The Lanark County Therapeutic Riding Program

The Lanark County Therapeutic Riding Program <= Home Page

Hubby is on a new volunteer kick! He continues to dispatch and deliver Meals on Wheels on Tuesdays. Sometimes it is twice a week, once in awhile thrice.
I'm very proud of hubby!

Week one

On Monday, July 3rd, he was going out to volunteer with a Therapeutic Riding group nearby. I'm not sure his back can take it, neither is he, but he's going to try. 45 min. leading a horse with rider (+ 15 min. break) x 3. He is anticipatory, excited, and worried, too. He grew up with Belgians, playing under their hooves. He adores horses. I'm crossing my fingers. He met his ex-SIL at the training session. She promptly phoned her sister (wife #1; I'm #3) in B.C., and they spoke on the phone. Kinda fluky!

It is a complicated business, as one leads the horse, and two walk on either side of the horse. They lead the client through games, to teach them equestrian skills. It's tricky keeping control of the horse, since you don't want to upset it, and want to keep the horse and rider calm!

It's a lovely farm, with dedicated volunteers. One horse took the pin out of his watch strap. He had that repaired!
Sadly, he was bitten thrice, mostly only bruised but once they drew blood. He didn't even feel it dripping down his arm! I sent him off for a tetanus shot.
Hubby loves his horses. He says that the clients clearly enjoy the riding, and it makes it all worth it!
He went back, Thursday, July 6th, and was roped into helping!

Week two: Monday, July 10th

All was well. Amber was a good little horse. Back at the medical clinic for another purpose, staff wanted to see his horse bite! They don't usually draw blood!

Of course, we can't take photos of horses with clients, but I have a lot of photos from our horse show visits.

Hubby loves visiting horse shows:
Richmond Fair Heavy Horses
Coldwater Horse Show
Bracebridge Fall Fair - Horses!
Metcalfe Fair Horses!

Carp Fair - not so much fun

Carp Fair : slick website. 151 years old.

Why, you ask?
They have a huge organisation, with buses taking you to the fairgrounds, a large 34-member Board of Directors. But, they

Lots for sale
-knock-offs?

don't allow backpacks in. Now, hubby needs his medications, water, and his special snacks, as he has health issues that preclude eggs, yeast, dairy foods.

The big, burly security guards were vigilant in refusing to let this 64-year-old man in with an old backpack. He stuck it in the bushes, and I had to carry his water, pills, snacks, along with my camera equipment. My purse was allowed in.

What is with this? Usually, at fairs, you buy market goods, with many stalls around selling all the usual belts, hats, flags. The volunteer at the parking area, a 15 minute walk or a bus ride down the road, said we could probably get in with the backpack. Not so. The security guards were merciless. "Read the signs", they said. By now, the car was down the road.

Now, they let in a family with a backpack, they had a kid in a stroller and bottles and diapers were in it. They let in other with backpacks. What is their assumption? That they don't want food in, as they want you to buy it?

I truly do not understand. Amloda, Inc. guards carefully watch and check each person in.
Is it kids bringing in drugs or alcohol? Or they want people to eat at the concessions?
It's crappy food: sugary,  boiled in oil fattening stuff, and we did not eat there. We went across the street to Alice's cafe, where hubby struggled to find something he could eat. The split-pea soup had no dairy or eggs, thankfully. He couldn't have any bread or buns, though.

One blogger wrote, in 2011,

“People may look at the event and think of all the money we are generating, but the expenses are also huge as the cost of security and policing reached approximately $25,000 this year.”

1. Carp Fair | "Best Little Fair in Canada"

2. Not so much fun. You cannot get near to the horses, which is the part hubby likes. They are large, expensive, registered horses; the Clydes, Percheron, and the like. I can understand protecting them, but it was disappointing. 
   

   1. They do prohibit dogs, which is a good thing, with all the amazing animals.

3. 1. 

      Hubby, 2009 Bracebridge Fair
      This was bliss!

       Volunteers and gates keep you out of the barns, and you cannot get near them. It really is too big a fair for us to enjoy. It is too commercial, too many people hawking questionable goods, and just a zoo! The smaller fairs don't attract as many of the big horses, since it is expensive to haul them there.
4. The best fair we attended was in Bracebridge, where hubby was able to actually touch the horses, which took him down memory lane. As a child, living on the farm, they had big workhorses.
5. Thankfully I had the medium zoom lens with me. I couldn't bring my large one, as it is too heavy to carry. (No backpacks, remember!)

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The barns are busy with other competitions. Lots of small kids.



Goodbye, Carp Fair. We won't be back.

Lynwood Fun Fair: Capybara, Patagonian Mara

Is there anything better than a fair?

Patagonian Mara

Patagonian Mara

Patagonian Mara

Fair organisers,

roo

Parachute play

Kids have fun playing and face painting.

Capybara

Lynwood village has many tall trees, bungalows that show 'pride of ownership'! Neighbours range from retirees to young families, although the recent trend seems to be that only girls are born on this particular street!

 

The animals seem to be the best part!