Cary, N.C. (October 1, 2013) The CORRAL Riding Academy showcased youth and horses at a local horse show this weekend at Black Horse Run. CORRAL’s Executive Director Joy Curry had the opportunity to be a spectator this weekend as her staff and volunteers coached the girls to victory. When I arrived at the show—it nearly took my breath away. I thought—“this is what I envisioned when I started CORRAL—this is it!”
The show was an incredible demonstration of how far the women we serve have come. Here are a few compliments the girls received:
The judge thought they were all very professional and was shocked to learn that they had only been riding a relatively short time. Ring steward LOVED how the girls handled the horses- she was super impressed with how soft they were able to ask their horses to do things, and how kind they were to them the whole day (she is a grand prix dressage rider, so she knows her stuff!).
The show organizer commented on how professional and helpful they were- they helped set up jumps, take down jumps, hand out ribbons- and they even congratulated every competitor leaving the ring!
The girls worked as a team, supported one another and more experienced riders helped less experienced with positive adults surrounded them. It was truly a picture of what it looks like to become ‘whole again’.
We are so thankful for the love and support coming from our community. Thank you for all of you who made this horse show dream a reality, by training the girls, supporting them, praying for them and caring/training our horses. CORRAL really gave a ‘leg-up’ this weekend.
CORRAL started in 2008 with one horse, one saddle, and one girl. For the 2012-2013 school year, CORRAL will serve 20 girls in the riding academy and an additional 20 girls in the out-patient Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) program. The organization has reached capacity after demonstrating success in reducing risky behavior and improving performance among teens year after year.
To make a donation or to learn more about CORRAL, go to www.corralriding.org.
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About CORRAL
CORRAL is a youth serving nonprofit that pairs at-risk girls with rescued horses to create lasting life-change and transformational growth. The program gives troubled girls one-on-one mentoring, weekly tutoring, Equine Assisted Learning, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and riding lessons, as well as responsibilities in the barn and caring for the horses, most of whom are rescues themselves. All of this provides the girls with the tools necessary to overcome the challenges they face. CORRAL engages the students in these activities over the long-term — to create lasting healing and to offer a preventative diversion to the risky behaviors the girls would otherwise be tempted with or prone to explore in their homes, schools or neighborhoods. 919-335-2090. info@CORRALriding.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CORRALRiding; Twitter: @CORRALriding
Contact
Janellen Cappo
Development Assistant
The CORRAL Riding Academy
919-335-2090
Jan.cappo@CORRALriding.org