Ponies As Partners

Our son Edgar met Sabina Silvia and her (and his soon-to-be) beloved horse Indy when he was just three years old.  Since then he has been visiting her Third Beach Road farm as often as possible.  When others might have questioned his attention span, Sabina praised his work ethic; when other environments proved challenging, the ring was an oasis of calm.  It was clear this was where Edgar belonged–and his love of horses and Sabina has never waned.  The transformative power of his relationship with Sabina and Indy is truly a thing of beauty and beyond compare. 

Below Sabina shares with readers what it is she does and the details of an upcoming–and very important–fundraiser.  I am sharing this with you–and asking you to share with others (specifically those who live on Aquidneck Island and nearby)–because I believe in and can speak to the magic that exists between children and horses. 

Please enjoy this interview with Sabina and mark your calendars for Thursday, February 23, 2012.  Then, share this interview on Facebook or through email or some other way with folks who may be able to attend.  Leave a comment here on this post and let me know you shared the interview and how.  Each comment will enter you in a drawing to win a one-hour visit to Sabina’s Middletown, Rhode Island, farm to visit with, groom, and ride the horses–a gift to use for yourself or to share with someone you love. 

Comments will be open through Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 11:59 PM EST. 

SH: Tell us a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to begin Ponies as Partners.

SS:  My name is Sabina Silvia, and I am the Director of  Ponies As Partners Therapeutic Riding Inc. I am 48 years old and have been  involved with horses since I was 12 years old. We got involved with horses as a family when we ran across a little Shetland pony named “Fireball” who was not being cared for properly. We bought her and nursed her back to health, and I  guess from that point on I always had a soft spot for the “underdog”! I was  fortunate enough to spend my teenage years riding, horse-showing, and  participating in 4-H and Pony Club.  Our budget was tight, but my mom somehow made it work. We were taught the values of hard work, responsibility, and not giving  up. I never had the most expensive horse, but I worked hard with the one I did  have; and through perseverance, I still had an incredibly successful show career. I graduated from Johnson & Wales College in 1983 with a degree in Equine Sciences, majoring in Instruction and minoring in Barn Management. I  then went on to earn a degree in Accounting from Rhode Island College. After working in banking for almost 20 years, I had the dubious distinction of being one of a handful of women to be pregnant and at the same time be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Aggressive treatment was started immediately; and although trying, our son Andrew was born healthy in 2003. My horses, along with my family, really gave me the needed strength to carry on with this seemingly impossible challenge. At that time, my husband and I started to rethink our life path. Did I really want to spend the rest of my working life in a cubicle? Did we really want our son brought up in a day care center? Quality of life won out over a secure paycheck, vacations, and all the other things that go along  with corporate America. We purchased Ponies To Go Farm in September 2005, and in January 2006 Ponies As Partners was launched. Our goal, as an organization, is to reach out and share our horses and ponies with as many children and adults as  possible. The horses have a unique ability to motivate people and inspire them to do their best.  Their trusting nature can result in astounding progress with clients who resist other forms of therapy. As I said before, I have a soft spot  for the underdog, and my heart just melts each and every time I see one of our visitors make strides that seemed impossible not too long before. It never gets  old!

SH: What should readers know about Ponies As Partners?

SS: I think readers should know that Ponies As Partners is not a one-size-fits-all program. Every time I get a call regarding a potential new client, I always start from scratch.  I have yet to meet two clients who end up with exactly the same lesson plan.  I work with older and younger clients, people with physical and emotional challenges, ADD, autism, social anxiety, Down’s Syndrome, some who come from abusive homes, some who have learning disabilities–the list is limitless. I always develop an individual plan for each person who visits our farm. Some clients benefit from riding only, some like to ride and groom, and some would prefer not to ride but just be around the animals.  I always ask what the client hopes to gain by coming to Ponies As Partners.  What do their parents/caregivers hope to gain? Physicians also have an opportunity to provide input when we are deciding how best to proceed. Many times we will develop a plan that will incorporate physical exercises such as steering, stopping, walking, and trotting, to improve physical condition.  Or for clients struggling with attention challenges, we may work on sequences of tasks while on horseback or even steps in getting a horse ready to ride. You need to be creative in determining how to provide the client with a fun, enjoyable experience, yet at the same time make progress with their challenges and produce positive results. I love that challenge!  Communication is the key. Being a  small organization that can give individual attention to each client is one of my favorite aspects of Ponies As Partners. I don’t want that to ever change.

SH:  What are the details of your upcoming fundraiser?

SS: Ponies As Partners is holding a fundraiser event during Newport Winter Festival week on Thursday, February 23, 2012, at Island Cinema in Middletown, Rhode Island (directly behind Home Depot). A dessert reception featuring a  decadent chocolate fountain with a variety of dipping items, along with many other sweet treat selections, will be offered from 5 – 6:30 pm. During the dessert reception, raffle tickets will be sold for our fabulous “Pick Your Prize!” Raffle. At 6:30, the movie “Buck” will be screened. “Buck” is an amazing  film, winner of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival Audience Choice Award.  Details on the film can be found at  www.buckthefilm.com    After the  movie, we will raffle off our prizes, generously donated by many area merchants and individuals. The dessert reception and movie price is $20.00 (adults) and $15.00 (children 12 and under). Discounts are available for Winter Festival  Button-holders. And you can find more details at www.poniesaspartners.org   We  would love to see you there!

SH: Why is it so important for folks to support this cause?

SS: Supporting this cause is important for many reasons. We  provide a valuable service to our community’s most vulnerable citizens. The success they experience at our farm, taking charge of an animal that far exceeds their own weight and bulk–being able to learn skills that will enable, for example, a differently abled client to find a meaningful and productive way to live his or her life; giving an abused child a voice and  teaching that child that they do have value, that someone appreciates them, that they are  important; developing a good work ethic, along with a “can do” attitude–this is all just a part of what we offer through Ponies as Partners. Another excellent reason to support our cause is that we operate on a volunteer-only basis. All donations go toward funding programs that are offered at low- or no-cost. Our fees are far below what is typically charged for equine activities. You can be sure that your support goes to providing valuable services and programs.

SH: In closing, please describe the magnitude of the therapeutic relationship that can exist between horses and  humans, and specifically children with special needs.

SS:  The human/equine bond that exists in the therapeutic setting is one that is tough to describe or explain. How is it that a 1,200-pound animal that dragged me out to the field this morning has just allowed a 50-pound physically challenged child to lead him into the ring, get on his back, and gently and calmly execute each and every command given to him by his vulnerable and even intimidated rider? With nary a break in his stride or a misstep in any direction, I never cease to be amazed at how this horse knows he has a very special passenger and that he must take special care not to take advantage of any uncertainty.  I see this day after day, and I am in awe of it.  It is as if the horse knows he is being entrusted with a special mission and that we count on him to deliver.  My horses and ponies almost seem to know  they are participating in a very special process; and the look of happiness and accomplishment evident on a rider’s face after they are finished is a look I am happy to see 24/7!    

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