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Horse camp for the blind gallops into full gear
Created on Friday, 12 August 2011 Written by MANDY LOEHR
Bright, confident smiles were in abundance in the riding arena at Marmon Valley Farm on Thursday as campers on horseback guided their gentle steeds around barrels and over obstacles such as ground poles.
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ABOVE: Gracie, 11, receives a little assistance from instructor Natalie Freuh to hold herself in the two point riding position while guiding her horse over poles Thursday morning at the Insight Horse Camp for the blind and visually impaired at Marmon Valley Farm. FRONT PAGE: Instructor Amelia Schaeffer teaches Caiden, 7, of Michigan, who is blind, how to stop his horse “Meshach” during a lesson Thursday morning in the riding arena at Marmon Valley Ministries’ Insight Horse Camp. (EXAMINER PHOTO | MANDY LOEHR) |
Several enthusiastic instructors provided guidance as needed and gave commands for riders about when to trot, walk, and say “whoa” to stop.
While an outside observer might not have noticed at first glance, this is not a typical horseback riding camp, as about half of the riders in the arena were either blind or visually impaired.
Insight Horse Camp is a pilot program being offered this week by Marmon Valley Ministries. It is geared for blind or visually impaired youths ages 7-17 who attended with a sighted buddy, either a friend, sibling or parent.
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