Xenophon is back in full swing after our 2-week summer break. Staff and volunteers alike were thrilled to see our riders again. So many wonderful accomplishments can be seen by this time of year. We see huge progress being made in muscle tone and motor skills, in social skills and in language. Several of our students have incorporated “ground work” into their lesson plan and it has been a thrill to see their confidence level and horse handling skills develop. We have 3 students who have moved on in their independent riding to where they can now canter their horses by themselves. Nothing matches the smiles and accomplishments we see each and every day at the center.

So, what happens during the 2 weeks that we are off? The break provides an opportunity to rest our horses. During this time they are taken out on trail rides, receive much needed chiropractic work, and even get their teeth taken care of by an equine dentist. Although we were not running lessons, the center stayed busy.  Our upper mounting ramp was improved and a fabulous industrial grade non-skid surface applied. Our hay shed received much needed dry rot repair and was expanded to offer more room and an enclosed space for evaluations. A host of other tasks get done as well, such as tack and sprinkler repair. We are happy to be back up and running, and while our horses enjoy the rest, most seem to miss doing their jobs and the attention they get when lessons are in session.