| | Please note that some newsletter content may not be accurate (ie events or programs) due to COVID-19 but we are maintaining an optimistic outlook and including them anyway! Cancellations may still occur and new things may arise so stay tuned to our social media for the latest information!
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Message from the CTRA Board
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing wide-spread disruption, including here at the Cowichan Therapeutic Riding Association. Lessons have been cancelled, staff have been laid off and we are down to a skeleton crew of remaining staff and some volunteers.
We want to assure our friends, supporters and those who have been depending on our services that once this is over, we will come roaring back just as soon as health authorities say it is safe to do so.
Our most valuable resources, our herd of friendly giants -- our horses, are in good shape and are being cared for daily. Like many of us who are on self-isolation, the horses are having a bit of a holiday.
However, having reduced our costs to the bare bone and we would welcome support from the community, most of which would go toward the care of the horses. This support would enable us to sustain ourselves until such time as we can re-open for business.
We wish to thank the remaining staff, the many volunteers and our supporters in the community for standing with us in these trying times.
When this is over, we will be in a position to resume operations and reliably deliver our services to our therapeutic community, perhaps stronger than ever.
Pat Hrushowy, Vice-Chair
Kate Southworth, Chair
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THANK YOU to the Sisters of St. Ann
A special thank you to the Sisters of St. Ann for their continued support of our programming. SOSA has been with CTRA since the very beginning, and their commitment of ongoing annual funding truly helps us maintain stability.
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One of CTRA's participants is using his therapy horse as a social distancing tool and we think it is brilliant!
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| CTRA has been longing for a new tractor for several years now and our wish finally came true! This powerful little John Deere machine will make it so much easier and safer for us to manage our herd and our heritage facility. We can harrow our ring, plow snow and move poop till our hearts are content!
We owe a huge thank you to Prairie Coast Equipment in Nanaimo for the excellent deal, and to our hard working CTRA Board for helping make it happen.
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Horse Staycations
Ember briefly stops nibbling the fresh spring grass shoots to scratch an itch. The warm spring sunshine, combined with the longer daylight hours, are causing the last of her winter coat to let go. As she rubs her forehead on her leg, a thin cloud of tan-coloured hair drifts away on the warm breeze, and settles like a blanket of fresh snow on the ground. Belle snorts as some of the hair blows over to where she is eating. A little further up the hill, Josefa’s eyes are closed, and her lower lip hangs loose as she enjoys a quiet afternoon nap in the sun. The three mares have been spending each day like the one before, enjoying each other’s company and the warmer spring weather. It would be perfect, if not for the small thought at the back of their minds: “When will my human friends return?”
While the rest of the world is existing in a state of uncertainty over the COVID-19 pandemic, the CTRA herd is enjoying their forced staycation. With all of CTRA’s programming postponed, the grounds closed to the public, and most of the staff temporarily laid off or working from home, the horses are experiencing some down-time. Since every horse in our herd is an equine extrovert, you can bet that they are feeling the loss of their usual human interactions. Each horse forms a relationship with their team of riders, volunteers, instructors, and barn staff. Studies have shown that horses are capable of forming friendships, and that they recognize individuals. Because of this, we can assume that they are currently feeling this major shift in operations on an emotional level.
Although the herd is probably a bit confused, and maybe a little lonely right now, there are also some upsides to this unexpected down-time. For one thing, all of their basic needs are still being met. Our dedicated Barn Manager, along with a light crew of barn staff, is looking after and watching over the herd at all times. The usual schedule of feeding, turnout, and cleaning is being maintained so that the horses still have their usual sense of routine. As well with the timing of the year, the warmer weather means that some horses are able to sleep outside overnight. This added freedom of movement is especially beneficial for older, arthritic-type horses, of which CTRA has many. Bosco in particular is absolutely loving the additional turnout time! Grass turnout is starting to be implemented as well, as horses rotate in turns for short sessions grazing the fresh spring grass. Grazing not only benefits the horses nutritionally, but also reduces stress and improves mental well-being. For horses needing to stretch their legs, group turnout in our large outdoor arena encourages movement and play, which is good for the horses mentally and physically. Basically all this down-time means the horses get to “just be horses”, which means that they will return to work feeling rested and rejuvenated, and ready to spend time once again with their human friends!
Helgi Sangret
Program Assistant
Head Vaulting Instructor
Unicorn Wrangler
Want to help with continuing care of our horses?
Your support during this difficult time will help us maintain our incredible herd and keep our operation going at a base level. Even better? Set up a monthly donation for even more sustainable funding. Click here to do either (or both!) of these things at Canada Helps. You will receive a tax receipt immediately.
Or, you can etransfer funds to payment@ctra.ca and mention Keep CTRA Stable so we know what it is for!
Prefer to give us a cash or direct credit card donation? You can mail to 1843 Tzouhalem Rd, Duncan, BC, V9L 5L6 or call and leave a message at 250-746-1028. We will get right back to you to take your information.
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Is Waiting An Action?
As a coordinator, my work is in constant motion. Even when all is running smoothly…it’s still running. I’m connecting, correcting, replacing, switching, adding…you get the picture. Within that realm, I have learned the importance of a mindful pause. Nobody wants to admit that they are ‘going through the motions’ of life, but sometimes we are all guilty of it.
The power of taking a pause is well researched, and there have been simple exercises developed to help integrate the science of relaxing and re-setting into our day. The act of consciously following our breathing for a couple of cycles is one of the easiest. One of mine is to head down to the barn for a walkthrough. Another is to join a team as a side walker or horse handler when a volunteer is absent (okay, maybe that is a necessity, but it has the same outcome). A positive pause or change from our constant forward motion can help us engage in our daily life on a deeper level.
With this current COVID-19 crisis, we have been globally ‘put on pause’ so to speak. It’s scary. It’s uncertain. It is causing real suffering and real difficulties. Still, it is also our chance to re-evaluate, reconnect, re-discover, and rejuvenate. Now is our time to breathe deeply and consider, not just ourselves, but others.
Many of you are missing your volunteering and the vibrancy of the CTRA community. With no precise date of return to programming, we could easily get discouraged, or worse, stay stationary. Waiting can be an action! Is there something we can do while we wait? This is where amazing things happen.
CTRA will keep you posted on our end as to where we are at and what we need to do next. I encourage you, as the caring and compassionate group you are, to find an opportunity to grow, to serve, to show up differently. I will be actively be awaiting the day when I start making up the volunteer schedules again!
Bren Pickel
Volunteer Coordinator
Program Coordinator
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Volunteer LaVerne & Ember
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Brittany Halstead with Dos Equis (left) and another retired polo pony, Noviembre, at Santa Clara Polo Club in Wellington, Fla., in June.
Photo: PoloPeoplePoloPlaces
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Healing with Horses
Horses helped Brittany Halstead recover from a traumatic brain injury. Now she's giving back by retraining polo ponies for second careers as hunter jumpers, therapeutic riding mounts, and more.
Brittany Halstead had the best of two equestrian worlds—hunter jumpers and polo—when a car crash nearly ended her life in 2014. Her recovery was nothing short of miraculous, and she credits working with two horses, polo ponies Fanta and Dos Equis, for helping her return to the saddle and the show ring. In return, she formed ReplayPolo, which helps transition retired polo ponies into second careers in therapeutic riding, intercollegiate equestrian programs, and more.
“It’s all about mindfulness,” Halstead said of how retraining horses parallels her recovery from traumatic brain injury. “You have to take time, collect your thoughts, and wait it out. It will all come around. You can’t force yourself and you can’t force these horses to do something. You have to step back and ask in a different way. You need patience with yourself and with the horse.”
by Glenye Cain Oakford | Nov 26, 2019
Reprinted from US Equestrian website
To read the rest of this article, click here.
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Pony Birthdays!
We love to celebrate our therapy horse birthdays! Our participants often draw pictures and put special messages on their stalls for them.
Leo January 15
Belle February 26
Blue March 19
Tonka April 6
Ember May 10
Keagan May 26
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Bottles and cans and cartons, oh my!
Late in 2018, the Duncan Island Return It Depot installed a returnable can/bottle bin at CTRA as part of its corporate fundraising services. And the returnables just started rolling in...
We are happy to report that our Return It Bin generated almost $2000 in 2019! We hope to best that total in 2020 and encourage you to spread the word to your family and friends. It is so easy to drop off your returnable drink containers and support CTRA at the same time!
NOTE: Due to COVID-19 closures of CTRA, Island Return It and Providence Farm, access to our returnables bin has been restricted. However, if you have a quantity of empties you wish to donate, please contact CTRA's Office Manager Susan Lake at susan@ctra.ca. She will be continuing to collect as able.
Island Return It Depots have multiple opportunites for sports teams and schools to fundraise, and we applaud their involvement in their communities.
Island Return It - Duncan - CLOSED at time of publishing
6476 NORCROSS RD, BC V9L 5T3
Phone: (250) 748-2066
Info@islandreturnit.com
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No Ride-a-Thon? No Problem!
We are all super sad that we won't be doing Ride-a-Thon this year due to the COVID-19 crisis because we love Ride-a-Thon! It is your chance to get directly involved with fundraising for CTRA, and as our biggest annual fundraiser it provides for a big chunk of our budget to feed and care for our hard working ponies. And we need to keep them all in good shape for when we return to programming! What's a non-profit to do?
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Have No Fear! Peer-2-Peer is Here!
Peer-2-Peer fundraising is a fantastic way for you to still fundraise for CTRA from the comfort and safety of your own home. How?
We're glad you asked! Here is what you need to know:
CTRA has a campaign called Keep CTRA Stable to try and keep support coming in while we are shut down (because our fees and program-dependent funding are not!). We have set up an online fundraising campaign on Canada Helps (click here to see it) and are sharing it far and wide. YOU can still fundraise for CTRA, in place of Ride-a-Thon, by creating your own P2P campaign that is linked to Keep CTRA Stable. Once you have created it, you share, share, share it out to your family, friends, coworkers, colleagues and community! You can customise your campaign, choose your goal and reach for the stars! Remember, this is replacing Ride-a-Thon, so it is important to CTRA that you do your best with this effort to Keep CTRA Stable. We know times are really difficult right now, but it is pretty easy to set up. Please see the step by step instructions on our website, here, plus some FAQ's that might help. If you need help, email us at info@ctra.ca and we can walk you through it!
Links:
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Hippotherapy at CTRA
If you were in the barn Monday afternoons last session you might have caught a glimpse of a new face to the CTRA team. Stephanie Bergman is a Physiotherapist certified for Hippotherapy.
Hippotherapy is a specialization reserved for rehabilitation specialists: physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists trained in this field.
In the same way a physiotherapist will use an exercise ball or have a session in a swimming pool, in Hippotherapy, Stephanie uses the 110 multi-dimensional movements of a horse as a treatment tool. The rider will take different positions on the horse to stimulate affected muscle groups. It’s therapy in the fresh air on horseback playing games with a team of cheerful volunteers. How amazing is equine-facilitated rehabilitation!
Bren Pickel
Volunteer Coordinator
Program Coordinator
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Martha Crawford-Cantarini
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Hollywood Horses
As anyone who has spent real time with horses knows, they are so often the teachers in this journey through life. “As we strive to learn the best ways to motivate our horses, they motivate us to be the best that we can be,” says retired movie stunt rider and double, Martha Crawford-Cantarini.
“Horses were the unsung heroes of the era,” says Crawford-Cantarini, who started her career in 1947 at age 18. “They provided the action, the pacing and the indelible identity of the Western. Their ability to jump, to fall, and to run contributed hugely to a star’s believability and status.”
For a thorough and fascinating look at the use of horses in Hollywood productions, follow this link. This very extensive article was written by Margaret Evans and published in Horse Journals.
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Be Thrifty While Supporting CTRA!
2019 brought just over $1500 in a corporate donation from Thrifty Foods/Sobeys via their Smile Card Program. Every time you load up your CTRA Smile Card, Thrifty Foods donates 5% of the total. CTRA has the opportunity to earn up to $2500 per year for this easy to use system, so use that CTRA Smile Card to help us up this amount!
CTRA linked Smile Cards are available at the CTRA Office at 1843 Tzouhalem Rd.
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Horses Helping First Responders
Partnering with the War Horse Awareness Foundation, CTRA is set to start a series of workshops for First Responders. These workshops will provide engaging activities of self-discovery and self-regulation, whether it is grooming horses, learning to read a horse's body language, or safely leading horses through an obstacle course.
Human behaviour and response are tied to both the past and present. The horse, however, lives in the moment giving a human partner honest, immediate feedback. These unique interactions help identify and mitigate the effects of high-stress jobs, trauma and burnout experienced by frontline service providers. Studies have shown that working with horses can
lower blood pressure and heart rate, alleviate stress, and improve mental health.
In addition to the benefits participants experience on the day, they also have the training they need to return to CTRA in a volunteer capacity going forward if they choose. Volunteering in the therapeutic equestrian program has been shown to support and improve well-being.
Bren Pickel
Volunteer Coordinator
Program Coordinator
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North Cowichan RCMP - A Watch Division takes part in a First Responders Workshop
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SUPPORT AND RESOURCES FOR EQUINE FARMS AND EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES
Ottawa, ON, March 24, 2020 – Equestrian Canada (EC) would like to provide an update regarding its ongoing advocacy on behalf of equine farms and equestrian facilities facing financial hardship during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as offer resources for support during this unprecedented disruption of normal business operations.
EC is the national governing body for equestrian sport and industry in Canada, with a mandate to represent, promote and advance all equine and equestrian interests. We empathize with all those who are directly affected by this situation, are fully aware of the potential financial implications and will continue to support the equine and equestrian industries to the best of our ability.
How is EC advocating for equine farms and equestrian facilities?
In order to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19, it is imperative that we take a coordinated, collaborative approach to advocacy. EC is working in close partnership with the Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations (PTSOs) to understand and plan for the short- and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the equine and equestrian industries and related businesses.
EC is actively communicating with federal agencies and corporations to ensure that equine farms and equestrian facilities can access support. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, has been made aware of the financial hardships that Canadian equine farms and farm businesses face with the loss of their public-facing equestrian operations. EC has requested collaboration and support for the sector through multiple channels and will continue to work with organizations such as the Canadian Federation of Agriculture to amplify the voice of our industries.
Additionally, conversations have been initiated with Farm Credit Canada, Canada’s largest agricultural term lender, as well as other leading agriculture financial lending institutions. It is of the utmost importance that our equine farms and equestrian facilities have access to the necessary financial support; we are working to ensure that the sector’s needs are heard, the diversity of our sector is understood, and that we are recognized during future decision-making and assessment processes.
Although conversations are in the early stages, EC is hopeful and will continue to work in service of the needs of our equines, farmers, facility owners and industry members alike.
Next Steps
In order to develop an effective and needs-based advocacy plan, EC needs industry input to understand the immediate and long-term needs of equine farms and equestrian facilities. We will be collecting industry-based business profiles that will enhance our capacity to interact with key stakeholders (e.g. government agencies, financial institutes). A communication will follow tomorrow, March 25, linking to a survey to collect this information.
Additional next steps include:
Ensuring that the EC website and statement on COVID-19 is kept up-to-date to deliver the information and resources farm and facilities owners require on an ongoing basis and in an easily accessible format.
Establishing a communication network with Canada’s equine farm and equestrian facility owners through webinars, website, social media and other digital engagement exercises.
EC appreciates your patience as we navigate these unprecedented times and will continue to provide continuous, thorough and up-to-date communication concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. Please submit any and all questions and concerns related to COVID-19 through the feedback portal here.
What resources are available to me as an equine farm or equestrian facility?
We recommend that all equine farm and equestrian facility owners take the time to ensure your business administrative records are up-to-date and ready for potential financial resources and programming that may become available.
For provincial/territorial resources, visit the website of your respective PTSO. Additionally, please review the resources outlined below:
Farm Credit Canada
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is Canada’s leading agricultural lender. After receiving a $5 billion enhancement in lending capacity from the Government of Canada, FCC announced several new initiatives that will give more Canadian agriculture businesses faster access to a line of credit. These include the option of payment deferrals for existing FCC customers and a new credit line offer of up to $500,000. As part of its ongoing support efforts, FCC also is asking existing customers who have cash flow or other financial concerns to contact the organization to discuss alternatives, such as loan payment deferrals and products available to assist with cash flow needs.
Existing customers facing financial pressure are encouraged to contact their FCC relationship manager or the FCC Customer Service Centre at 1-888-332-3301 to discuss their individual situation and options. If you are currently not a member of FCC, it is recommended to that you reach out to begin to engage with FCC and explore what options are available for commercial equine farming businesses.
Reprinted from an EQ Press Release issued March 24, 2020
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| Arnold's Antics
If you haven't seen Arnold Schwarzenegger's isolation videos and pictures, take a minute to check them out here. So cute!
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CanTRA Conference Cancelled
In light of the world wide situation with COVID-19, we are feeling sad but wise in our CanTRA Board of Director's decision to CANCEL the 2020 CanTRA Conference, Celebrating 40 Years of Leadership, and the Pre-Conference Mentoring Clinic, which was set to take place at Olds College in Olds, Alberta, on May 29-31st.
Of utmost importance in this decision has been the health and well-being of our delegates, members, volunteers, staff and their families. Safety, in gathering for this event, could not be assured, and therefore cancellation was inevitable.
We are forever grateful to CanTRA Board Member and Conference Chair, Shelene Williams and her team, for their care and attention in the intricate planning of every aspect of this conference. We commend her, her conference committee and the volunteers and staff of Mountain View Special Riding Association, for all their hard work, before and throughout this difficult time.
Conference delegates can expect to receive a full refund of their registration fee, by cheque, in the coming weeks. We ask for your patience in the carrying out of this complex administrative task.
It is hoped that this announcement will give you sufficient time to cancel your flights and accommodations before the end of the month, and urge you to do so as soon as possible.
We are so very sorry that we will not be able to meet and greet and share our knowledge together in May. Let's look ahead hopefully to CanTRA Conference 2021.
Get out, enjoy your horses if you can, but stay safe in the weeks ahead,
Sincerely,
JoAnn Thompson Franklin, PT
President
Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association
on behalf of our Board of Directors
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| Get Involved!There are always many ways to support any non-profit. Here are some of ours.
***COVID shut down may alter the items below***
Returnables
***See article in this issue for changes***
CTRA has a large Return It bin at the top of the driveway leading down to the stable. Drop off your returnable drink containers any time! Plastic and metal containers go in the big bin. Glass returnables go into the blue bins alongside. This ongoing fundraiser is easy and effective!
Returnables can also be taken to the Duncan or South Cowichan Island Return It Depots and donated to our account. Simply tell the cashier they are for Cowichan Therapeutic Riding Association when you reach the counter.
Thrifty Foods Smile Cards
By using a CTRA-linked Thrifty Foods Smile Card, your grocery purchases put money in our pocket! Thrifty Foods generously donates 5% of the amount you load onto your card. It's so easy! Please contact us to get a CTRA Smile Card and start shopping!
***We can mail you a card or arrange a contactless pick up during shutdown***
Monthly Giving
Committing to even a small monthly donation makes a difference to our bottom line. Having steady, reliable and unrestricted funding allows better budgeting for the basics such as utilities, wages and other overhead costs that many grants won't cover. Monthly donations are easily set up on Canada Helps.
Events
Keep in touch to find out about our events. We hold several fundraisers each year, from Burger &
Beer nights to our big Ride-a-Thon pledge week. Getting involved in events supports us in a fun way! Follow us on social media for what is coming up next (see bottom of newsletter for links)
Tack Donations
***Donations are suspended for now--please save them for us!***
We can always use tack! Donations of used horse tack and equipment are a great way to help. Items we can use in our own programs are sidelined--reducing our equipment costs. Items we can sell in the Jane James Used Tack Shop generate funds for our programming. Items that are not suitable for either of these purposes get recycled in our Free Store to keep them in use. Higher value donations are eligible for tax receipts if desired.
Planned Giving
Consider a legacy gift in your will or as part of your long term financial planning. Talk to your financial advisor about how to set this up.
Volunteering
***Options may be limited during our shutdown. Please email us to find out more.***
Our volunteers make CTRA happen. Without them, we simply could not function. And most of them say that their time here is their therapy!
There are many roles that CTRA volunteers can have, but the most comon are side walkers and horse handlers to facilitate our lessons.
To find our more about how you can take part in what we do, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Bren Pickel at 250-746-1028 or info@ctra.ca.
Sponsorships/Donations
philanthropy: the desire to promote the welfare of others, espressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes
Financial support is still one of the best ways to support your favourite cause. Although we seek support from a variety of sources, funds are often restricted to certain purposes or uses. Unrestricted funds are harder to find, yet are often the most important for us.
Sponsoring an event or project, getting coworkers together to sponsor a horse, or simply making a donation are all great ways to practice philanthropy in your community. You will receive recognition for your contribution and know that you have made a difference. Find out more here.
Being a CTRA Ambassador
You keep in touch with us regularly, and you already support us financially. What more can you do? Be a CTRA Ambassador!
Tell people about us! Make sure that your sphere of influence knows about your interest in what we do. Promote our websie and social media pages. Wear CTRA branded clothing (available at our office). Put up a CTRA poster at your gym or workplace (contact us for this). Nominate us for philanthropy/fundraising groups such as 100 Women or 100 Men Who Care.
Spreading the word about CTRA keeps us engaged with our community and garners support from our funders. Plus, it can help to direct new participants and volunteers to us.
Support Our Supporters
Since many of our supporters are local businesses, it helps to let them know you appreciate their contribution to CTRA. Knowing that their involvement has been noticed is wonderful feedback to receive!
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| | Visit our website for everything you want to know about CTRA! You can find press releases, information about our herd of therapy horses, forms and much, much more.
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| | Facebook is a great place to see what is happening day by day at CTRA. Follow us to stay current and see some of those special moments that happen here.
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| | You will smile. You will laugh. You will cry. You will relate. Follow us on Instagram for memorable moments that will touch your heart.
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| | Make your day with fun and funny videos of CTRA ponies and more!
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