1. S P R I N G 2 0 1 2
Farm Tales “…Where horse dreams become reality”
Fun on the Farm
Not all children experience a farm
environment. Every third Saturday of
each month, we invite different foster
care children, churches, other
organizations and institutions to
attend this event. It’s a free event
that we offer every month to
underprivileged children. Our goal is
“The outside of a horse is good for to expose them to the many
opportunities like, riding a pony,
the inside of a man.”- Winston interact with other farm animals and
enjoy a fun filled day! "We wanted
Churchill to help other children in our
community who are not able to
In January, HorsePower for Kids started a new program called horseback ride unless we gave them
The Equine Club for all new potential equestrians. This program free services," said Estela Orosz.
consists of learning all the basic fundamentals of horsemanship Fun on the Farm is open to the
such as safety rules, grooming, track instruction and more. The public for a small fee, $10 dollars for
program is only offered on Sunday’s from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. children one and older and $6
Lessons are $10 dollars an hour with our trainers Angela dollars for adults. Mark your
Roberson and Sarah Guma. Riders are required to wear calendars for:
appropriate clothing. Also, helmets are provided on site. Hurry
reserve and your spot today! Space is limited and only a few When: May 19
more slots left. Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Save the Date!
Summer on a Warriors for Drum Circle
Farm Camp Autism Camp CANCELLED
June 11 – Aug 17 June 18 – Aug 10 May 5
Whether it’s a whole Summer programs Tune in for our next
day or half a day, what specially design for event in June. Date to
better fun then a children with (ASD) & be announced.
summer on a farm. their siblings.
2. FARM TALES SPRING 2012
Lights, Camera, Action with ABC Action News!
Congratulations to all of our volunteers for a very Each year HorsePower for Kids host two major
successful Spring Fest! fundraising events, Spring Fest and Fall Fest, to
It was a very early morning atHorsePower for Kids raise money for the farm improvements and
volunteers as they cleaned and prepared the farm animal care.
for another Spring Fest Weekend. Spring Fest This Easter was a very busy day on the farm.
began its first celebrating day on March 31. For While MeredythCensullo reported live people
three weekends, children from all over the bay began to fill up our parking lot and road. More
area came to welcome spring on the farm. Spring then a thousand people spent their Easter on the
Fest event days were, March 31, April 1 and April farm. Talk about one amazing Sunday Fun day
7. for HorsePower for Kids!
On Easter Sunday, April 7, ABC Action News Children from the Bay area enjoyed their Easter
arrived on the farm to film four lively shots just Sunday with live music from Judy B. Goode, a
before they broadcasted live. Reporter bounce house, pony walks, hay rides, face
MeredythCensullo reported live to the Tampa Bay painting, a petting zoo and much more.
community about our Easter Sunday event during
Our next fundraising event will be announced in
our Spring Fest celebration.
the fall.
Sammy the Parrot
We would like to welcome our newest member of
our family.
Sammy is a Yellow-Faced Amazon Parrot. Sammy was
donated to our farm on April 20 by aSt. Petersburg
native. Sammy comes from a single homeowner where
he lived for 10 years.
His natural habitat is in Brazil and Bolivia in South
America. Sammy is considered an endangered species
according to the Convention of International Trade in
Endangered Species. We are very grateful to have such
a unique parrot for on our farm for our children.
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3. FARM TALES SPRING 2012
What’s Happening on the Farm?
In the spotlight
SaskiaRavelli, field trip coordinator started volunteering in
January 2011 when HorsePower for Kids became a non-
profit organization. She coordinates all Hillsborough and
Pinellas County field trips from Tuesday - Friday.
Teaching children about the animals on the farm is
Saskia’s joy. “I love seeing the excitement in their eyes
while they interact with animals the have never seen.”
You can’t catch me!
Students from Hillsborough and Pinellas County schools
were challenged in the chicken coop as part of a fun
experiment in the petting zoo! After a brief educational
background on our eggs, chicks, hens and roosters they
were invited to catch a chicken.
Art on a horse
In the Arena, children were allowed to paint their horses
to match their personality as they completed with their
fellow riders. The board of directors scored their tactics
and their creativity during their monthly horse show. The
children were provided washable paint and decorations to
express their artistic abilities.
Zorse?
If there is one thing that brings excitement to children on
the farm is the petting zoo. Children get the chance to
feed the animals, hold the bunnies, take pictures with the
miniature horse, and much more! HorsePower for Kids is
home to the famous Zorse. What is a Zorse? A Zorse is a
horse that is half zebra and half thoroughbred horse. The
creation of a Zorse is unique once it is produced the
Zorse is not able to reproduce.
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4. FARM TALES SPRING 2012
There’s something about a Horse…
Finally, she got what she has been echo inside her head. Anabelle put her last
nervously waiting for, “My first pack of Newport’s,” cigarette down. She didn’t want to continue to
said AnabelleLonge. She closes her eyes as she break her mother’s heart.
absorbed the aroma of tobacco withdrawing from
the box. She picks up her lighter and pulls a fresh The solution to her problem was found in
single out of the pack. She lights up her first HorsePower for Kids, Inc. HorsePower for Kids is
cigarette and watches the tip sizzle as she inhales a non-profit organization that prides themselves in
her first puff. helping at-risk, inner city and underprivileged
children of all ages. These children benefit from
Anabelle was an invisible 15-year-old outcast riding, learning and caring for horses. The idea
toher peers at Clearwater Central Catholic wasn’t every convincing to Anabelle at first but
School. The only way she could be seen is to find she decided she would give it a shot for her
a way to fit in. After class she posted along side of mother.
the brick wall by the gymnasium, twirling her half
empty box of Newport’s in her hand. “The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a
man,” said Armando Gort, the Executive Director,
It wasn’t long until she attracted the wrong crowd. as he recited Winston Churchill before he began
A’s turned into D’s and B’s into F’s. Her the tour of the farm.
academics were no longer a priority instead the
life of a rebel seemed more appealing to her. “I A year later, Anabelle changed into a completely
spent my weekends partying, having fun, smoking different person. She loves volunteering, has
and drinking,” said Anabelle. really positive friends, HorsePower became a part
of a new family, and her grades have
After a few months passed by her mother noticed skyrocketed. “At first, I didn’t like it,” said
a major change in her daughter. She feared she Anabelle, “It seemed silly that a horse farm would
would be losing her little girl completely. A help me out.” Now, Anabelle volunteers every
mother’s worst nightmare is learning that their weekend. She helps guide the pony walks, clean
child became a victim of drugs and alcohol, or stalls, feed the horses and teaches the children
imprisoned because of a horrible crime. In this about the horses when they visit the farm. She
case, Anabelle had only slightly fallen between a also takes horseback riding lessons very Sunday.
crack and was waiting for someone to come help
her out. “Anabelle has grown a lot since she started
volunteering,” said Estela Orosz, the Charity
“It’s not like her to miss school, carry the scent of Event Coordinator and Mentor, “I can see a
cigarettes and bring unacceptable grades home,” confident leader when I watch her ride Tank and
said Tracy Longe. It didn’t take long for Tracy to interact with children from our community visiting
find an alternate escape for her little girl. A little the farm.” Tank is one of the horses that helped
bird whispered in Tracy’s ear and exposed her to transform Anabelle into the new confident leader
the idea of having Anabelle volunteer for a good she is now.
cause. She began her search for local non-profit
organizations that would help construct a new Horses are loyal creatures. They feed on the
Anabelle and help her boost her low self-esteem. kindness and the friendship they create with
human beings. Horses help troubled children in
Anabelle was also on her own quest for clarity finding themselves. They help bring out qualities
and new direction. Internally, she knew she was in children never knew they had, like it did with
headed for the wrong path. Every time she would Anabelle. There truly is something about a horse
start to light a cigarette, her mother’s voice would that brings goodness out of a man.
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5. FARM TALES SPRING 2012
Sponsor A Child
There are so many children who wish to learn how to ride horses but
are not able to because they simply cannot afford the lessons.
HorsePower for Kids invites you to sponsor a child for only $19.99 a
month. When you sponsor a child you will receive a photo of the
child, invitations to attend their horse shows and competitions,
letters of their achievements, progress, and a plaque for contributing
to our program. The child will learn the fundamentals of
horsemanship, how to ride safely and how to care for a horse. Also they
will learn one of the three riding styles our farm teaches, which are:
Western, English or Jumper. There is no better feeling then the feeling
you get when you help someone else in need.
Sponsor a child today!
There’s no place like a
farm.
HorsePower for Kids, Inc.
8005 S. Racetrack Rd.
Tampa, FL 33635