Leap O' Faith Therapeutic Riding Center

When you have a neurotypical child, you feel reasonably assured that class participation and decent study habits will result in good grades. These kids have close friends. They get invited to participate in social things like dances and weekend gatherings. They make the teams, auditions, organizations, and clubs.
But when you have a child with certain differences, this is often not the case. Learning may take longer, both academically and socially. Despite their tremendous efforts, results are often a fraction of their peers and social acceptance is fleeting, setting them up for painful comparisons and bitter frustration. Instead of a fun and fulfilling experience, the school can become a breeding ground for depression and anxiety, and assignments a battleground at home. It is exhausting for parents and children alike.
This is the week of SPED (Special Education), Autism, Dyslexia, and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) awareness.
For all the children who struggle every day to succeed in a world that does not recognize their gifts and talents, and for those who are walking beside them, please let this be a gentle reminder to be kind and accepting of ALL people.
Recognize that the "playing field" is not always a level surface.
Children who learn differently are not weird. They are merely gifted in ways that our society does not value enough. Yet they want what everyone else wants: To be accepted!!
If you choose, please "copy and paste" (by touching and holding the text) onto your profile in honor of all children who are deemed "different".
Our world would be far less beautiful and magnificent without them.
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤

Hello Friends of Leap O' Faith TRC. This has been a really rough year for us and our riders because of the pandemic. We are trying to remain positive during this and trying to keep the horses healthy, fed, and ready to ride. I am asking, which I don't do often, for your help to keep the center going so when the riders are able to come back we will be here for them. Will you donate today?

A HUGE THANK YOU to those volunteers and students who helped clean tack this weekend. Making sure all our saddles and bridles are safe for our riders to use.

Congratulations to Lucy Shires and Gayfield's Floosie! You had such a wonderful first horseshow at Pontotoc County Fair yesterday!

Registration for the Leap O' Faith Summer Horse Camp is now open! We only have room for a limited number of participants so register early. You can either call (580) 272-0498 or visit our website, www.leapofaithtrc.org, and click on the 2018 Summer Horse Camp button.

Well, we had a volunteer training scheduled for today but we are going to cancel due to the storm coming through. A little rain is fine for an hour or so but this will last ALL DAY! We will give notice on a rain date soon.

Waiting, waiting, waiting...for the weather to warm up, for the riders to start coming back, for the grass to grow so we can stop feeling like all the horses do it eat and...well you know!

Last week-end we were very honored to have Boy Scout Troop 13 spend some time with us, earning their Horsemanship Badge. 18 young men, their Scout Master (Dr. Steven Ivan), and accompanying adults stayed the night in tents and learned all about riding, grooming and the physiology of horses.

It was a great time and one we look forward to repeating in the future. This is just another way that Leap O' Faith TRC is able to assist in making the Ada community a better place to live.

Here are pictures from day 3 of the Leap O' Faith Horse Camp!

We also want to thank our Event Presenter, the LegalShield "Soul Team", and our other sponsors for helping us to provide this camp to the children of the Ada area:

C&M Propane
Ada Fram & Alignment
Apple Market
Gateway Mortgage Group
Sanders Construction
Thompson Hay Co.

Their generous help made all this possible!

Here are some more pictures from last week's Leap O' Faith Horse Camp. Fun from Day 2!

Summer camp was a great success!

We'd like to thank all the riders who attended and hopefully they will share their experiences with their friends. Here are some pictures of the first day of camp.

We have the greatest volunteers and teachers who love to share their time and experience with the campers. A big round of applause goes to Kathy Scroggins for puitting all this together!

Whew!! Horse Camp was so much fun! Our campers had fun riding every day and learning so many things. They painted their ponies and created horsey crafts! I'm so proud of all of our riders. A special shout out to Campbell Cole who recieved the Legalshield "Soul Team" award for being an exceptional horsewoman and showing the most improvement in her riding at camp. Thank You to God for keeping the weather fairly cool.
That's all the camp we will have for this year.

There are a few saddles still open for a rider at the Leap O' Faith Summer Horse Camp! Why not give your young'un a wonderful 5-day immersive equine experience in June?

Sign up on our website at http://www.leapofaithtrc.org/kid-s-camp.html

Leap O' Faith Therapeutic Riding Center - Contact Us

We want to extend a big THANK YOU to our new "Silver level" sponsor:

Ada Frame & Alignment!

This area business is another in the growing list of Sponsors who are underwriting a portion of our upcoming Summer Horse Camp and helping us continue our mission of providing equine-assisted therapy to those with physical, mental, and learning challenges in the Ada community. Please remember to go to Brad & Lois Grigg at Ada Frame & Alignment for your car repairs.

If you have a business or know of one which would be interested in sponsoring us with a tax-deductible contribution, please use the "contact us" link on our website - www.leapofaithtrc.org/contact-us.html, send a message through Facebook, or give us a call at (580) 272-0498.

leapofaithtrc.org Reaching out to children and adults in our community with disabilities to give healing and a better quality of life.

Here are some photos taken from the Children's Fair, held at the Ada Agriplex earlier in April. It was a great event and we were well received by the community. We had a special visitor with us, too...Shorty, the mini-horse, was graciously lent to us by Lori Sweeney. Shorty was a big hit with the kids and helped to get the message out about Equine-assisted therapy.

A big thanks goes out to all our volunteers who helped setup the booth and talk with all the people who stopped by. Each of you are a big part of Leap O' Faith and we couldn't do any of this without you!

Oh, and Smokey the Bear stopped by, too! :)

If you'd like to be a volunteer, our next training is on May 20th. Also, if you want to help us financially, you can donate directly through Facebook.

Summer Horse Camp applications are now open!

If you have a child or youth, between the grades of 1st to 10th, who would love to spend 5 days in June learning how to ride horses and doing other fun activities, then sign them up on our website at www.leapofaithtrc.org/kid-s-camp.html.

Our horse camp is available for all kids, disabled or fully-functioning.

We want to thank the LegalShield Soul Team for their wonderful work in March at putting on a Barrel-Race fundraiser for us. We had the honor of meeting with them recently at LegalShield where they presented us with the receipts of this event. We are very humbled by their generosity and are pleased to announce them as our Summer Horse Camp event sponsor!

Team Leap O' Faith! Ready to go into the big arena at 3 Crosses Ken Lance. I am so proud of everyone, such a great team!!! 😆

WHAT A DAY!

The fundraising Barrel Racing event, so graciously organized by LegalShield's "Soul Team" and hosted by the 3 Crosses - Ken Lance Arena (Tim Workman is awesome), was a great success! Though the day turned a little colder, there were still well over 30 riders taking part in the competition. I mean, there were horses (and horse-people) everywhere!

All the Silent Auction items were bid upon and reached generous sell amounts, except the most valuable item - and it's still available! The Mary Ruth Barnes print "On Aspen Trail" can be yours if you are interested. We are looking for a minimum bid of $175. (The gallery price for this work of fine art is in the $250 - $300 range.) If interested, you can either post your offer on this Facebook post or send me a private message.

I would just like to thank all the members of LegalShields Soul Team (especially Regina Lively) for the wonderful planning and hard work done on our behalf. Also, a great deal of thanks to the Ada Rotary: Satellite club for their help during the event. And last but not least, a big THANK YOU to the close knit Volunteers of Leap O' Faith TRC! You guys are a big reason why we can do what we do and we are so proud of your commitment to helping our riders have such a wonderful experience. You are all rock stars!

At tomorrow's Barrel Race fundraising event, (https://www.facebook.com/events/627641320776822/) these businesses have generously donated items for the Silent Auction. Please, come to 3 Crosses - Ken Lance Arena and see what they have shared. Then, remember them when you are shopping for items they offer!

BDC Gun Room (Shawnee)
K. Rhynes Surplus (Ada)
Boom-A-Rang Diner (Ada)
Ada Feed Center
Steppin Out (Ada)

And if you'd like to give but aren't able to attend Saturday's event, Facebook has given us the ability to receive donations through them, too! :)

As promised, here is the Mary Ruth Barnes print which will be auctioned off at the upcoming Barrel Race event this Saturday at the 3 Crosses - Ken Lance Arena. https://www.facebook.com/events/627641320776822/

It is called "On Aspen Trail", comes signed, framed, and matted (easel is NOT included) and is #9 of 250. The picture will also be included in an upcoming children's book that Mary Ruth is authoring.

This is an impresive work of art and can be yours...if you can get the highest bid!

As part of the upcoming Silent Auction at this Saturday's Barrel-racing fundraiser, we have just been presented with a very special item.

Celebrated Chickasaw artist, Mary Ruth Barnes, is graciously giving one of her paintings to be auctioned off. This is a very singular item and something that you will not want to miss out on!

While none of the images attached with this post are of the painting being auctioned off, they are examples of Mary Ruth's art work that show her great talent.

When we get an image of the actual painting, I'll include it.

Please share this news with your friends who enjoy fine art!

We want to extend a big THANK YOU to our new "bronze level" sponsor:

Sanders Construction!

This area business is another in the growing list of Sponsors who are underwriting a portion of our upcoming Summer Horse Camp and helping us continue our mission of providing equine-assisted therapy to those with physical, mental, and learning challenges in the Ada community. Please remember Sanders Construction in Ada for any building projects involving your home or business.

If you have a business or know of one which would be interested in sponsoring us with a tax-deductible contribution, please use the "contact us" link on our website - www.leapofaithtrc.org/contact-us.html, send a message through Facebook, or give us a call at (580) 272-0498.

We want to extend a big THANK YOU to our new "bronze level" sponsor:

Gateway Mortgage!

This area business has been added to our growing list of Sponsors who are underwriting a portion of our upcoming Summer Horse Camp and helping us continue our mission of providing equine-assisted therapy to those with physical, mental, and learning challenges in the Ada community. Please remember Gateway Mortgage in Ada when you are looking for a new loan or refinancing an existing one.

If you have a business or know of one which would be interested in sponsoring us with a tax-deductible contribution, please use the "contact us" link on our website - www.leapofaithtrc.org/contact-us.html, send a message through Facebook, or give us a call at (580) 272-0498.