Announcements 2007

thank you

I would like to offer a sincere and heartfelt thank you to EVERYONE who has offered me their support and encouragement, great and small, from near and far, to make Seapony Farm a reality. This has been a long journey for me and a lifelong dream that is now at its beginning. I am so very grateful, thankful, and in awe of all the people, family, friends, and strangers who have come out to support this very special project.

To the families, participants, volunteers, staffers, contributors and donators you are awesome. The joy you have given me with this opportunity to share my horses, myself and this program with this wonderful community is immeasurable. You are remembered and appreciated more than you may know.

To the Community of Nantucket, thank you for your welcome to the Island and please make yourself at home at Seapony Farm.

2006 summer

During the summer of 2006, we had the honor and the pleasure of hosting a pilot program with The Tulgey Wood Camp, a non-profit organization based in Potomac, Maryland. The campers were young and older adults with varying degrees of physical and emotional disabilities, such as Cerebral Palsy, Williams Syndrome and Downs Syndrome. The campers were visiting Nantucket for two weeks staying at the University of Massachusetts Field Station in Polpis. We hosted 25 of the 30 campers at our temporary location on Hummock Pond Road. Over the two weeks 4 to 6 campers visited each day. We were honored to have one local resident, a participant in the camp, join us for a few days of equestrian activities.

We began the program with a meet and greet the horses which included such activities as brushing, petting, chatting and feeding treats. We also had an art session where the campers painted their hand prints on the horses’ necks, sides and rears. We conducted mounted riding for 15 campers of varying degrees of disability; some wheelchair bound and others ambulatory with and without the aid of crutches or braces.

2007 spring

Seapony Farm opened at their temporary location on Hummock Pond Road in the late spring of 2007. The Seapony Farm horses were amazing and interacted with over 19 participants, all local residents with some summer visitors as well.

2007 summer

The Tulgey Wood campers were hosted again during the summer of 2007 for two weeks. Again we mounted 25 or so campers some visiting us for the first time and others returning friends. We all enjoyed the sensory trail this past year, it was a hit.

2007 winter

Seapony Farm entered the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce Christmas tree decorating contest and won third place in the most traditional section. The children and the adult participants from the Kennedy Donovan Center made all the decorations by hand and helped decorate. Congratulations to all.

testimonial from TulgeyWood

From: Glbutchman

Sent: 2/26/2008 6:22:42 A.M. Eastern Standard Time

Hi Catie, I think that generally on the web words are less loved than visuals. So I have tried to be short. But I am more than happy to write in any way, and on any subject re our riding that you might like. Here is what I came up with so far.

"We feel thoroughly blessed in our friendship with Sea Pony Farm. Whatever our disabilities (or, as we prefer to say, our 'severely unusual' abilities) Catie finds a way for us to experience riding on horse back. (Not always in the conventional manner of course.) We love everything involved in being around the horses - beautiful, generous, and accepting animals. They offer us fun, caring, excitement, adventure, and even therapy."

Gillian Butchman, on behalf of The Fellowship of The Tulgey Wood.