Sande School of Horsemanship

12/27/2024

Fun Fact Friday!

Did you know the most expensive horse ever sold was Fusaichi Pegasus, who sold for $70 million in 2000?! Fusaichi Pegasus was a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Kentucky Derby in 2000 and was then sold to Coolmore Stud in Ireland. Fusaichi Pegasus went on to sire many winning racehorses before he died at age 26.

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas from all of us at Sande School of Horsemanship! We wish you a beautiful holiday season and wonderful new year!

12/23/2024

At first glance some may wonder if reindeer are related to horses. They have a similar body shape and hooves and are both large animals. However, reindeer are part of the group of even toed hoof animals that include cows, buffalo, goats and pigs, while horses are part of the odd toed hoof animals that include zebras, donkeys and rhinoceros. That's right, a horse is more closely related to a rhino than a reindeer! Despite their differences, we still think that both reindeer and horses are majestic animals.

12/20/2024

Fun Fact Friday!

Did you know that horses produce approximately 10 gallons of saliva EACH DAY! They have 3 pairs of salivatory glands which produce saliva to help with both swallowing and neutralizing too much stomach acid. Who knew horses were such drooly animals!

12/19/2024

Are you looking for the perfect gift for the horse lover in your life? Here are some recommendations that are sure to make them smile:

*Equestrian helmets cover differently than bike helmets and are preferred for riding lessons. You can even get ones that are adjustable to fit kids' growing heads.

*Boots are a great gift for the horse rider as they make both on-ground and riding lessons easier and safer. Low-healed, Western or English boots are perfect. Proper riding boots should have a smooth sole and not have a raised, angled heel.

*Equestrian gloves are a great way to keep fingers warm during the cold months, but any glove suitable for holding reins will work.

*Groom kits are great gifts for students who prepare their horses for lessons. Kits can be purchased pre-assembled, or you can put together a kit with a curry comb, mane comb, hoof pick, soft brush and hard brush. Other grooming accessories are optional, but those are the essential five!

*Sande School of Horsemanship's merchandise store is up and running! From t-shirts to cozy sweaters, there is something for every Sande enthusiast. Here is the link to the online shop: https://sande-school-of-horsemanship.printify.me/products (Please note that items are shipped from Printify partners, please check shipping times when ordering.)

*Give the gift of riding with a Sande School of Horsemanship gift certificate! We have gift certificates available for any amount, email Sarah at [email protected] to get set up.

12/18/2024

The last day for fall session is Saturday, December 21. Winter session begins Monday January 6. If you have not yet registered, please email Sarah at [email protected] to get signed up.

12/13/2024

Fun Fact Friday!

The smallest horse recorded was a tiny chestnut mare named Thumbelina, who measured just 4.1 hands tall (17 inches) and weighed 57lbs. Thumbelina lived in St. Louis, Mo for her 17-year life, and toured the country after being named the smallest horse ever by the Guiness Book of World Records.

12/11/2024

Winter Schedule, Announcements and more! - https://mailchi.mp/e8a7d56a00bf/winter-schedule-announcements-and-more-14193270

12/09/2024

Did you now that horses love peppermints? You can feed them a peppermint directly or add it to their favorite horses treat. As you are doing your holiday baking this year, here are two easy horse peppermint treats you can make for your favorite equine!

Recipe #1 Molasses and Peppermint Cookies
https://thegingerbreadpony.com/homemade-horse-treats-molasses-and-peppermint-cookies/
You will need:
3 Cups flour
1 Cup and 1/2 TBSP molasses
1 tsp cinnamon
peppermint sticks, crushed (candy canes will work great for this)
non-stick cooking spray

Step 1: Mix flour and cinnamon together in mixing bowl. Step 2: Add 1cup of molasses (you can also add some crushed peppermint pieces here if you want) Step 3: Mix together, then knead into balls. If it is too crumbly add just a bit more molasses to help it stick. Step 4: Either roll out into 1/2" thick sheet and use cookie cutters to create fun shapes, top with crushed peppermint and bake on a greased sheet for 10 minutes at 325*. OR Roll into 1" balls, drop onto greased sheet and use your thumb to flatten. Top with crushed peppermint and bake for 15 - 20 minutes at 325*

Recipe #2: Homemade Horse Treats with 4 Ingredients
https://thephoenixfilly.com/2018/06/19/homemade-horse-treats-with-4-ingredients/
You will need:
6 peppermints
¼ cup of water (you can add more if the mixture is still dry)
1 tablespoon of molasses
1 cup of rolled oats
Wax paper (optional but helpful)

Step 1: Mix the oats and water until everything is wet. You can add more oats if it is too thin or water if it is too thick. You're going for damp. Step 2: Add molasses to the and stir. If it is not sticky you can add more molasses. Step 3: Roll into a small ball. You should be able to get 4 - 6 treats. Step 4: Press 1 peppermint into the middle of each ball to make a cookie Step 5: Place on plate, pan, or dish with wax paper and place in refrigerator until they harden.

Give your horse a special treat this holiday season that they are sure to love!

It is actually quite easy to make your own homemade horse treats! 3 ingredients and crushed peppermint toppings, follow the directions here!

12/03/2024

This Giving Tuesday please consider donating to Sande School of Horsemanship and partnering with us in continuing to provide much needed services to our community. As a 501(c)3 non-profit, Sande School of Horsemanship was founded in 2010 with a mission to provide accessible equine programs focusing on life skill development for all individuals, including at-risk youth and people of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At Sande, programs utilize the power of equine relationships to teach students integral life skills. We are committed to helping our community’s most at-risk, under-served populations succeed and thrive as active community members through our four programs:

Therapeutic Riding provides horsemanship lessons to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities whose needs require at least one staff member for each student. In addition to building confidence and communication skills, lessons bolster physical strength and a great way for individuals who often cannot participate in mainstream activities to have a sport.

Equine-Assisted Mental Health provides counseling services to people who seek an alternative to talk-based therapy. Sessions include a combination of experiences and activities designed to help process trauma, increase resiliency, improve self-awareness and emotional regulation skills.

Youth Leadership is designed for youth who desire to build their life skills, strength and resiliency. Students progress to become Horse Care Volunteers, Youth Mentors and Junior Instructors. By learning how to care for horses and help others, young people grow into community leaders who are able to face and overcome challenges in a healthy and positive manner.

Integrated Horsemanship serves any youth or adult who want to learn how to ride, handle, understand and care for horses. Time is spent in mounted and unmounted activities, with the overall focus of lessons learning how to achieve mutual trust and respect with the horse. Group classes offer a high instructor to student ratio, integrating neuro-typical students with individuals with I/DD who do not need 1:1 in order to safely engage.

11/30/2024

Equine Assisted Mental Health (EAMH) is a therapeutic service that incorporates horses as partners in a therapy session. These sessions are conducted with a team consisting of the licensed Mental Health Professional and an Equine Specialist. This service is an on-ground program in which the equine is a partner in the therapeutic process and includes a combination of experiences and activities designed to help process trauma, improve resiliency and build meaningful connections with equines.

Did you know that Columbia County has just one Mental Health Provider for every 2,083 residents, compared to one for every 313 residents in Multnomah County. In addition to an insufficient number of providers, Columbia County lacks a diversity of Mental Health services which reduces participation levels by those in need. Many individuals do not find talk therapy to be effective, especially those who have experienced trauma, veterans and first responders, and those with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Sande currently has one Licensed Professional Counselor who is seeing clients and is partnering with Portland State University to hire interns next year. We are excited to bring this needed service to our community and help bridge the gap Columbia County faces in mental health services.

11/28/2024

May your day be filled with gratitude and love.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Sande School of Horsemanship.

11/28/2024

Specialized Therapeutic Riding provides horsemanship lessons to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities whose needs require at least one staff member for each student. Columbia County has no Special Olympics or other organized sport for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities beside Sande. Our lessons are done either in private or group sessions and always address the individualized needs of each client. In addition to building confidence and communication skills, lessons bolster physical strength, improve balance and release spastic muscles.

Our Therapeutic Riding program has an incredible return rate, with almost 100% of clients returning for multiple sessions, and some have been riding at Sande for over 10 years!

11/22/2024

Fun Fact Friday!

Did you know that Arabians have less bones than other horses? Most horses have 205 bones (one less than humans), but the Arabian has one less lumbar vertebra, one less rib, and some are even missing the tail bone. That means that Arabians have an average of 203 bones!

11/22/2024

Fun Fact Friday!

Did you know that Arabians have fewer bones than other horse breeds? Horses have 205 bones (just one less than humans), but the Arabian has one less lumbar vertebra, one less rib, and sometimes they are even missing the tail bone! Because of this, Arabians have an average of 203 bones.

11/20/2024

The Sande Youth Leadership Program is designed for youth ages 8 - 18 who desire to build their life skills, strength and resiliency. Opportunities increase as students progress through the levels to become Horse Care Volunteers, Youth Mentors and Junior Instructors. By learning how to care for horses and help others, young people grow into community leaders who are able to face and overcome challenges in a healthy and positive manner.

Youth Leadership provides group classes in three levels, which all support the development of youth into responsible leaders:
-Level 1 classes integrate a horsemanship lesson with resiliency building and life skills as they work with horses and each other. This program was originally designed to serve youth in foster care to provide a place for these youth to have a safe, supportive, skill-building activity outside of therapy or school. About 75% of children in Level 1 have experienced severe childhood trauma.
-Level 2 trains students to become Youth Horse Care Volunteers and combines with students from Integrated Riding who have achieved a high enough level of horsemanship to test into the class. Once students have completed Level 2 and have volunteered successfully and responsibly for at least 50 hours, they can qualify for Level 3.
-Level 3 trains students to become Peer Mentors and Junior Instructors. Our Junior Instructors are an integral part of the barn community, helping Sande to meet our mission in keeping costs down and providing a high teacher : student ratio.

This program has seen incredible success, and many of the Junior Instructors move on to become Lead Instructors as adults. Sande currently has 10 Junior Instructors / Junior Instructor Trainees. These youth are learning important life skills as they mentor and work with younger riders. They learn responsibility, decision making, communication, critical thinking and so much more.

11/18/2024

Of Sande's four programs, Integrated Riding is the most well-known. This is the program students sign up for to learn to ride a horse - but really it is so much more. We believe that riders have the responsibility to care for and build positive relationships with the horses they ride, and we bring this philosophy into our Integrated Riding program. Lessons are spent half in riding and half in on ground horsemanship - learning what it means to be a responsible horse person- from cleaning stalls to treating colic. This is not always easy work, but it is vital in learning to care for your horse.

At Sande, we view the horse as a partner in lessons. Students work to build a positive relationship with the horses they ride, one built on mutual trust and respect. Our approach is one of positivity, patience, and consistency - allowing the rider to move at a safe and appropriate pace as they learn new skills. We work with all riders where they are at, and often helping them work through fears, anxieties, frustration and working with them to build confidence as a rider. And, as the name suggests, Integrated riding integrates group lessons with individuals with mental health challenges or Intellectual / Developmental disabilities who do not need one on one support.

11/15/2024

Fun Fact Friday!

The oldest horse to ever live was Old Billy, who lived until the incredible age of 62!! For comparison, with modern veterinary medicine most horses today live until 25 - 30 years old. Old Billy was born in Manchester, England in 1760 and died there in 1822. Old Billy's jaw and teeth are even on display in the Manchester Museum.

You can read more about Old Billy here: https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Old-Billy-The-Barge-Horse/