horses helping
troubled teens
The Amazing "City Slickers" Program
Story
by Suzanne Porter
Republished with permission
from HorsePower
Seven years ago, Luis Reyes was a tough inner-city teenager.
He didn't speak to his family, struggled with a severe learning
disability and had - according to his teachers - and "attitude
problem". Like most of his friends in Hartford, Connecticut,
he had never seen a real horse, let alone ridden one.
Today, at age 20, this poised young man has won two championships
with his own horse, placed in jumping competitions with another,
and is an apprentice farrier (horseshoer). He owes it all to
some wonderful people and an after-school program called "City
Slickers."
In 1993, Ruth Fried, a phys ed teacher at D.F. Burns School in
Hartford, saw an advertisement inviting city children to ride
at a small stable in Bloomfield, Ct. Being a rider herself, Ruth
knew the strong bond that can occur between a horse and rider.
She applied for and received a small grant and was able to take
a few of her neediest students riding. She chose those children
who had learning and behavioural problems, and who were doing
poorly in school. Luis Reyes was one of them.
"The first time I rode, I was petrified," says Reyes,
unashamed. "I was on a pony, bareback, and he took off in
a field. Off I went!"
Part of the original riding program included preparation for
a small horse show to be held at Hillside Equestrian Meadows
in Wolcott, Connecticut. When Ruth saw what the facility had
to offer, she decided her riding program needed a new home. Little
did she know how big the City Slicker program would grow over
the next four years.
Today, the City Slicker program serves 100 children between the
ages of 11-17. "Students are chosen on the basis of need,"
says Ruth, a fit, dynamic woman who has been teaching for 20
years. "Consideration is given to children with academic
and emotional problems. Students have to show an interest, and
write an essay telling why they want to be in the City Slickers
program." Following that, she talks to teachers and parents.
Once accepted, the new City Slicker knows school attendance and
behaviour count. Ruth has even seen drop-outs return to school
in order to be eligible for the program.
The students learn not only English and Western riding, but everything
about horse care. The program currently owns two horses which
students learn to care for and train under the watchful eye of
riding director Gail Corriveau. Gail, who owned and operated
a horse training facility in Florida before joining City Slickers
two years ago, oversees a staff of two instructors and six "Peer
Leaders". She says, "Each student is completely responsible
for grooming, tacking, riding and aftercare of his or her horse.
They learn how to share with others, because we don't have enough
(horses and equipment) to go around.
"Most come in very fearful. They're interested, but afraid.
(Through City Slickers) they learn responsibility, teamwork and
effort."
"The kids learn respect," adds riding instructor Tracie
Mazuroski. "Respect for animals, the farm and property."
Each student is assigned a Peer Leader, a positive teenage role
model. Both Luis and his sister, Yomaris (pronounced Ja-mar-ee)
are peer leaders after having completed the program themselves.
Peer leader Mike Yorrie expresses his feelings. "Being part
of the City Slickers program for the past six years has been
one of my most valued experiences. The program is not just about
horses; youngsters learn responsibility and teamwork to achieve
their goals and have an opportunity to learn skills that qualify
them for some horse and farm jobs. City Slickers opens up a whole
new world to its teens and shows them there is a good world out
there."
Luis bought his own horse, Frisco, about four years ago at an
auction. With the help of Hillside owner Paul "Bucky"
Kalinowsky, he trained Frisco to compete in gymkhana events.
"This year I won Grand Champion in barrel racing, pole bending,
flag race and 'bleeding heart' (barrel racing in a reverse cloverleaf
pattern)," says Luis.
Like many other owners at Hillside, he allows his horse to be
used in the City Slickers program. Ruth, too, offers the use
of her quarter horse, Shane. Frisco and Shane are favourites
with the students, being both talented and well-behaved.
At the sixth annual City Slickers Horse Show, Luis performed
a jumping demonstration on Blanco, a grey thoroughbred owned
by Hillside. All of the jumps in the show had been built and
painted by Luis and other City Slickers. There were 13 English
and Western classes and a presentation by the City Slickers Drill
team. Under a sunny sky, relatives and friends watched and cheered.
Pretty much everything connected with the show - including the
grooming products used on the horses - was donated by the nearly
50 corporate and business sponsors. The program itself is kept
alive thanks to the generosity of numerous corporations, foundation
sponsors, and especially, stresses Ruth, local businesses and
individuals. It should be noted that Ruth herself is not paid
for running the program.
In the future, a State grant, awarded to programs that "raise
cultural diversity and awareness", will allow the City Slickers
program to grow to include 152 kids. Other kind donations from
St. John's Episcopal Church, the National Frame Builders Association
of Kansas and Brescia Builders of New York will provide the members
with a barn of their own in Wolcott.
When asked what the most dramatic and satisfying results of the
program have been, Ruth responds, "We've had unmotivated,
depressed children take an interest in school and their families.
A child who is neurologically impaired, with a learning disability,
is now in a vocational-agricultural program at a local high school,
on her way to a career. Kids who were high-risk went back to
school to stay in the program. We had two Wolcott children who
were enemies; neither knew the other was in the program because
they rode on different days. We found out that one had been harassing
the other for months. We were able to resolve this problem through
City Slickers.
"I've had parents tell me, 'This is the best thing that
has ever happened to my child'." It looks like the results
speak for themselves.
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