Michele Foland from Camper to Heels Down Instructor

Like the majority of horsewoman today, their passion for horses began at an elementary age. For Michele Foland it was at age of seven when her parents enrolled Michele in horseback riding lessons. Little did they know this road would lead to a committed career with horses.

It wasn’t long after she began riding, Michele was enrolled in the Heels Down program. From that summer forward, her experiences lead to not only improved equestrian skills but also to a strong group of friends that still exists today.   Michele states she sees them all being friends for life. Clearly this is a testament to the social aspect Heels Down provides our campers. This group of girls helped build the beginning foundation of the program and it was because of them the enrollment age increased each summer until they were 15.

For the first time in the Heels Down program’s history a camper will return to be an instructor. Michele Foland has so many wonderful qualities to offer to the program this summer. For the campers, the most important aspect is she knows first hand the impact each two-week experience can have and how life altering a sound instructor can have on an impressionable child. She has lived and experienced the truthful statement that “one thing you say or do can change someone’s life” for the better. Michele is a now a junior at Morrisville State College in upstate New York majoring in Equine Science & Management with a specialization in breaking and training.

It should be so much fun for our campers to experience training our young filly Lulah with Michele, and to share the same experience Michele had with Chestah when both were young. Michele’s knowledge of so many disciplines brings strength to our Heels Down program. This was and continues to be the goal of Heels Down in providing riders and their parents a variety of equestrian disciplines. Michele is a fine example of one of many successes from this program. Since graduating from Heels Down, Michele’s horse experience has flourished, creating a wide repertoire of skills from dressage, show jumping, driving draft horses to western pleasure and western reining.

She humbly acknowledges her numerous accomplishments but remembers most fondly her exposure to western reining and of being the reserve champion of the NRHA central New York circuit as one of the most rewarding. Michele knows it is hard work loving horses and while proudly smiling she admits that mucking 90 stalls in the zero degree weather of Morrisville is still rewarding. All those enrolled in Spring Lessons will enjoy getting to know Michele as she starts full time here at Pompositticut Farm, May 9th. We can’t wait!

 

Nicole Miller in Another Role for 2017

Nicole Miller never ceases to amaze us with her determination and long range plans.  She is always one of, if not THE first person to let us know of her job status for the next summer.  She seems to always be one step ahead of herself, charting out her next goal with determination and skill.  For this reason and so many others, Nicole will be the Health Care Coordinator for summer 2017.

As a 3rd year nursing student at the University of Maine, Orono, Nicole will be putting her recent schooling to work with the campers of Pompositticut.  They will be in competent and talented hands with Nicole at the helm as she has proven herself a focused young lady in her previous positions as Lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor.  Don’t let her size fool you either;  Nicole is not afraid to speak up and stay-true to her decisions for which she has previously prepared herself.  She is a mature, driven person who will bring a sense of comfort and guidance to the camp’s Health Center.

Crane Beach- A Ride of Confidence

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You don’t need to be a competitive rider to still have fun and challenging adventures on a horse. The riders involved in Pompositticut Farm’s Fall Riding program found that out on November 11th.  Having a day off from school, 14 of our riders joined past and present instructors for an equestrian day at Crane Beach.  With 6 ponies in tow, two trucks and several cars, the caravan of eager riders and on-lookers arrived at this gorgeous beach in Ipswich, MA.

Although it was a windswept day, the fairly warm breeze and bright sunshine kept everyone in great spirits. Children, staff and parents assisted in setting up “camp” on the beach.  It was remarkable how cooperative, respectful and fun-loving everyone was!  Riders not only shared the ponies but supportively shared their time riding, along with snacks and laughs too.  In between rides they socialized and played on the beach while patiently awaiting their turn.  Despite the windblown sand there were no complaints and everyone was amazed the day had passed so quickly.

Included in this outing were several of our former and present riding instructors. Previous Riding Directors, Lauren Surowiec and Carolyn Halfpenny gladly joined this amiable group as well as Paris Wilkins who had travelled from the UK and stayed for this particular event.  Day Camp and licensed riding instructor Lisa D’Angelo, now a college student, had had previous riding adventures on Crane Beach and assisted with coaching the novice beach riders throughout the day.  Fall riding instructors Nikki Weynberg and Allison Crouse joined their students in trotting down the flattened beach, with the students displaying their improved riding skills.  What a proud moment for these talented instructors to see first-hand how much the children had learned and could apply their skills on the beach.

From everyone’s reaction, the outing was a huge success. Not only did it allow the children to enjoy a day at the beach, but riding there helped build their confidence. They rode next to and with their instructors, to whom they look up to and respect.  They challenged themselves to be on an equal level as the instructor by proudly and successfully riding in a group.   For all of these young equestrians, this was the first riding outing they had ever done, let alone on a beach!  What a positive impact on their overall growth and maturity!

See for yourself some of the great times we had at:

https://youtu.be/BmHvCcHFxe0

https://pompositticutfarm.smugmug.com/ 

Stay up to the minute with news and postings about camp at: https://www.facebook.com/pompositticutfarmdaycamp/

“Regular Time” Begins November 6th!

A reminder to everyone, we will need to change our clocks back and gain an extra hour, this coming Sunday morning, (technically at 2am), November 6th!  Although most people say it is the “end of daylight savings time”, I choose to look at it as the beginning of “Regular Time”!

As we head into the cooler months of autumn and the winter ahead, this additional morning hour allows us to awaken to bright, morning sunshine sooner than before.  If you are a morning person like me, seeing the sun at 6:00am is the impetus to start my day.  It allows me to peak through the blinds and catch a glimpse of a tentative doe and her yearlings grazing on the acorns or the wild turkeys shuffling through my compost pile for breakfast!  They don’t realize the clocks have changed and now have an audience!  With the backyard facing east I am eager each morning to see if today’s sunrise is just as colorful and pleasing as yesterdays.  It is a small, momentary and one-of-a-kind blessing that seems to be created just for me!  I’ve given up capturing the moment with a camera, in lieu of just being satiated by watching this amazing display of color with perhaps a warm cup of coffee.

If you really think about it, changing the clock makes very little difference during the day.  It is still sunlit while we are most alert and focused, be it at work, school or, play!  It is not until around 5:00pm when the brightness fades and we are lured inside for the warmth of our homes.  Certainly, the camp ponies and horses seem undisturbed and unaffected by this change in daylight hours;  for them it’s always regular time!

Earlier evenings bring families together sooner and offer time to reacquaint each other with “inside” interests.  It’s an opportunity to reminisce perhaps about summer camp and what activities they will be participating in for the coming summer!  Perhaps it is this “Regular Time” that really is healing:  physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually . . . . by allowing us to slow down – regroup – and relax after hectic spring, summer and fall activities. “Regular Time” allows you to exhale really slowly.  After all, there’s always Daylight Savings time to look forward to on March 12, 2017, which means the opening of camp won’t be far behind!

Zoe Rodgers Runs the Race of Her Life

Just when you think you know someone really well, they surprise you!  We know each other in a work relationship but oftentimes what we do outside of work is something completely different and unexpected.  For most of our international staff, we have only 8 weeks to interact with them and even then it is while we are all busy focusing on the campers here at Pompositticut.  Although they live with the director, Jackie, even she has been surprised by the international staff’s modesty regarding their accomplishments.

One of the best examples of this is during Summer 2016 our Heels Down instructor Zoe Rodgers, surprised everyone by training for the New York City Marathon.  Where she found the energy after working a full day on her feet outside in hot temperatures, is still a mystery.  One doesn’t just enter a 26.2 mile race unless you are prepared to train and stay physically fit for this ultimate test held on Sunday, November 6th.   The 46th running of the NY City Marathon will traverse through the 5 boroughs of New York City, beginning in Staten Island, travelling through Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and finishing in Manhattan.  She will be amongst 50,000 other dedicated runners who, many like Zoe, are running for a specific cause.  The average time for the runners is a grueling 4.5 hours!

In her own words Zoe explains what motivated her,   “I was running most days before camp knowing the fight Jackie made when she had cancer was tougher than what I was doing! Even the campers would push me to run further every day, meaning everyone at Pompositticut was supporting me through a tough summer. I know how much Jackie would like to be there on the day, but she will be achieving her own goals at the (driving) championships. The inspiration, love and strength I gained from my 2nd Pompositticut summer will carry me through this Marathon and I would be most grateful to everyone who donates big or small to help the bigger challenge that is Cancer.”

Zoe qualified to run with and raise money for “Action Cancer”, a leading cancer charity that began in Northern Ireland. Their mission is to save lives and support local people through cancer awareness, prevention, detection and support.  Action Cancer is the only charity in the UK to offer breast screening clinics to women.  To date, Zoe has personally been sponsored to raise over $6000 for this charity and is hoping to add even more during the next few weeks before the race. If you would like to help her accomplish this goal please go to: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/NYCRodgers

We all wish her great success!

Quote- Jackie Kane

“People inspire us and give us strength when and where we need it. Zoe was a quiet and patient provider of strength. This young lady amazes me every time I spend more time with her. I am grateful for the effort she puts forth in my honor, as well as all patients and survivors. I would love to be there at the finish line to give her the biggest hug ever but when we face and complete our personal goals, we survive!

It is no accident Pompositticut’s new dreamcatcher logo states, “Where Dreams and Goals Happen!”

Good luck Zoe!!”