Hello Ms.Shanna,
'The Lighthouse School Camp Stay-cation had an amazing time at Cowboy Town Stables! Every student got to ride the horse, and that is no small accomplishment for our students with multiple challenges!
We truly appreciate how welcoming and accommodating the staff was to us. And the students thoroughly enjoyed themselves; they would very well have stayed all day if they could! Every time the students talk about the camp, our visit to the stables is the first thing they mention. Cowboy Town Stables stands out far beyond our other camp activities as the highlight of the entire camp!
Thank you so much Cowboy Town Stables!
As a parent of 3 children who recently attended Cowboy Town Stables I was amazed at the facility and the knowledge of the staff!
The children were explained the safety around the animals and then they were shown around the stables and met each horse. They learned about the grooming and feeding of the horses and how to correctly mount the horse so as not to harm them.
The children were so excited as they got to each take a ride on the horse in the paddock whilst it was being guided by a trainer. They also learned about the skeleton of the horse as that coincided with what they were learning at school.
The whole trip was so refreshing and fun and educational. The kids cannot wait to go back!!!!!!
Rebecca Davidson
Photographer, Parent
Field trip of children from A REALLY LITTLE SCHOOL
"Hannah’s development & progress over the last nine months has been absolutely remarkable through the help of the staff, Shanna, Freckles, Buddy, & volunteers at Cowboy Town Stables. The stables are a unique and safe place for Hannah to learn to ride, improve confidence, fitness, flexibility, & co-ordination, as well as develop trust & friendships. Lessons include horse grooming, tacking up, riding, & feeding in an exciting, welcoming, & fun environment. I would definitely recommend visiting the stables to meet the team & book some lessons.
Gaylene Meeson
Parent
My daughter Kanza Bodden is 16 years old; she is a beautiful young lady with Down Syndrome. I have seen to it that Kanza receive age appropriate learning and have myself administered much in this area. The three best, most successful attempts at moving Kanza along have been Special Olympics, Human Dolphin Therapy, and Equine Therapy. We all learn best when we are fully engaged because we love what we are doing. Kanza like most kids loves animals; she has only a basic fear and is willing to try new things. She follows direction fairly well, especially when there is a reward. Rewards only work if they are given soon after the good behavior. That is why therapy with animals is so successful.
Of course animals can't help our children without the kind expertise of great therapists, support staff and safe arenas. I found all of this and more with Ms. Shanna at Cowboy Town Stables. When contacted Shanna allowed Kanza and I to come and meet the horses, discuss what she did and offered to work with Kanza. Shanna wanted to incorporate the learning to best meet Kanza's and my needs. This was accomplished; Kanza made great friends with 4 people and 6 horses, in 16 sessions each one and a half hours long. It was all about Kanza learning new skills, hands on grooming, following direction and just enjoying herself. A big problem is low self esteem and Kanza didn't show signs of it while there.
Ms. Shanna brought out the best in Kanza even when she arrived grumpy. I would take her directly from school but she never complained and would remind me every Tue. “I have horse ridding today. Kanza has had a lot of fun in her life and has achieved great things. I just signed her up for 2 weeks of camp with Ms. Shanna and the gang and Know it will be the highlight of our summer. I will leave her there each morning knowing she will be safe and moving towards independence and having a blast. I will go and do whatever I want. It is hard to find people to befriend Kanza but that is one of her biggest needs. I plan to give Kanza as many times at Cowboy Town Stables as we can afford in the coming years as I see great things coming from it.
Sincerely
Nancy Bodden
Parent
As a weekly volunteer at Cowboy Town Stables I can’t emphasise enough the knowledge, patience & kindness of Shanna & her team when helping children of all ages & abilities learn to ride & develop important motor skills, confidence & trust all of which are embraced in a lesson of fun, one-to-one tuition & true understanding of the students needs & goals through therapeutic horsemanship. The horses are immaculately turned out, well trained & responsive to their riders. It’s an amazingly rewarding experience & I’m delighted to be involved with such an inspirational team.
Lucy Macfadyen
Volunteer