New Trails
Learning Systems
For about a year I’ve been looking forward to this week. So happy I could step on the aircraft that took me in about 20 minutes to my destination; Curacao here I come! I even became a co-pilot in these 20 minutes, how cool is that!
I got up early, cleaned the stalls, fed the horses. I pet the dog, kissed my husband and flew across the US. I arrived at midnight and hopped a cab to a funky rented bedroom hosted by a kind stranger. The next morning, I put on warm clothes and hiked a mile or so through an unfamiliar city. I descended three floors down into a basement of a high-rise. In my backpack was my presentation – my 25 minutes of the best I had to offer.
It is all related…
Just recently I spent some time at New Trails in Texas, the cradle of Movement Method and Horse Boy. People often ask me, “How do you do it all?”
Working with Horse Boy and Movement Method makes you an expert in helping others- but I noticed, I am still a wife and mother, and often it is challenging to support and understand the ones closest to you.
Giovanni has autism and is considered for lack of better terms ‘low functioning’. You might have read some of his earlier success stories in the blog, and his journey continues. By following his interests and opening up to the way he learns- by moving, talking to himself, etc. Giovanni unlocked a potential that even his paraprofessional, who knows him for a couple years now, did not expect.
“Do you know what my favorite thing about horses is?”
The boy paused and listened. I went on-
“My favorite thing about horses is that they always forgive me – no matter what.”
This week has been hard for our families. This is strange - the weather is perfect. The hills are green - all should be splendid.
But it’s not.
Kids who find their truest kindness in the animals have inched toward cruelty, parents are stumped. Open hearted kids have been rude, and meltdowns occur more regularly.
he was so proud to ride on his own
