Central Kentucky Riding for Hope

 

 

 

This week we're highlighting a very prominent organization in the therapeutic riding industry - Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH), a PATH International Premiere Accredited Center. We recently received a beautiful testimonial from CKRH about their Equicizer that we're excited to share with you all, but FIRST, some cool history and facts about the incredible program that Central Kentucky Riding for Hope has evolved into:

Founded in 1981 and based out of the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, CKRH has been serving the community in a multitude of ways for over 35 years. Their 4.1 million dollar facility which includes a large 50,000 square foot center that features everything from a large arena, stalls and other barn amenities to offices and meeting spaces, also contains an outdoor arena and plenty of paddock space for the approximately 30 horses that contribute to their various programs.

The CKRH employs a full and part time staff as well as multiple licensed therapists and they have over 170 volunteers each week that help keep everything running smoothly. The services the CKRH offers include therapeutic riding, Hippotherapy, Equine Facilitated Mental Health, Equine Facilitated Learning and Therapeutic Horsemanship. These may include mounted and non-mounted equine activities overseen by certified professionals and are open to a wide range of individuals from those with physical and mental disabilities to military members and veterans as well as local public and private schools.


One of our personal favorite things about the CKRH is their use of their Equicizer - "HOPE"! Purchased in 2007, "Hope" helps further the CKRH's mission and dedication "to enriching the community by improving the quality of life and the health of children and adults with special physical, cognitive, emotional and social needs through therapeutic activities with the horse" on a daily basis.



In the words of CKRH's Equine Manager/Trainer/Instructor, Lisa Swanson:

"We love our Equicizer, fondly named "HOPE" for many reasons. HOPE doesn't shed, always has a pleasant attitude, & never needs to have her saddle refitted! :)

In all seriousness, we use HOPE all the time at our Center. Some of our uses are new rider evaluations, engaging fearful participants, building rider core strength & stamina, staff /volunteer training's, and more! HOPE is part of our herd and a valuable asset as we serve individuals in the community with disabilities. HOPE helps our participants see themselves as ABLE, rather than DIS-ABLED!!

Thank you for such an awesome product!!"

And we would like to thank the CKRH for their continuing efforts on behalf of all of those that they service.

Please check out Central Kentucky Riding for Hope's website and facebook page for more information. 

by Kayla Jarvinen

 

www.equicizer.com

And the winner is...

Contest Winner Announcement

First and foremost, we are happy to say that we feel like the winner of this contest! We were blown away at all the honest and thoughtful responses that were submitted and are very grateful for everyone's participation! We are looking forward to incorporating some of the ideas you shared regarding things you are interested in learning more about. 

Here is a brief summary of the contest:

We received responses from around the world, including the United States, Canada, and New Zealand.

The responses we received helped us to learn more about you as our fans and customers. For example, we now know how much you love our monthly newsletter and social media presence!

You shared some of your favorite things about the Equicizer.

And last, but not least, we would like to send a big CONGRATULATIONS to 

Kristen in Cleveland 

who is our contest winner! The luck of the Irish was with Kristen this week! 

We hope you are subscribed to our blog here and our newsletter. Have a safe and happy weekend!

http://www.equicizer.com/

Enter to Win!

Enter to Win!

We are offering a 20$ Amazon gift card to one lucky winner. You can enter just by answering a few simple questions! We are hoping to incorporate more contests throughout the next year so make sure you are subscribed to our newsletter and following us across social media. You never know where one of these might pop up!

What do I have to do to win?

Follow this link and answer the questions. YES - it's that easy!

 

Can I earn extra entries?

You can earn ONE extra entry by being subscribed to our monthly newsletter. We never share our subscriber list with any affiliates and typically only send one email a month.

When will the winner be announced?

The winner will be announced on our next Wooden Horse Wednesday - March 14th.

www.equicizer.com

 No purchase necessary. Purchase does not enhance chance of winning. Void where prohibited. This contest is the responsibility of Wooden Horse Corporation and we have no affiliation with Amazon. Entry is gained by completing the survey and one additional entry may be earned by subscribing to the Wooden Horse Corporation newsletter. The contest begins 2/27/2018 at 10am EST and ends 3/13/2018 at 10pm EST or when the contest reaches 100 entries. Anyone is eligible for a maximum of two entries, which are gained by filling out the survey (1) or filling out the survey and being subscribed to the newsletter (2). The prize is one Amazon gift card with a value of $20. The winner will be chosen at 10:30pm EST on 3/13/2018 and announced at 10am EST on 3/14/2017 on woodenhorsewednesday.blogspot.com. The selection process will be filmed and will be done by numbering the entries and entering the numbers into a random picker. By entering the contest, the entrant agrees to being announced as the winner should they win by their first name. The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants but are estimated to be 1 to 100. 

Loving the Equicizer

♥♥ Happy Valentines Day, Equicizer family! ♥♥

As Wooden Horse Wednesday is falling on the holiday of love this year, we decided to showcase the people we love (YOU!) loving on the Equicizer! Nothing is more rewarding than seeing the smiles the Equicizer puts on the faces of our customers. 

SDSU Adaptive Fitness Clinic LOVES a good core workout.

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We LOVE this shot of Grace Lake Ministry's Equcizer "Rocko" making a new little friend.

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We LOVE our partnership with Steve Lantvit Horsemanship!

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Debra Haynes LOVES her Equicizer, "Chance' so much, she wrote us a story about him!

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Dream Catcher of LA and their Equicizer "Woody" getting some LOVE from a friend.

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At CS Mott Children's Hospital, the Little Victors kids LOVED horsing around on the Equicizer when Therapeutic Riding Inc brought it by for a riding simulation.
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Joan Patterson LOVES to ride her Equicizer "Cowboy"

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Isabelle Wenc LOVES her Equicizer "Goofs"

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We LOVED watching Ellen and Nacho Figueras take a spin on the Equicizer.

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Sheila demonstrates something she LOVES about the Equicizer - working out inside during the cold winter months!

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Horses Healing Humans LOVES making their Equicizer time a group affair!

Jordan, her pups, and her Equicizer "Tonka" LOVE spending time together!

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The Calvanese Therapeutic Learning Foundation LOVES to smile about their Equicizer "Shady Lady".

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Hagyard Equine Medical Institute LOVED seeing this cute pup take a spin on the Equicizer.

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We hope you LOVED all these pictures and have a LOVELY Valentine's Day! ♥

www.equicizer.com

Compiled by Kayla Jarvinen and Amanda Elia

A Touch of Nostalgia....

On Thursday, January 25th the 47th annual Eclipse Awards were held at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida. For those of you unfamiliar, the Eclipse Awards are North American horse racing's highest honor; the equivalent of an Oscar or Grammy in the entertainment industry.

This black tie affair draws the best of the best in horse racing from around the country, who come together to celebrate the previous years outstanding accomplishments and rising stars. There are numerous categories honoring horses, jockeys, trainers, owners, breeders, media and others who've had a positive impact on the racing industry.

One highly coveted category is that for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey. This is an award that was won by Equicizer Creator and Builder, Frank Lovato, Jr. in 1980. The three finalists in this category for this year's Eclipse Award were all well deserving and ironically, they are all connected - in some manner - to the Equicizer.

Finalist Katie Clawson, who was gaining momentum before announcing her retirement in September, attended two of Frankie's Jockey Camps in 2011 and 2012. The camps, held from 2009-2013 were held at Frankie's home in Ohio where attendees were given an insiders view at what it takes to become a jockey. The lessons and activities were done primarily on Equicizers in the Equicizer workshop and on a scale size racetrack Frankie built in his backyard. The 2012 camp was also notably attended by Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone.

Another of the finalists, Hector Rafael Diaz Jr., attended the jockey school in Puerto Rico, where the Equicizer is used as a regular part of their program, before coming over to the United States. 

This year's third finalist and ultimately, the winner of the 2017 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, Evin A. Roman, called just yesterday to place his order for an Equicizer. His agent - Tony Matos - was also Frankie's agent for a time during his award winning apprentice year.

We are proud of the parallels that existed among this year's finalists and would like to offer a sincere congratulations to Evin, Hector and Katie for their hard work and accomplishments this past year.

It was one year after Frankie himself won the Eclipse Award that a badly fractured leg prompted the creation of what is now known and used, not only in horse racing but all over the world, as the Equicizer.

To learn more about Frankie's Eclipse Award winning run and the story behind the creation of the Equicizer, check out our previous blog post, "The First “Wooden Horse” - The Birth of the Equicizer (Part 1)."

by Kayla Jarvinen

www.equicizer.com

2017 - A Year in Review

Welcome 2018!

Happy New Year! 

We are looking ahead to what lies before us in 2018 with a lot of excitement and hope you are, too! 

The Equicizer All-Purpose Pad

One of our favorite parts of 2017 was the announcement of our All-Purpose Riding Pad. Since we introduced the pad on May 1st, the feedback has been coming back positive and we even got an endorsement from horse trainer Steve Lantvit! We used the pads as part of a clinic at Lazy L Ranch with Steve as well.

The pad, which is priced at $195.00 USD, is a versatile and durable addition to any tack room. It can be used on the Equicizer and then moved over to real horses (just don't forget to remove the stirrups). The construction is designed to last (by Equicizer creator Frankie Lovato, Jr.) with a Herculon top that is mold and mildew resistant.

Read more and/or order here.

Resolutions

What are your New Year's Resolutions? We would love to hear. Tag us in your posts on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook! The Equicizer can be a great tool for achieving your fitness and/or riding goals in 2018. We hope to be a part of your journey.

Check out our "New Year, New You" blog from last year to find some inspiration for your resolutions and ways to incorporate your Equicizer.

By Amanda Elia

www.equicizer.com