Category: News

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How Do You Mix Classical Dressage, Neuroscience and Fart Humor to Reach Kids on the Autism Spectrum?

It’s simple if you ask Rupert Issaacson originator of the Horse Boy phenomenon – “you just let the children take you on an adventure.”

Rupert and Rowan Isaacson

Rupert, with his rockstar hair and his Hollywood smile and upper caste British accent throughly delights with a boyish grin and self described “potty mouth.” He held rapt a group of eight certifiers (including me, the original skeptic) and an additional 20 auditors at the bizarre moonscape that is the Shalom Institute, tucked in the back of the Malibu Hills. He reminded us that we aren’t teaching anything to an autistic child, we are drawing him gently out of the shell that is autism into our world and hoping that, through the horse, he might give us a glimpse into his world as well.

The Issacson’s family story was one I’d heard time and again; a bright and adventurous couple has a child, they know something is wrong early on but when the diagnosis of autism was handed to them when their beautiful son Rowan was four years old, the resulting anger and shame and frustration almost cost them their sanity and their marriage. They did all the right things with therapies and diets and they struggled through each day with tantrums, potty training nightmares and the knowledge that their son was becoming increasingly more remote and more miserable.

I’ll not ruin the story of how Rowan connected his father back to the horses he loved and his mother a PhD Psychologist to her life’s work in teaching “Self Compassion.”  Just treat yourself and either read the book or see the film.  Even if you aren’t interested in autism studies or even in horses, the story has all the elements to delight and entertain.  If you manage to be inspired and informed, well so much the better.

Issaacson has since started the New Trails Center helping scores of children and their families find hope and peace and laughter together.

Now for the honesty part of the post.  I went to this seminar not just skeptical, but defensive.  I didn’t appreciate the fact that I’d seen too many photos and films of children that Issacson has worked with riding without helmets.  I’m an adamant helmet advocate for adults and I’m next to rabid about them for children.  If you wear a seatbelt while driving, why wouldn’t you wear a helmet when riding?  I don’t like wearing a helmet, but I do because I need to model the behaviors I need our kids and our volunteers to display.  And I was prepared to piss off a room full of new age-ish do gooders to make my point that could and does save lives.

I’m still a helmet advocate, that hasn’t changed.  And yes, I do understand that a helmet can be a sensory nightmare for an autistic child.

But where Rupert was going was so much more important than headgear.

Here’s what got me:

“Remember, you aren’t teaching ANYTHING, you aren’t teaching horsemanship, or riding.  You aren’t a therapist and you aren’t going to ‘fix’ an autistic person.  You are there to draw out communication and help a child with transitions.  The horse will carry him out of his world into the natural and social world.  That’s it.”  We spent the next 18 hours over two days going over exercises, demonstrations and discussions about how to fold in academics, physicality and compassion into our interactions with autistic children and their families.

Finally!!!! Validation from someone, with enough skin in the game – he’s the father of an autistic child and he’s married to a PhD Psychology professor – isn’t talking about cures, he isn’t  some theory-laden pedagague that reduces a child to his diagnosis.  And get this – he does it with fun and silliness and irreverence and adds to that some damn fine classical horsemanship.

I can’t wait to get home and share with my staff and key volunteers and my horses what I’ve learned and re-learned this past weekend.  I’m even more convinced that we can love and laugh our way to connect these children to their families and their communities on the backs of our beloved horses.

I could write so much more about the people I met and the things we learned together, but I’m hopping back in the car to get home to my staff and critters so that we can get to work with our new tools in the kit for turning “I wish” into “I can!”

UPDATE: Square Peg is teaming up with Rupert Isaacson and the Horse Boy Method to present a equine related demonstration at the Abilities Expo at the San Jose McEnrey Convention Center November 18th, 19th and 20th.  Admission is free – c’mon out!

 

 

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Old Friends – New Friends

The NTRA announced that this year’s education seminar at Keenland would be even bigger and better than the inaugural event last year. This year, the seminar would include the chance to tour and have a Kentucky style barbecue at Old Friends Farm.

Old Friends is unique. Old Friends gives sanctuary to famous and not so famous racehorses and then dedicates itself to educating the public about the contributions and the needs of ex race horses. And they do it really, really well.

I needed a break – I needed to re-connect with people and a place that honored and revered the Thoroughbred horse – that valued their lives and their ability. I needed to learn more about best practices for biosecurity for our barn, about new vaccines and worming strategies and feed and care. I needed encouragement and advice about fundraising. As we know, time and funds are finite and precious at a small non profit. But I had learned so much at last year’s event and I longed to tour and meet the amazing people and critters at Old Friends. So off I went on the red-eye, flew all night and stumbled into the hallowed ground of the Keenland sales pavilion, a little rumpled, but fueled by excitement, curiosity and some high octane coffee.

As with last year, I got so much more than I bargained for.

Most importantly, I made new friends.

Like Barbara Fossum, who was my personal chauffer and tour guide. Her passion for racing and her love for the horses brightened the very air around her. I hope the NTRA knows how lucky they are to have such a dedicated and knowledgeable ambassador for the sport.

Steuart Pittman and I bonded over a mutual friend and a love of thoroughbreds as athletes. Steuart renewed my faith that professionals still crave to ride a swift and nimble horse.

Bright-eyed and quick witted Penelope Miller and I recognized a fellow foxhunter from across the sparkling coffee urn. Her intelligence and wit will help bring racing into the digital age. I hope she comes to experience the thrill of west coast Red Rock hunting soon.

Last but not least is my kindred spirit – Susanna Thomas of the Secretariat Center. Susana with her stubborn boots planted firmly in the bluegrass and her smile pointed toward the barn and her sharp and curious mind floating somewhere above, always thinking, always turning a new idea around. Her generosity, her spirit her staff and her energy are now firmly connected to Square Peg all the way across this vast country.

There were more of course.  People dedicated to the aftercare of the Thoroughbred horse.  Trainers, grants makers, lawyers, owners, veterinarians and scientists.  I’m inspired and energized and proud to be part of a community that is making progress and changing perceptions.

I’ll follow this post when I have a minute with stories of the tour of Old Friends.  Because the farm and the amazing horses and people that make it home deserve their very own post.

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Learn to Play Polo! A Two Day Clinic focus on youth in polo October 22 and 23

horsemanship + teamwork + sportsmanship = POLO!

The Polo Training Foundation, the Horse Park Polo Club and the Stanford Polo Club are all committed to helping Square Peg for the fourth year running, to produce our most successful polo clinic ever.

After years of working with the United States Pony Club, the Polo Association has succeeded in convincing the Pony Clubs that the sport of polo teaches horsemanship skills and engenders teamwork and good sportsmanship.

This year’s clinic will focus on bringing youth into polo.  We will be teaching YOU and YOUR horse the game!

Square Peg Foundation has teamed up with the Horse Park Polo Club and the Polo Training Foundation to bring you an opportunity that can’t be missed!

Clinic Includes

  • Professional instruction from Wilbur O’Ferrall of the Polo Training Foundation. Read Wilbur’s bio here.

•  Introducing you and your horse to the game, the mallet and the rules.

• “Chalk Talk” discussion on rules, penalties and strategies of the game.

  • Time in the HPPC Hitting Cage to learn how to manage the mallet and get the most out of your swing.

  • The opportunity to watch the Stanford Polo Club practice.  Meet the players!
  • Mallets and balls

“Playing polo is like trying to play golf during an earthquake” Sylvester Stallone, 1990

• a sense of humor and eagerness to learn!

  • helmet and eye protection for you
  • leg protection for your horse
  • an English Style saddle

Saturday’s classes will be split into  groups of similar experience and ability

Sunday we will make teams and have matches

"Since I started to play polo, I have had my most successful year in eventing." Fiona Graham, "A Level" Pony Clubber

WHEN: October, 22 and 23, 2011

WHERE: THE HORSE PARK POLO CLUB ARENA

3674 SAND HILL RAOD, WOODSIDE CALIFORNIA

KIDS ( AGE 10 AND OLDER) AND ADULTS ARE BOTH WELCOME

REGISTER HERE:


 

“I want to congratulate Square Peg Foundation for under taking the project of putting on a Learn to Play Polo Clinic – It is through efforts such as this that the Polo Training Foundation (PTF), United States Polo Assoc. (USPA) and United States Pony Club (USPC) can work together to promote the Sport of Polo to local equestrian youth.  For the first time Polo is a recognized activity for Pony Clubs.  USPA has created a club membership for Pony Clubs to become part of the USPA Intercollegiate/Interscholastic program.  This allows young polo players from fifth grade to high school seniors to compete both regionally and nationally in the sport of Polo.  Many of the Interscholastic players continue their polo experience by attending Colleges that have Intercollegiate Polo Programs.”

Russ Sheldon, Co-Chair USPA Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Committee

USPA Governor at Large


 

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More Gifts: What I learned this summer – guest blogger, Rachel Bisaillon

Three hours. That’s it. No more. No less. In just three hours, I learned more about myself than I have this entire summer.

Last Tuesday night at polo, Joell said she  really needed our help the next day because a group of girls were coming to the barn to learn about horses and ride a little.

 

photo by Paul Van Allen

My first thought was “No biggie, people come to the barn all the time. We give a tour, teach them some horse stuff, and then they can ride a little. We have done it before, tomorrow will be no different.”

That morning on our way to the barn I asked my mom to stop at Starbucks. She answered  “No, if we stop, we will be late.” I was not content with that response, but I figured I was lucky to be going to the barn at all.

We had camp in the morning, ate lunch, and finished the rest of the chores. We were in the middle of a spur-of-the-moment jumping lesson when two vans pulled into the ranch. One of our best volunteers went to meet them, while we finished up in the ring. Once we finished cooling out our horses, we headed up the hill, where we were met by five teenage girls, scrambling to put on boots & helmets. We stopped to introduce ourselves and our horses, whom they were delighted to meet. We taught the girls how to groom, tack up, and lead their horses down to the arena. I was the “walker” for Bert, one of our largest, but best, school horses. The girl who chose  Bert was a little tentative at first, but eased up after she got a feel for his easy-going personality. We chatted about the barn and how I got involved with Square Peg, and I taught her the basic mechanics of riding. Then, it came time to trot. Coming from someone who used to ride Bert a lot, his trot is definitely the bounciest out of all our horses, which means trotting without knowing how to post is actually pretty uncomfortable. He began to trot and instantly her entire face lit up, and she started laughing and giggling, just like a little kid. It was her first time riding, but she seemed totally at ease trotting circles and watching all of her friends trot around. It’s hard to explain, but she just had this look of absolute contentment, like she wasn’t thinking about anything else, just focusing on this moment.

After untacking and grooming, we all sat around chatting and eating snacks until the counselors said that they needed to get going so they wouldn’t hit traffic. They gave us hugs and every last one of them left with a huge smile on their face.

 

Rachel and Beetle

Would you believe me if I told you that every single one of those girls has had a traumatic, unbearable, and disturbing childhood? So bad that you cannot even begin to imagine how they got managed to endure it? Yeah, me neither. Would you believe me if I said that they all have been abused and now live in a group home together? Again, me neither.  I knew about their situations before they came, and I was expecting a shy, docile, reserved group of girls. Boy was I wrong. These girls were so friendly, excited, and open, I was shocked. After the day, Joell, Farris and I were discussing how the day went, and we were all moved by the group.

It truly made me think; this morning I was so mad that my mom wouldn’t let me stop at Starbucks, and here these girls are, with such a harsh and dreadful past behind them and a tough road ahead of them, and here I am, complaining about getting a $5 frappuccino. This summer I have been so grateful that I have been able to go to the barn every single day, but that day really opened my eyes to what else I have, and how much I really have to be grateful for. A five minute trot session made this girl so unbelievable happy, and here I am, taking hours and hours of trotting for granted. After hearing and learning about these girls’ situations, I definitely feel more grateful for everything that I have; a family that I can count on and that support me, friends that I can see whenever I want, an education that will carry me through life, and opportunities that will mold me into who I turn out to be.

I don’t think these girls understand that in just a few hours, we may have impacted them, but they impacted us as well. I truly thank them for opening my eyes and helping me to learn to be a little more grateful. I am really glad that we were able to make the day possible, because that’s what Square Peg is all about, changing lives, one person at a time.

 

 

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Gifts

I am the friend who will forget your birthday. I hate Christmas shopping. I  forget my own wedding anniversary.  Thankfully, I married a man with a sense of humor and the same  off-kilter understanding of sentiment and ceremony.  So in the traditional sense of gift giving I am an almost total failure.

However, I have learned to be a gracious receiver of gifts. Running a non profit will do that even to the most reluctant gift exchanger such as myself.

And you don’t know where the gifts are coming from and you can’t know how powerful they will be.

And then you learn to share the gifts. You learn to pass them on and pay them forward.

And it’s beautiful.

Today’s gift is a poem.  It came wrapped in a ribbon with a letter about the person who wrote the poem and how that poem saved the sanity of the receiver who paid it forward to us. The poem’s author, as I understand it,didn’t survive. Her life was short and hard and unfair. The gift she left behind is a gift of humanity in a dose not easy to swallow.

I’m paying this forward to everyone who knows what it’s like to be a Square Peg, to feel like a Square Peg, to be raising or loving a Square Peg.  But mostly it’s a tribute to our instructors who know grace and who dare to know that love has nothing to do with pity.

Lesser Than
There is no higher than a lesser than.
for to become a better than,
you forget
the grace it takes
to have been a lesser than.

Anonymous 2007

Pay it forward.

 

 

 

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A favor to ask

As you know, we at Square Peg are always looking to improve the quality of life for the horses here.  We have come across a product that really engages the horses and makes for a more healthy eating style as well as to dissuade them from some dangerous and destructive habits like wood chewing and cribbing.

 

The Amazing Graze Horse Feeder keeps the horses eating small amounts of food, around the clock.  As the horses are getting older, this is a much healthier way to feed some of our more finicky horses.

The Amazing Graze Horse Feeder

 

Would you be interested in purchasing a grazer for a particular Square Peg horse?  If so, please contact us at info@squarepegfoundation.org and let us know which horse’s grazer you would like to sponsor.

 

The horses who would most benefit are:

 

 

 

Thank you in advance,

the crew at Square Peg

 

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Negative Value?

For the horses, it must have seemed  like hell week.  For as long as they could remember, they lounged in green pastures with safe fencing and quality feed brought twice a day.  They each had a paddock to themselves and they knew their neighbors. They grew fine and strong in keeping with their royal pedigrees. 

When their neighbors started disappearing, there were a few minutes of panic, but then the food appeared again and the late summer rains kept the paddocks green and nutritious.  And so they lounged and they ate in peace.

A trickle of unknown people came to visit them in their pasture.  They were unaccustomed to much human contact, just the occasional farrier visits to trim their feet – which of late had become even more rare, and the twice annual vaccinations that stung like a small bee sting and then were forgotten. The people were kind and curious and inspected the horses from different angles.  Photos were taken and then the people left.

One day, halters were put on and left on.  The horses were taken from their lush paddocks and put into airy and clean concrete stalls with straw beds.  Twice a day humans came in the stall and systematically touched them, petted them, they put their hands in places that had never been touched.  The humans were firm but fair and they never stayed long.

One day, a group of humans came in the stall, the familiar bee sting clipped their throats and then things went fuzzy.  When they awoke, there was a dull, consistent thudding ache under their bellies.  They moped and recovered their appetites.  They napped in the straw and wondered what all of the comings and goings outside their stall were.

A week later, they were coaxed out of their stalls into a wobbly trailer.  They’d either never been in a trailer, or they had forgotten the feeling.  Life was indeed strange and scary as they careened down the California freeways into a climate just a bit hotter and drier than any they had ever known.

In a matter of hours, they are charging around a sand arena together in the central valley sunshine with a shaggy dog and some chickens trailing behind.  The ranch owner and his wife are filling a tub of water for them hoping that they will be relaxed enough to go into the  “general population” irrigated field and then begin their training as saddle horses.

What the horses didn’t know, is how close they were to a trailer ride to the killer auction.  In today’s economy, these horses had negative value.  By a miracle of serendipity and a Herculean team effort, they have been given a chance at a life as saddle and performance horses.

Negative value? These horses were bred to run among the elite of west coast racing.  Both have parentage traced back to the greats of the breed; Nasrullah, Bold Ruler and Seattle Slew.  But they were abandoned by an owner either no longer interested in their lives or simply financially unable or unwilling to continue to pay for their care.  The farm owner fed them from his own pocket, the new owners of the farm had the grace to let them stay at his farm while they recovered from castration surgery.  A philanthropic angel agreed to pay for the surgery and a team of three veterinarians made the surgeries a priority. A fine horseman of the old school agreed to take them, provided that the castration and the transportation were included  He required no registration papers, just their vaccination history to show that they were protected against virus’ that could affect his healthy herd.

People new to the rescue world talk about the thrill of the rescue.  For the 350 mile round trip I made yesterday with two un-broke, freshly castrated Thoroughbred colts in the trailer, I bounced back and forth between regret that I don’t even remember what that rush may feel like and the satisfaction of knowing that I’d orchestrated a team to give two souls a chance at life.  I also had a good dose of wondering how I’d pay the bills for our in-house herd of previously homeless critters while I took a day off from the ranch especially after filling the diesel fuel tank twice in a day.

While the work might be unglamorous, it puts me in cahoots with the vet that I most I most respect in the world, racehorse owners and ranch managers who truly care about the animals and great horsemen of the best old school.  Along for the entire ride was a special teenager  who was learning what people will do for horses, not to be heroes, but simply because it’s the right thing to do.

Unbroke, un-castrated and sans papers, these are the kinds of horses that are the most difficult to place and yet, through networks and teamwork, it’s exactly what we did.

Thank you to all who participated, from the bottom of my heart.

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Growing…

Our scheduling system is now fully automated!  Check it out!

Last Tuesday afternoon, rain (in May?!?!) forced me to my desk to catch up on scheduling; scheduling we’ve done manually for six years, I might add. But this time, it was different.  I knew our custom scheduling system would go live later this week and I saw an unfamiliar light at the end of this tunnel. I looked at the bright orange post-it notes strewn about my monitor with notes like: “reschedule XXXX for 3:30 on Thursday” and “No IIII for this Tuesday, reschedule for Wednesday of next week” and thought: “Soon this will be off my plate.”

My monitor has a fun screen saver that randomly displays a word and its meaning.  ABDICATE had just flashed by, which I felt particularly prescient, and then the usual chimes rang that indicated an email had just come in. I shook my mouse to wake up the monitor. I was cc’d on a confirmation to one of my students:

“You are confirmed for Summer Camp on June 6th in the afternoon…

What?? I thought? How can this magic be? Right away, an email came in from our developer: “Are you testing the system Joell?”

“Not me. Was that you?”

“Nuh-uh” the developer wrote back.

We both did some scrambling and checking and within minutes we both knew that one of our families had gone to the SquarePeg site and logged in, registered, confirmed and paid for summer camp.

“It’s happening!” I wrote to the developer.

This developer has been a friend of Square Peg since day one.  She sat on the floor  of our San Francisco apartment organizing and taking notes eight years ago as we dreamed up this thing we now know as Square Peg.  This developer has watched and advised, laughed and cried with us every step of the way.  So it was a moment savored in every layer of it’s deliciousness.

Room to grow.  Less time for me in the office trying to return calls, texts, emails and Facebook postings about when we might be available for lessons and less waiting for our families for me to get back to them.

Technology at it’s best enables us to spend more time together, doing what we do.

So do log in to the new system, browse around, book a lesson (or four) and know that while you are doing that, we are out turning “I wish” into “I can.”

By the way, Square Peg will be CLOSED on Saturday, May 28 because:

Our dear Sigourney Jellins will be competing her horses Maggie and Theo at the Spring Horse Trials at the HorsePark at Woodside – coached by our own Rainey Sealey

– and Farris Scott and I will be competing on Hank, Kir and Beetle at the WCT Ladies Invitational Polo Tournament at the Menlo Circus Club – coached by Greg Crosta.

We would love for you to come by either competition and cheer us on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Square Peg’s “Run for the Roses” benefit, 4/28/11 A night I’ll not soon forget

It’s been four days now since our event.  I still have a stack of thank you notes to get out and, amazingly, donations keep coming in the mail.  I knew that I really needed to post something about the event to show how special, how magical it was.

But instead, I’m going to let the kids speak for themselves.

Today’s entry is the transcript of the speech by Max Freiberger.  Warning – you may need tissues:

Max and Monty at polo

My name is Max Freiberger. I am 16-years-old. I have been going to Square Pegs since before the organization even started. The Square Peg Foundation is a very meaningful organization for me and for many other people and lots of animals, too. Square Pegs Rescues the vast majority of their animals. Many of these animals would have been killed if not for Square Peg because they had no home. Square Pegs is now their home. The vast majority of the horses have been rescued from being slaughtered. Most of them have been retrained and rehabilitated in order to help give lessons to children and adults of all ages and abilities. This is a special place where everyone is accepted and appreciated for who they are.

I started off as a summer camper. I vaguely remember my first camp. I was 5 years old and so excited. I was nervous and scared when I got on the horse for the first time. Joelle was there for me, each and every step of the way to make sure I was safe, learned, and had a good time. When I became older I progressed into volunteering with the chores as well. Now, I volunteer frequently, and I even help teach the summer camps.

I hope you had a chance to spend some time with Joelle Dunlap. She is the co-founder and Director of Square Peg.  Joelle is a remarkable human being.  She is unconditionally kind and caring.  She is so intelligent and hard working beyond belief.  And she doesn’t stop until every job is done.  For an example, no matter how many times I incorrectly bridle my horse — Polo tack is tricky you know — she would calmly explain again and again, then help me fix the problem, no matter how many times she had to repeat herself.   Never has she lost her patience, temper or hope that I would eventually get it. On top of that she is a darn good polo player and an amazing equestrian.

My volunteering with the summer camp was originally Greg Crosta’s idea. Greg is my polo instructor, teacher and friend. He is a character who has always treated me with kindness and respect. He is somehow able to push me to my limits without pushing me past them. Greg recognizes my abilities better than I do.  I think he gets this from his mother, Joelle because she is the same way. They believe in me more than I often do and they help me believe in myself. When I first started volunteering to help teach in the summer camps it made me feel really good about myself because those kids that I am helping to teach are in the place I was not so many years ago.

This place has helped me overcome many struggles. I have ADHD, chronic asthma and Tourettes syndrome, just to name a few. Tourettes Syndrome is a neurological condition that makes me have ticks. For example one of my ticks is to kick out my leg. Another one is to exhale very fast. When I was younger other students would tease me and exclude me and it made me feel terrible. I often would feel down or depressed. I would ask myself why I had to have all these problems when others didn’t. Sometimes I still wonder that.

But somehow on days that I was going to Square Peg I felt better. I knew that when I went to Square Pegs, I would have a place with friends and animals that cared about me. No matter what! Even today I look forward all week long to the days I go riding at Square Pegs. No matter what is going on, I still feel great when I go to this special place.

One of the first Square Peg camps I ever went to was an introduction to polo. I could barely hold a mallet, let alone swing it while riding on a horse at a fast speed. This didn’t matter. All that mattered to Joelle was that I was safe, and I learned about the animals and how to take care of them and very importantly to have fun.

I now ride in the Square Peg polo program and we go to the Woodside horse park and play real polo. I remember the first time we went to play polo at the horse park. I almost didn’t bring my polo stuff because I wasn’t going to even play. Joelle was going to play Monty, our new horse, before any of the students played him; but she surprised me by letting me play.

Again, she believed in me more than I did.  In that first game I even scored a goal. I knew then I had the polo bug.

When I was younger and went to the early Square Peg camps I never imagined I would be able to someday play polo and hit a ball at a high speed like I can now. Not only have I learned to play polo but I also have learned to play the game safely and respectfully.

Now I am in High School, at Mid-Peninsula High, another special place where people can be themselves and feel safe and respected.  At Mid-Pen we have two community service days per year, where groups of students go out to volunteer for the day at organizations in the community.  I feel very lucky because now the Square Peg Foundation is one of those organizations.

When I first started at Mid-Pen I felt like I was just a squirrelly freshman that didn’t fit in. Then, at my suggestion, my high school visited Square Pegs on its community service day. When I was at Square Pegs that day I felt very special. People would ask me for help during the service day. And I felt proud to be able to. The next day when I went back to school I felt much more comfortable. Square Pegs has that impact on people.

If I were to say only one thing tonight I would say the Square Peg foundation definitely lives up to its motto. EVERYONE FITS.