Volunteer Bulletin
Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center
March 2014
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| Become a fan of Little Bit on Facebook! |
Become a fan of Little Bit on Facebook and get more information about events, new horses, and more!
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Important Dates
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March 31-April 19
No classes or sessions
March 29
April 12
May 13
First Aid Training
May 18
Rider Showcase
June 27-29
Horse Show Weekend
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Keeping Time
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 Unfortunately the clocks in the tack barn didn't survive the winter. If you have any sturdy, outdoor clocks laying around, please let Jeffrey know.
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First Aid Training
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Due to an overwhelming response to our last CPR/First Aid Training, we have arranged for another one! The date is Tuesday, May 13th, 6-9 pm. It will once again be taught by David Weed from Woodinville Fire Department, and costs just $5! To sign up, please contact Jeffrey.
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Horse Leader Level 2 Training
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 We are holding a Level 2 Advanced Horse Leader Training/Assessment on Saturday, March 29, 5-7 pm. The participation level for this training has been met, but anyone can audit the class! If you are interested, please contact Jeffrey.
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| Our Volunteers "Rock"! |
 Big thanks to everyone who helped with our gravel project over break! We had over 40 volunteers give over 187 hours of service, which made us able to finish a day early (and fix some of the pot holes in the parking lot!) We realize there is still some work to be done, but this was a great start in some unpleasant weather - thank you!
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Summer Camp - Now Hiring!
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 Can't get enough Little Bit? Join us for Summer Camp! We're looking for Camp Counselors and an Assistant Coordinator who love working with kids, horses, and having fun. Visit our website for more info, or email Instructor Kimberly.
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| Reins of Life Auction 2014 |
 The 2014 Reins of Life Auction is just around the corner: April 12th at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue! Volunteer tasks include registering guests, running receipts, and waving pom-poms - something for everyone! It is a super fun event that benefits Little Bit - plus you'll have the chance to see everyone in something other than barn clothes! If interested in volunteering, please contact Dana. If you would like to reserve your tickets to attend, click here.
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2014 Horse Shows
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 Save the date - this year's horse show weekend is June 27-29! Our Pat Flynn Memorial Horse Show will be Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28; our Margo O'Callaghan Memorial Dressage Show is Sunday, June 29. This is one of the highlights of our year, a chance for riders and patients to showcase their skills and celebrate their accomplishments. We will need help in the arena, plus support taks such as opening gates, running ribbons, and more (this is a great way to get younger and first-time volunteers involved!) For more information, please contact Dana. We'll have more details and sign-ups soon!
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Win Free Ariat Products!
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 Ariat International and the EQUUS Foundation have partnered for a program called Champions for equine volunteers. If you volunteer more than 24 hours during the year, you can be entered into a drawing to win a $250 gift certificate for Ariat products! While this is not an official Little Bit competition, we are part of the EQUUS network so you can count your volunteer hours from here! They also provide scholarships for opportunities including continued education and PATH Intl. Instructor Certification; you could even win a grant for Little Bit! Visit their website for more information.
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| Kara's Corner |
Q: Why can't I hand-feed the horses, and why are they only allowed carrots?
 A: Carrots are a wonderful reward for our horses, and we encourage volunteers to reward the horses they work with by giving out carrots. Our horses are not hand-fed for several reasons. Firstly, hand-feeding can create an unsafe situation, with a horse accidentally mistaking a finger for a carrot. Also, our staff work very hard to create and maintain polite ground manners from all of our horses; if one horse gets hand-fed a carrot while in cross-ties but the other horses in cross-ties do not, it could lead to our horses not being quite as polite and well mannered as we would like.
Carrots are low in sugar and also do not get soggy so that when they are fed out at the end of each day, there is nothing wasted. Some of our horses have dietary restrictions and even a well intentioned sugary treat could be harmful.
Bonus question!
Q: How do I know if a girth is too loose or too tight when I am tacking?
 A: Girthing or cinching a horse is a bit tricky: we want to make sure that the saddle stays in place and doesn't slip when we walk the horses to the arena for warm up, but if a girth is too tight before the horse has a chance to walk around and warm up, it can cause severe muscle and nerve damage to the horse's girth area. Little Bit is a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center, and our instructors are required to follow PATH standards and safety measures including performing tack checks prior to the start of and during each lesson. This means that it is okay to have girths looser prior to the start of the lesson.
When using an English saddle, make sure that you can easily fit at least 3-4 fingers between the horse's sternum (middle of rib cage) and the girth. When using a Western saddle, make sure that you can easily fit at least 2-4 fingers between the horse's sternum and the cinch, also making sure that the metal ring on the cinch is laying in the middle of the horse's belly, not off to one side.
If you have any questions about cinching, please ask an instructor next time you're around the barn.
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Spring Session Break
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There are no classes or sessions March 31 through April 19; Spring Session resumes April 21. Enjoy your break!
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