14. And the number of requests continues to rise. Fourteen
indomitable (as far as their enthusiasm is concerned) riders wanting to
experience Green Week over and over again, a vacation on horseback made
possible thanks to the Istituto Francesco Cavazza and the Carisbo
Foundation. Let us begin with the week reserved for the younger kids.
Beyond the fundamental and therefore irreplaceable relational experience
developing with the horse, the sense of orientation, of independence and
of self-esteem, this summer the kids made a new four-legged friend, a
friendly and patient big dog especially trained in the relationship with
people with special needs. In exchange of a few cookies, this new friend
sweetly let itself be fondled, petted, walked around to meet other
two-legged friends without ever appearing to be tired or annoyed. On the
contrary. The exchange of interest and affection was reciprocal! These
activities, beyond being obviously pleasant and relaxing, had the
objective of helping the development of the psycho-physiological skills
mentioned above. Between an outing on horseback and the preparation of
lunch for the dog, hearty appetites needed to be fed so our friends became
skilful confectioners using the right ingredients and tools, flour, a
rolling pin, moulds, and the will to do things, the results were finger
(or paw)-linking good. The measures? For "technical" ingredients: until
there is no more; for joy: in abundance.
Could there be fewer
teenagers in the group? Certainly not!
This is what they had in store. Aside from the activities
with the dog, they discovered the Spipola natural park. They went there by
car (how much can they talk?) and walked with a guide discovering the
various forms of vegetation, the perfumes of the officinal plants, the
freshness of caves, the characteristics of rocks. They discovered the
place once and went back a second time where they had to recognize the
various species of vegetation and soil they had learned about the first
time. Did they pass the "exam"? Of course they did!
We should say
after so much exhaustion that they were absolutely famished. The kids,
independently of the age factor, turned into skilful campers. They
prepared the barbecue, cooked sausages, pounded in the tent pegs and said
the magic words because some of them (the tent pegs, not the young riders)
refused to do what they are meant to do, and finally the tents were put up
and when night came, the Aiasport educators, who were trying to sleep, had
to hush them so they could finally fall asleep, tucked in their sleeping
bag abandoning themselves in the arms of Morpheus, the God of Dreams. The
next day, as happened with their younger "colleagues", took place the
horseback riding test in the presence of family and friends. They all
demonstrated their high level of commitment and ability, and the older
ones performed in individual exercises, in couples and in squads to the
astonishment of all spectators.
In the pictures: happy times.
