A
Horse Whisperer in Lake Katrine
A
young woman in a power wheelchair gently leads a
horse around while he walks along with her. Later the horse will
lower his head to come in close to a young man, also
in a power wheelchair. By lowering his
head, the horse is making himself accessible to the
young man. The horse will also move toward hands and
arms that are less agile and the person he is
visiting will use the less functional hand to pet.
This horse is very gentle with everyone he meets and
was taught to do these things by Pam Wood. Pam does
data entry in the Northeast Center for Special MDS
office. She has been an employee of Northeast Center since it
opened in 1999.
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Northeast
Center for Special Care staff member Pam Wood
and "Archie." Pam has
just walked Archie around the Northeast Center
campus and they both stopped to pose for a
Picture.
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Pam
told us: "I was riding horses since before I
was walking. My mom used to put me up in front on
horses when she rode. I've had horses all my
life." Raised in Ulster County, Pam's parents
always had horses. They play a big part in her life.
"I started showing horses when I was nine. I
was in 4-H as a teenager and we showed horses and
did demonstrations with them." Growing up Pam
had five horses during those years. They were
grade-horses or mixed-breeds. "They were not
registered horses," Pam said, "now I raise
Appaloosa's and quarter horses."
Pam got her first horse at age nine: "His name
was Cherokee and when I got him he was three months
old and was mal-nourished. My father found him,
picked him up, put him in the back of a pick-up
truck and brought him home. We nursed him back and I
had him for twenty-seven years."
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A Resident-Neighbor in
a powerchair walks Archie. Pam
works with the horses she cares for
to be able to interact with people in
wheelchairs. |
Over
the years Pam's love of horses has remained strong.
"Right now I own two Appaloosa stallions one
who I have had for twenty-years. His registered name
is Prince Sparrow Hawk, but I call him Hawk. I also
have one of his offspring. Her name is Luna and she
is seven years old." Pam also boards and cares
for horses, she currently cares for seven horses
besides the two she owns, "I'm up very early
and I'm at the stalls every morning by 4:40 am to
feed and care for them. I'm arrive at my job at
Northeast Center by 6:00 am and at 2:30 pm I leave
and go back home to clean the stalls, feed and care
for the horses."
Pam and the horses periodically come to Northeast
Center to visit Resident-Neighbors. "It started
seven years ago when I found out that one of our
Resident-Neighbors had owned horses. After talking
with him I knew it would be fun for him to be around
horses again so I made arrangements and one day
brought my horse to the Center. He enjoyed it so
much that I started bringing the horses twice a
year. I love bringing the horses here. Our
Resident-Neighbors get such a kick out of it!"
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Patricia
Ricks (L), poses with her horse
"Bear," Pam Wood (R),
poses with "Archie," on the
Northeast Center campus.
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On
a sunny summer day Pam, along with Patricia
Ricks, Registered Dietician at Northeast Center for
Special Care arrived with two horses. Pam brought a
quarter horse she cares for named Archie, who is an
eighteen year-old registered quarter horse. Patricia
brought her horse Bear, which is a Tennessee Walker.
Both horses are Geldings and are very mellow.
A large group of Resident-Neighbors and family
members came to visit. The activity, coordinated
with help from our therapeutic recreation department
staff was held on our spacious campus. We watched
Resident-Neighbors pet the horses, some talked to
Archie and Bear and some assisted in walking the
horses. Family members and children who were
visiting came over to say hello and meet our equestrienne
visitors.
Pam gets a lot out of the visits as well: "For
me it's all in the faces of our Resident-Neighbors.
Everyone smiles and has a good time and you can't
beat that. It's very therapeutic."
We watched Pam when the horses first arrived. She
walked Archie around and helped him adjust to the
surroundings. She whispered to Archie and he seemed
to respond. We wondered what she was saying to him?
Pam has a great gift with horses and both her and
Patricia have generous hearts to share the horses
with our Resident-Neighbors and their families on
these visits.
