My name is Michelle Godsiff and I’ve had a life-long career with horses including owning a horse riding school in Whitford for over 13 years.I offered my horse riding teaching services to Stand Children’s Health camp as part of RDA (Riding for the Disabled.)
My two horses Toi and Cracker are superb for using in lessons which were in the basics ... steering, stopping and balancing. Each child also had a time on the lunging rein to learn the skill of rising to the trot which 50% got at this time to their and my delight.
The teachers brought two young boys on a different day with their teacher aides. One boy was on the Autistic spectrum and the other, who I will call Kevin, had violence issues. I was warned to keep my fancy Tonkinese cat Cirrus out of the way! My plan then was to get the boys to help me groom Toi as he is the bigger of the two horses and to see for themselves that bad behaviour around something so big would be challenging.
The boys did a great job grooming. With both ponies saddled and ready and the boys mounted up I popped them both onto a lead rein and we went up to the round arena.
I put Toitoi on the lunge and you should have seen Kevin go. Up down up down and a round and round we went. He didn’t want to stop, he was so proud of himself.
After we untacked the horses and brushed them Cirrus, my Tonkinese cat, came into the stables and walked straight up to Kevin. The teacher aide went to intervene but Kevin scooped her up and put his face into his tummy fur. What a special moment. What a day. It truly brought a tear to my eye and I know that for Kevin it was a very special experience.
I was so proud to receive a certificate a few weeks ago from the Howick Local board for
“Outstanding contribution to communities.”