Hoof Prints 25

th Anniversary of

Rocking Horse Ranch Therapeutic Riding Program

Spring 2016 VOL. # 2 ISSUE #1

Please Join Us for the

13th

Annual Derby Dash

Bash

The 13th Annual Derby Dash Bash will be held on Saturday May 7th, 2016 concurrent with the running of the Kentucky Derby. It will begin at 4:00 p.m. and will be held at the Rock Springs Center, 4025 Hwy 43 North, Greenville, NC 27834. Those attending the Derby Dash Bash will enjoy appetizers, drinks, dinner, dessert, live music, Derby race raffle, ladies Derby hat contest, games, silent and live auctions and viewing of the Kentucky Derby. Weather permitting, some of our program horses will join the party, and attendees will have a chance to meet them and to bid on a year's sponsorship for each one during the live auction. The cost is $85/ticket. Tickets can be reserved by calling the barn office at 752-0153 or can be purchased at the door on the day of the event.

This is our major annual fundraiser for the program - find details on our website or call the barn office.

We need your help to make this event a success!!!

“In riding a horse, we borrow freedom”. ~ Helen Thompson

UPCOMING DATES

• Family observation week for the spring lesson session will be held on the last week of lessons, April 25-29, during your regularly scheduled lesson time. Come out and see what our students have accomplished this spring! • Rocking Horse Ranch t-shirts are available to order this spring. Please see the attached order form and place your order before April 1st. All orders will be ready for pick up the last week of classes April 25-29th. • Sign-up for summer lessons is now underway. Lessons will start the week of May 23 and run through the end of July. Call the barn office for more information.

SPRING CONTEST!

We want to see pictures that you have taken of our

horses working in lessons or just around the farm. We

want to hear stories about working with or participating

with our horses from our volunteers, riders, and

parents. Photos and stories can be submitted until

April 29, 2016. There’s still plenty of time to get some

photos during remainder of the spring semester!

We will pick one winning photo and one winning story

from all the entries. The two winning entries will be

posted on Facebook and receive a Hidden Hoof Print

Painting done by Happy the horse! Email entries to

barnmanagerhrnc@gmail.com

We look forward to all the great entries and wish you

good luck!

Spring 2016 VOL. # 2 ISSUE #1

Phone: (252) 752-0153

1721 Blue Banks Farm Rd.

Greenville, NC 27834

WWW.RHRNC.COM

info@rhrnc.com

Please join us May 6th

, the Friday

before Derby Dash Bash, for our 1st

Annual Derby Darlings, a Hat

Decorating Social from 2-4 pm.

OPPORTUNITY!

Sponsors and Donors Needed for the

Derby Dash Bash, May 7, 2016. This is our major annual fundraiser for the

program - find details on our website or call the

barn office. We need your help to make this event

a success!!!

Rocking Horse Ranch Therapeutic Riding Program is a not-for-profit organization founded by Eileen Van Houten in 1991 that provides equine assisted activities and equine assisted therapy (HPOT) to children and adults with a variety of physical, cognitive, and psychological disabilities. Students who participate in the program come from Pitt County as well as 13 surrounding counties in eastern North Carolina. The ultimate goal of the program is to improve each rider's quality of life so that they can become more independent, productive and active members of the community. We are a member organization of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl).

Spring 2016 VOL. # 2 ISSUE #1

Photos of our Equine partners and their friends

at Derby Dash Bash, 2015.

Spring 2016 VOL. # 2 ISSUE #1

Meet Our Newly Created Pitt County Special Olympics Equestrian Team

Several Rocking Horse Ranch therapeutic riding instructors have become Special Olympics Equestrian coaches and are volunteering their time to coach Pitt County’s first Special Olympics Equestrian team. We’re grateful to head coach Sherri Moore and coaches Ashlyn Batten, Malaika Albrecht, and Amber Decker. We’re also grateful to our volunteers, Ashley Bonner and Linda Sewall! Our team consists of three amazing current riders and three of our wonderful equine partners from Rocking Horse Ranch. Many thanks to them and their parents for all their hard work and dedication! If your child is currently a Special Olympics athlete and is interested in joining the Pitt County Equestrian team, please call the barn at 752-0153 and let us know.

Special Olympics Equestrian Team

Coach & therapeutic riding instructor

Ashlyn Batten coaches a team member.

The Equestrian team visited Emerald Hill

Farms on March 5th

for a trial horse show. The

athletes and their equine friends were amazing

and all came home with ribbons!