October 18th, 2008

Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Society of Calgary
12 km east of Deerfoot Trail on Marquis of Lorne Trail.
Proceeds of event to go to the Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Program

This year Sally Bishop, a Trick Rider who resides in Calgary is returning to ride at the auction.

• Silent Auction & Bake Sale 1:00 - 4:30 pm
• Wine & Cheese Party 4:00pm
• Live Auction 5:00 - 6:00 pm Donations welcome!

Our riders will be on the horses while fund raiser takes place……
be sure to ask them about their ride!

Each week, from September to April, dozens of “challenged riders” from age five to adult are given the opportunity to experience the sport of horseback riding. Forgetting wheelchairs and therapy, riders with challenges like autism, spina bifida and down syndrome, spend a carefree forty five minutes on horseback, astride specially selected mounts and assisted by trained volunteers. Smiles are as a wide as the horses’ broad backs, and for many, this activity is the highlight of their week.

For more information or to make a donation to our auction, please call

Yvonne @ 254-4184 or Brandii @ 279-1931 at GreenBriar Stables

Please note that the Opening Gaits office will be closed from July 15 to August 15, 2008.

We look forward to seeing everyone in August when it will be time to register and/or volunteer for classes.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. Regards Yvonne and Jane

CHAPTER 1

Once upon a time there was a group of young people who liked to horseback ride. They belonged to a program called Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Society of Calgary.

At the end of class, their favorite game is What Time Is It Mr. Wolf. Mr. Wolf is very good at telling time. He is very elegant and formal, always wearing a bowtie to class. His fur is black, grey and tan and very shiny. But, have the students ever wondered what Mr. Wolf does on his days off. Well, let’s find out.

Mostly, Mr. Wolf heads for the hills to rejoin his pack when he is not at the barn. As a rule wolves like to stay in family groups with other wolves. However, Mr. Wolf is a confirmed bachelor and he also likes to be around the children at Opening Gaits. Outside of that he is usually very shy around people.

He has a very routine life in the wild, as far as a wolf life goes. He does what all wolves in a pack do. They hunt, eat, sleep and teach their young. Even the confirmed bachelors like Mr. Wolf take part in teaching the young. Also, Mr. Wolf looks forward to seeing his friends at the barn every week. His adventures really begin when he meets Tony the Pony. It’s very strange how Tony comes into his life.

Mr. Wolf had left the barn after class on a Saturday and as he was loping across the hay field near the cliffs of the river, a pony and a curious purple thing slammed out of the sky in front of him. The pony did some summersaults, slid on his butt and came to a grinding halt flat on his face near the cliff. The purple thing was not as lucky and kept tumbling over the bank.

After his heart stopped racing like a train, Mr. Wolf cautiously approached the pony. The pony was gasping for air, trying to say something. Mr. Wolf sniffed and said to himself, sure smells like a horse but it’s kind of small. The pony was small and shaggy, with beautiful golden hair on his body and a white colored mane and tail. His legs were also white. As Mr. Wolf slowly crept up to the pony, it struggled to its feet, swaying back and forth, muttering “Toot-toot-tootsie”. What the heck is a tootsie wondered Mr. Wolf.

The pony stumbled back and forth on the bank, yelling “Tootsie, Tootsie, where are you”. As Mr. Wolf crept closer to the pony he heard a little voice calling “help, help”. Mr. Wolf and the pony peeked over the edge of the cliff. Clinging to a tree root hanging below the cliff top was the funny little purple thing.

Let’s see, we left Mr. Wolf and the pony at the cliff’s edge looking at the little purple thing hanging by a tree root.  The pony and Mr. Wolf got down on their knees to see better and stuck their heads further out and looked down.  “Help me, Tony” whispered the little purple thing.  Dirt started to fall and the tree root dropped about a foot.

Mr. Wolf himself was speechless.  WHAT IS THAT?  He had never seen anything like it in his life.  Soft purple hair covered a fat, little rotund body.  Its head, also round, had pointed ears and eyes that were like big round shiny malt balls. Its tail was short and fat like a stump but not purple.  It was blue!  But what really amazed him were the wings.  This thing had not one set but two sets of wings that were blue just like the tail.  Man, but what a mess.  The wings must have been wrecked in the fall from the sky.  One had a hole in it, one was bent and the other two bigger top ones were just plain balled up.   Mr. Wolf looked up at the sky and down again and he still couldn’t figure out where the pony and the purple thing had come from.

The tree root slipped again and the little purple thing starting screaming like a banshee.  “GET ME OUT OF HERE, I CAN’T FLY.”   “This is just great Tony, I am going to get you for this.  It’s your fault I’m hanging here and if I fall I will end up like a squished tomato on the rocks down there.”  “Oh but, who knows, maybe I will miss the rocks and land in the river and drown.  Yep, then you really will be in trouble with my parents. They told you to look after me”. “Man oh man, are you ever in trouble”.

“OK, OK, stop Tootsie” said Tony.  He turned to Mr. Wolf and said, “Will you help us - what should I do?”  Mr. Wolf looked at the pony and down at the purple thing.  He thought a minute, then turned around and lowered his tail over the edge.  “Grab my tail.”  Tootsie reached up with her tiny little paw but Mr. Wolf’s tail was not long enough.  He turned to Tony and said, “You put your tail over the edge and see if Tootsie can reach it.”   “HELP, HELP” the little purple thing screamed as the root slid down again.  Tony put his butt over the edge of the cliff and Tootsie couldn’t reach his tail either.

Mr. Wolf turned to Tony and said, “I am going to hold on to your tail and lower myself down - that should work.”  So Tony sat down and waited for Mr. Wolf to climb down his tail.  It smarted to have Mr. Wolf hanging on his tail but they had to save his friend. Tootsie reached up and grabbed Mr. Wolf’s tail.  Mr. Wolf yelled, “Go pony.”  Tony stood up and took off in a cloud of dust.  Mr. Wolf and Tootsie came flying over the edge, swinging into the air.  “STOP, STOP” yelled Mr. Wolf.  The pony put on the brakes and Mr. Wolf and Tootsie bounced off Tony’s butt and landed in a heap at his feet.

Stay tuned for Chapter 3 soon.

Have you ever had the wind knocked out of you? Well, let me tell you, it’s no fun. Mr. Wolf and Tootsie rolled around on the ground gasping for breath. Finally, they lay still, panting, trying to recover from flying through the air and slamming to the ground at Tony’s feet. Well, that was fun thought Mr. Wolf; I wonder what these two do for an encore. Well, how about that, under his elegant exterior Mr. Wolf seems to have a sense of humor.

Mr. Wolf sat up, shook his whole body and was surrounded by a cloud of dust. He brushed his paws across his face and straightened up his bow tie. He was going to need a bath now. He turned to Tony and in his most dignified voice said “I am Mr. Wolf and who are you two, if I may ask.” Just as he said this, the little purple thing launched herself at Mr. Wolf. “Oh my, thanks, thanks, you saved my life. My parents are going to love you, I don’t know what they would do if they lost their little Tootsie - oh my god, can you picture it. The funeral and everything, I wonder what music they would play, oh, oh!! Do you think my brothers would cry, oh, oh!!”

“Tootsie, stop it already” said Tony.

He turned to Mr. Wolf and said “I am Tony the Pony and this is my friend Tootsie, the Smole.” Oh great, thought Mr. Wolf, this just gets better and better. Well, Mr. Wolf doesn’t know the half of it. “And you are from???” Tony turned to Tootsie and Tootsie nodded her head. “Ok, Mr. Wolf, since you saved Tootsie’s life I will tell you where we are from.”

It turns out Tony the Pony and Tootsie the Smole live in Red Rock West which is not to be mistaken for Red Rock East. It’s a cross between the lands of the Lord of the Rings, Never - Never Land, Harry Potter and Star Wars. Anything and everything can happen there and does. It filled with wonderful and marvelous creatures like Tootsie. However, having said that there is also the dark side. Red Rock East is where trolls roam the land and there are one or two dragons left. Throw an evil wizard into the mix and let the good times roll.

Now Tootsie is really strange, being purple and all. You have to wonder about the wings also. But Tony, he is just a little pony, right? Wrong, Tony is really different.

His parents are Estelle and Fred Maximus, the King and Queen of the Unicorns. Unicorns???? Tony sure doesn’t look like a unicorn. Everyone knows unicorns are white and have a horn on their forehead. Well, that’s the rub. Tony’s hair is not white and he does not have a horn on his head. This has caused him a lot of grief among the other young unicorns and creatures in Red Rock West. They like to tease him because he is different. How different, well on top of everything else Tony has the gift of magic.
OK magic, that’s cool. Only problem is Tony is a young unicorn and there is no way he can control his magic. He has magic that no one else in the land has.
And that’s what keeps getting him in trouble. Like how he and Tootsie ended up flying through the air and landing in front of Mr. Wolf.

Mr. Wolf thought this over for minute and asked Tony, “Well if you are magic, why didn’t you use it to save Tootsie?” “Well” Tony said, “I didn’t because it always lands me in trouble and I couldn’t make a mistake and kill Tootsie. She is my best friend.”

“Ok, I can understand that” said Mr. Wolf “but where did you two come from”.
“Hmm” “I” mumbled Tony. “Come on Tony, get it over with” said Tootsie.
“Ok, Tootsie and I were escaping from the trolls and the dungeon, when I wished we were somewhere else. I wasn’t specific enough as to where, I guess.”

Mr. Wolf had a very surprised look on his face and he was trying very hard not to laugh. He is too refined and elegant for that, or so he thinks. Trolls and dungeons??? They have got to be kidding.

All of a sudden, Mr. Wolf looked up at the sky and realized that it soon would be dark. “Come along you two, I have to get home. Your story will have to wait until later.”

Stay tuned for Chapter 4 coming soon

I would like to introduce you to another instructor. Chris Speck is a semi-retired instructor who started with Opening Gaits in 2001. She became NARHA certified in June 2004. Chris lives part of the year in the U.S. but when she is around she helps Donna Davey with the Wednesday morning classes. Her expertise is always welcome as she was a R.N and has traveled the world. She stays in touch with Donna all year and she guides, suggests or confirms methods that benefit both the students and the horses.

In Memoriam Natasha Joy Sabo

There are tears of sadness as we also say goodbye to one of our riders, Natasha Joy Sabo. Natasha was very special and she was Mom and Dad’s world from October 1995 to April 2007. Now she is in Heaven, taking care of her family and the rest of the world. To us she will always be sitting on top of Smokey, with a big smile on her face and that is how she will be remembered by everyone at Opening Gaits. She came to earth to teach us about unconditional love, kindness and what giving was all about.

Smokey knew exactly what Natasha was all about and he made her his world on the days that she rode. He gently took care of her and he always knew when she needed a rest. Smokey is going home to spend his remaining time on earth in a green pasture with the sun shining on his face. Two old friends are going home. All of us at Opening Gaits have Natasha and her family in our hearts and prayers.

Remembering Jazz

Sometimes the world will bring something special into our lives and cause us to smile. Jazz, one of the program horses, passed away last November. Jazz, donated by Marilyn, loved life to the fullest and he did it with pride and gentleness. He was adored by volunteers, riders and anyone else who came into his world. Marilyn and Jazz grew up together and they spent many hours together like old friends do. All of us at Opening Gaits will be thinking of Marilyn and Jazz as he will be missed.

Edmonton Sherriff’s Posse rides along with Opening Gaits!!!

Once again the plucky men of the North were brave enough to arrive in Calgary in time for the 2007 Stampede. As usual they are being very generous to Opening Gaits. We are a regular on their travels and their donation every year is greatly appreciated and put to good use.

Thanks to the Edmonton Sheriffs Posse.

Representing Opening Gaits are Howard Nelson, Rohit and his father Digant.

New Lift

We have great news about our custom lift that we were able to purchase thanks to the Kinsmen Club of Calgary. They were very generous and this allowed us to buy a first class lift that is required as some of our students who are growing up fast and getting too big to be lifted. Rick Maidman installed the lift this summer and students are getting used to using it. As soon as possible pictures will be available.

Many organizations have been generous this past year with donations to Opening Gaits.

Igallop

This summer Opening Gaits became the proud owners of an IGallop, thanks to the AEF. What’s an IGallop? My question exactly. So, I googled IGallop and found out it’s a wonderful exercise machine that the riders can borrow to work on their core balance.

Your body responds to multi-directional movement to maintain balance. In other-words the seat moves which engages muscle groups in the abs, back, hips, seat and legs. It helps improve balance, posture and coordination. It changes speeds at random intervals.
Sounds like something we all should try.

The Masters

Early in September Spruce Meadows, a world class riding facility in Calgary, held “The Masters” which included the $40,000.00 Cana Cup. BMO donated the use of their skybox at Spruce Meadows on September 6 for an event that was planned by Carol Buckwold. This is the second year that Carol has organized this event to benefit Opening Gaits. Ticket holders were treated with meeting Anky van Grunsven, the world’s #1 dressage rider, who did a demonstration. Also, Mika took those interested for a “course walk”. Seeing the jumps up close gives one a whole new appreciation for the sport of jumping. At 3:00pm the Cana Cup began with 30 riders competing for their share of $40,000.00.

Many thanks to BMO and Carol.

Owen and Tiffany were in attendance representing Opening Gaits riders at the Spruce Meadows BMO skybox.

Carol Buckwold, Don Chalmers, Rick Maidman, Donna Davey, Howard Nelson and of course our kids Owen and Tiffany.

We also received a very wonderful donation from the Calgary Regional Trail Riders Club which is a non-profit group. The group provides members with day rides, campouts, clinics and they ride in parades during the year. The Club holds casino’s to benefit programs like ours.

On October 20, 2007 GreenBriar Stables hosted a silent/live auction to benefit Opening Gaits. The auction was combined with a bake sale, and wine and cheese. Great fun was had by all and over $15,000.00 was raised. Thanks very much to Ron & Better Francis who own GreenBriar and their manager Brandii. Also thanks to Yvonne and Marina who worked hard setting up the auction. I understand that they had a trick rider to entertain everyone who attended the auction.

HOOFBEATS AND HEARTBEATS

After a really long break, its time to play catch-up and let everyone know what has been going on with Opening Gaits.

Welcome back and we hope everyone had a great summer.

Our fund raising adventures began with the Millarville Rodeo the end of May. Unfortunately, the weather did not co-operate much. Along with a booth at some Brookfield Properties buildings, other rodeos were attended and then it was on to the Stampede Bash at the Ranchmans. Everyone who attended enjoyed themselves and next year the party will be held on June 22, 2007. We did very well with the silent auction, the boot raffle and the dinner tickets. We made approximately $4,700.00. I would like to thank everyone who helped make this a success. Special thanks to Rosemary and Allen Canuel who braved the crowds selling cards on the cowboy boots. Thanks to the Alberta Boot Company who donated the boots valued at $265.00. We raised $520.00 on the boots.

OUT OF THE NORTH THEY CAME, the brave men and women of the Edmonton Sheriffs Posse to nab their man. And get him they did, in time to show him off at the Calgary Stampede Parade. For the third year in a row, they have donated $1,000.00 to Opening Gaits. Marina Irwin, Darren Matwe and I went down to Ft. Calgary before the parade and received the check from their fearless leader, Lloyd Monk. Thanks again to the Posse for their donation.

During Stampede Week, Opening Gaits volunteers did stints of selling tickets for the Kinsmen’s at the Stampede Grounds. The Kinsmen raise money for charities with their car raffles. This wonderful organization benefits many charities and Opening Gaits is one of them. They are donating up to $5,000.00 for us to purchase a lift to use at the arena. We have some students that this lift will really help and it will save some father’s backs. They also plan to provide volunteers for the Charity Rodeo. Big thanks to the Kinsmen.

The Saddle-Up raffle tickets are selling well.

Once again the prizes are:

1st prize - Wade Ranch saddle and tack sponsored by Peak Energy of Calgary
Supplied by West World in Carstairs

2nd prize - His and Her Ping Golf Clubs and round of golf sponsored by Rockford
Developments of Calgary and Heritage Pointe Golf Club

3rd prize - Chain Saw package sponsored by Calmont Truck Rental, Leasing and
Service of Calgary. Supplied by Millarville Power Products.

We sold raffle tickets at the High River, Airdrie, Okotoks and Strathmore Rodeos along with the Millarville Farmer’s Market and the Farmer’s Market at Currie Barracks. Hopefully, the parents will do well with the book of tickets they were sent in the mail. Kudu’s to all the parents who have taken the time to volunteer.

This delightful young lady is Shallaine Daley who volunteered to model at the Opening Gaits Raffle ticket booth at the Strathmore Rodeo.

These two handsome young gentlemen are Hugh and Evan Thomson from Perthshire UK. They were attending the Strathmore Rodeo with their parents and visited the Opening Gaits raffle ticket booth.

All this hard work will come to a peak at the Cowboy Trail Ranch Rodeo for Charities to be held at the Millarville Racetrack September 16, 2007. Thanks to our Chairman, Don Chalmers, the rodeo is well organized and teams are lining up to participate. Another board member Marina Irwin is organizing the beer garden and the dance. All in all it should be a really fun day. The raffle draws will be made at the end of the rodeo around 6:00pm.

NEW NEWS

Look for the new shopping portion on our website coming soon. T-shirts, hoodies, hats and pins will be available.

While at the Strathmore Rodeo I met a very nice woman who owns Rich Safety Restraints and we will be linking to her website. They custom build every type of harness imaginable and are made of high quality nylon. They even make harnesses for race car drivers and seat harnesses for buses just to name a few. Hopefully, this will be helpful information.
Jane Thorburn 9/5/06