Endorsements
Professionally, as a staff member of the George Gund Foundation, my job is to review nonprofit organizations who submit requests for funding. I can say without qualification that [Fieldstone Farm TRC] is one of the most professionally run organizations I have come into contact with. This is especially evident in the way they develop their programs, retain top quality staff and train and manage an extended set of volunteers without whom the program would not function. They are a sound investment.
-Jon M. Jensen, formerly of The George Gund Foundation, currently with the Park Foundation
You helped me to go to the Fieldstone Farm program. For that I want to thank you. My horse is Apache. I enjoyed the environment of all the horses and how they are taken care of. I learned that a horse needs a lot of care, and that they are massive creatures and their eyes are gentle.
-Anthony Keller-Hrdlicka, 13 years old
My two sons began taking horseback riding classes at Fieldstone Farms earlier this summer, and I have been so impressed with the program. Both children have gained self-confidence, pride in accomplishment, new friendships and an ability to have a relationship with an animal.
My younger son is in a delayed speech and language group, and the breadth of skills addressed is exemplary. He greets his volunteers, requests stirrups and reins, has a language-based mounted activity (find the letters in your name around the arena and collect them), and ends each lesson with a question of the day, for which he needs to interview his volunteers and report findings back to the group. What an excellent complementary activity to office-based speech therapy.
My older son has Aspergers, and works on social skills issues. He is extremely intelligent, and his group has rapidly advanced through many riding skills...two-points, trotting, steering, posting, etc. His class so differs from my younger son's class in that his social skill work is seamless. A bystander would not notice the social skills element of the program---greeting volunteers, requesting needed equipment, working with the other students, etc. The instructors are excellent at re-directing and motivating students to focus, and truly understand the dual purpose of their sessions.
I am proud that my family is associated with Fieldstone Farms. It is a wonderful community resource and an enabler for our children.
Sincerely,
Marlene Whitman
Thank you for being our instructor while we were out at Fieldstone Farm the entire school year. The children (and teachers) had such a wonderful time that we cannot wait to schedule dates to come back again next year.
I really loved watching what the horseback riding did to promote and establish trunk control. The children learned how to take care of a horse, love animals, develop communication, develop self-confidence, and most importantly, have fun while learning without even knowing they were learning! Incidental Learning - Isn't it wonderful?
On behalf of the Cleveland Sight Center, I would like to thank you for all your generosity, kindness, ability to adapt to demands, and the knowledge that were presented through each lesson both on the ground and while riding. I would not hesitate to bring a child with a disability knowing that they would always be in a safe environment. I have enclosed several pictures of the children that hopefully provide you with a clear picture of the pure enjoyment that staff, the volunteers, and especially the horses have provided for our students. I look forward to seeing each of you soon!
Sincerely,
Sarah Hojnacki, Preschool intervention Specialist