meet Willie

Guess some of our newest horse's weights! Guess sheets will be located in the classroom right next to where the volunteer nametags are!

Guess both of their weights and you could win a 2015 Hearts & Horses Calendar! Guessing will go through December 14^th!

Cold Weather Preparedness

As the weather dips down below freezing and into the single digits please remember to dress accordingly and plan ahead! Whether you are riding, a volunteer or spectating, proper dress can be the make or break of a good time.

Layering many different pieces is generally the best bet as once you get warmed up you can take one off, or put one on if you're standing still or moving between barns.

*Please remember we also have coats, scarves, gloves and boots available to borrow at the ranch in the closets down in the Kroh Barn by the bathroom! Just remember to put them back when you are done so that we can share them with everyone!*

"Thanks Box"

At Hearts & Horses we are so thankful for the amazing support of our volunteers, riders, staff and supporters. If you have a "Thanks" that you would like to see in the newsletter please post it
by clicking

HERE

"I would like to thank the whole staff in helping me discover what I love."

"My sincere thanks go out to Alex (my instructor) and Ann (volunteer) who have been so positive and encouraging at each session, lifting my spirits and helping me to progress, even though physically I can be challenged because of my MS. When I have those challenging days, Alex is always so willing to accommodate with new ways to do things on Boomer. I am so very grateful to both of them for making a difference in my life!"

"To the Hearts and Horses staff. Thanks for all the warm wonderful welcomes we get when we are out there. It is such a pleasure to go out there to see all your smiles and warm welcome."

"I would like to thank Dan, Tex, Miss Holly, Sol�, Glory, Glider, Gavin, Rebel, Charlie, Allie, Mariah, and Mac for being awesome horses, (and mules), also any other horses that I enjoyed riding!"

Colorado Gives Day: December 9th

Schedule Your Donation In Advance HERE

While donations and support are needed and welcomed year round, a special giving opportunity is right around the corner. Colorado Gives Day is December 9th. Last year Colorado Gives was a huge success for Hearts & Horses through the amazing contributions of friends, families, volunteers and strangers alike! We have some neat things planned to raise awareness and need all the help we can get to spread the word this year about Colorado Gives Day!

Hearts & Horses is promoting "24 Hours of Happy" on Colorado Gives Day 2014. We are looking for things that make YOU Happy here at Hearts & Horses! Please share with us a moment, picture, story and favorite thing that makes you Happy! Share HERE!

Here are ways to help:

Share on any social media platform (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc...)

Share with Friends and Family

Talk about it and educate others about what we do

How: Donate online right here HERE and schedule your donation in advance.

Thanks for YOU and all you do!

Sincerely,

Your Hearts and Horses Family

Hearts & Horses is proud to be an Affiliate Agency of:

Hearts & Horses, Inc. | 163 N. CR 29 | Loveland, CO 80537 (Map)
970-663-4200 | info@heartsandhorses.org | http://www.heartsandhorses.org