tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220388792024-03-08T01:33:53.213+01:00ANIMOANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPYLenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-81810940545266084472018-08-08T14:02:00.000+02:002018-08-08T14:02:48.411+02:00Barbara with a Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkzHuUYWgxeOOuYdOHRYkE1UyC3la-2knUKEp-dRZa01LsPL8vmMRGWLKWGYmL8kyvF7mQEJpiPBOiPdAXmP0wfdS5k4jgZNdq6BSF5UBHDbkzanJtFpCHT9wscXdj99z3H5eLg/s1600/IMG_20180808_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="901" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkzHuUYWgxeOOuYdOHRYkE1UyC3la-2knUKEp-dRZa01LsPL8vmMRGWLKWGYmL8kyvF7mQEJpiPBOiPdAXmP0wfdS5k4jgZNdq6BSF5UBHDbkzanJtFpCHT9wscXdj99z3H5eLg/s640/IMG_20180808_0001.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
I found this photograph of Barbara today and wanted to share it. I miss you so much my darling. LenoxLenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-84829730843362873512014-06-06T07:21:00.003+02:002014-06-06T07:22:31.248+02:00Barbara: 1953 - 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lDC5768kh398mimAbNZyrl_6FXY2dVdoSyaIKUgMR1UTUpgHD9DCEpR6kzSrncMRZ3oA9yufzI_4paKPYz8JDDL7rhddZRi6VbaqpJQjcOrKwGD5GLPU9gLC4WLGf2WfMXbgiQ/s1600/barbara+love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lDC5768kh398mimAbNZyrl_6FXY2dVdoSyaIKUgMR1UTUpgHD9DCEpR6kzSrncMRZ3oA9yufzI_4paKPYz8JDDL7rhddZRi6VbaqpJQjcOrKwGD5GLPU9gLC4WLGf2WfMXbgiQ/s1600/barbara+love.jpg" height="251" width="400" /></a></div>
My Darling passed away on Wednesday 4th of June. I'll write about her here soon.<br />
<br />
<br />
Don’t think of her as gone away<br />
Her journey's just begun<br />
Life holds so many facets<br />
This earth is only one. <br />
<br />
Just think of her as resting<br />
From the sorrows and the tears<br />
In a place of warmth and comfort<br />
Where there are no days or years.<br />
<br />
Think how she must be wishing<br />
That we could know today<br />
How nothing but our sadness<br />
Can really pass away.<br />
<br />
And think of her as living <br />
In the hearts of those she touched….<br />
For nothing loved is ever lost<br />
As she was loved so much.
Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-33115187295505237452014-05-24T15:29:00.001+02:002014-05-24T15:29:13.845+02:00Frisona with Barbara<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBLquNXhIe4U7u7hxygIe4FcKdfoR4zJXt7Vx9HifxI7b0IR4MqcbeHGk5Pfz7NHEB4jrm9oJrg0CeTvHfphtgT9hRoOHJfhyphenhyphenN9C_QBW6Xr5pHMTxrppK3R0rtPgfyBn9JPQ27Q/s1600/P1000319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBLquNXhIe4U7u7hxygIe4FcKdfoR4zJXt7Vx9HifxI7b0IR4MqcbeHGk5Pfz7NHEB4jrm9oJrg0CeTvHfphtgT9hRoOHJfhyphenhyphenN9C_QBW6Xr5pHMTxrppK3R0rtPgfyBn9JPQ27Q/s1600/P1000319.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
Frisona with Barbara (a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down)Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-21027313082776576192014-04-17T09:21:00.003+02:002014-04-17T09:25:31.052+02:00Barbara Rides Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been ill for a while, but on Tuesday, with some help from Jessica and Tish (plus another Jessica, out of picture), I went riding on Frisona which made me feel a whole lot better. That's our local town, Mojácar, in the background.Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-70059604947130132442014-03-22T20:31:00.002+01:002014-03-22T20:31:21.063+01:00The Wooden Horse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaB2qxtgWp-W4EGJWDBr4XHjtE1wyn53mh9LXD6Y6pLV4QuV0BZGjVyd5tdSRIwH1jsAtznTh8VsO86wsP8HajIYGp-38qqA6n25Hy-Uxu9dB8vz3tFTy6GC_hM7vPL8Ul-H6rQ/s1600/fd04751cec7de4910d2bad6ba728365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaB2qxtgWp-W4EGJWDBr4XHjtE1wyn53mh9LXD6Y6pLV4QuV0BZGjVyd5tdSRIwH1jsAtznTh8VsO86wsP8HajIYGp-38qqA6n25Hy-Uxu9dB8vz3tFTy6GC_hM7vPL8Ul-H6rQ/s1600/fd04751cec7de4910d2bad6ba728365.jpg" height="305" width="400" /></a></div>
Barbara is not doing so well at the present time. Here's a horse that needs riding.Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-87775338864331070012014-02-10T17:37:00.000+01:002014-02-10T17:37:29.717+01:00Wegener's Granulomatosis
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxpdANq7wK0ZRHGmIPi2AXwETcrwQHLvcKzRzh2m422av__Zp17CJYrZOCRfG7auscHe1T7dg0l_k_V48herYivi1TbDJXWGNwzL56V2xJ7gHMPlQvnfcShYyR3j4Gio_5FNLvw/s1600/100_0557-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxpdANq7wK0ZRHGmIPi2AXwETcrwQHLvcKzRzh2m422av__Zp17CJYrZOCRfG7auscHe1T7dg0l_k_V48herYivi1TbDJXWGNwzL56V2xJ7gHMPlQvnfcShYyR3j4Gio_5FNLvw/s1600/100_0557-002.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>Since I started this
blog I have discovered a wonderful <a href="http://www.wegeners-granulomatosis.com/forum/">Forum</a> with all really friendly
people with Wegeners. They use all sorts of abbreviations that I
still don't have a complete grasp of - like they call themselves
'Weggies', while 'Pred' is Prednesone (a type of steroid) - but it is a place where you can
talk to people who have had what you have or are going through the
same medical procedure. I discovered that much of the material I had
found was so out of date. You don't have to die in five years and
there are lots of different treatments. So until I catch up a little
more and get on track I think I will leave my blog except maybe to
write a few of my adventures with WG. As far as the people on the forum are concerned, you
would think that they would be all down and depressing but they
aren't, they are just the opposite. They are positive and they are helping to
push me on through the hard times.<br />
Meanwhile at home, of course, as far as I can, I will keep on riding my horse. <br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-21253820792375855452014-01-17T09:10:00.002+01:002014-01-17T09:11:12.430+01:00Happy Birdies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9Ego_IedTq8ZjPBmmAb7LsCfd982jwHCd_iio6BHZpZGHWAF45w4BHMSsQL3uMGehNrHU6244_hBd3Vb-LbYhLuWRURp-w_py8siydhgsEyyFP1T6o5ZWJ5oDrS-kvFVyDBvYw/s1600/P1000156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9Ego_IedTq8ZjPBmmAb7LsCfd982jwHCd_iio6BHZpZGHWAF45w4BHMSsQL3uMGehNrHU6244_hBd3Vb-LbYhLuWRURp-w_py8siydhgsEyyFP1T6o5ZWJ5oDrS-kvFVyDBvYw/s1600/P1000156.JPG" height="261" width="400" /></a></div>
The secret to keeping a Lovebird happy (and occupied) is to put some palm leaves in the cage to shred and stuff into the nest to keep the chicks warm. Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-67426436747535951012013-11-23T11:30:00.001+01:002013-11-23T11:32:08.761+01:00Le 'tit Chien<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVvfNOYbyaeA222LzZ01zwDcFQUvkyc-IxautoYWK6rW5sxkYC_1Rlm70UZ0LH83tJpGe7g3g7ac98BK0CAeRvBcrlV_hp3Xb3u5Rpg2K7olRb7nfnVqX_URarCeyByPUFLbgmQ/s1600/P1000024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVvfNOYbyaeA222LzZ01zwDcFQUvkyc-IxautoYWK6rW5sxkYC_1Rlm70UZ0LH83tJpGe7g3g7ac98BK0CAeRvBcrlV_hp3Xb3u5Rpg2K7olRb7nfnVqX_URarCeyByPUFLbgmQ/s400/P1000024.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
You might as well meet the dog. He's fast and he's French. '<i>Wooohhh</i>', 'e say. After being stepped on once by the horse (perhaps under the impression it was a sheep), he is now wise to the ways of the farmyard.Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-80404351746330255502013-11-05T10:03:00.003+01:002013-11-05T10:06:44.026+01:00A New Saddle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2Xy-FGGzQNWAfREDDZCk7eLIpi6dP_c3s9XFv6kwYxxRO36hpgQoyhOP8mbzg0nLGm0mn-e8Yr19AH7zmXK2ankianpdVdtkrolFFwE7bRLuTQXmI_Cu87P8GMBoxsBJg7Lr3w/s1600/100_5543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2Xy-FGGzQNWAfREDDZCk7eLIpi6dP_c3s9XFv6kwYxxRO36hpgQoyhOP8mbzg0nLGm0mn-e8Yr19AH7zmXK2ankianpdVdtkrolFFwE7bRLuTQXmI_Cu87P8GMBoxsBJg7Lr3w/s400/100_5543.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IjHk7T6fS6XLE79T0CaL-P7MmCtEcSEVvoIPDkopIvJQEuuIDyyhe1Cejqir_jdUctz_d2O0fQ7bZfBfaw9bLO-QfHhai1eUxUjBltANnj-XyiBTz4IBIZ0jWn0wz3hGvMyvAA/s1600/100_5592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IjHk7T6fS6XLE79T0CaL-P7MmCtEcSEVvoIPDkopIvJQEuuIDyyhe1Cejqir_jdUctz_d2O0fQ7bZfBfaw9bLO-QfHhai1eUxUjBltANnj-XyiBTz4IBIZ0jWn0wz3hGvMyvAA/s400/100_5592.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is the new lightweight saddle which I have found to be comfortable and to put me in the right position. It's a funny shape, perhaps, but it makes me feel like I'm riding bareback. <br />
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<br />Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-7337019251873541012013-10-28T20:50:00.000+01:002013-10-28T20:51:02.266+01:00Testing a New Saddle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tMCcOpL76VH8OCLNj4x6hAkRC6okq0_K1pootC5QWrPgzTeYbzZcr-FZphaLlrffQpTb0V16Zgej9TZ_ccgvpiJCcnceAO_QmzCR0ys1Wm-0OFEMPUVeul0mUF1RQTwtptsGfQ/s1600/100_5541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tMCcOpL76VH8OCLNj4x6hAkRC6okq0_K1pootC5QWrPgzTeYbzZcr-FZphaLlrffQpTb0V16Zgej9TZ_ccgvpiJCcnceAO_QmzCR0ys1Wm-0OFEMPUVeul0mUF1RQTwtptsGfQ/s400/100_5541.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Riding here with Frisona, accompanied by Ken on Pepper. I am trying a new saddle, which is working pretty well; it isn't really an endurance saddle although it looks like one. The seat is convex instead of concave and I really have never seen anything like it before. It is very close to riding bareback but it puts you in a good position and fits the horse perfectly. It's very light to carry as well. </span>Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-63256978160858028552013-09-16T12:39:00.003+02:002013-09-16T12:39:55.312+02:00On the Beach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlWDC7Y_eKWUdu3XhNlYHC4YAKGxrS64WcomDYTJpfm2VQGHD-9iqGU1FKPt3W0h0A9joZdW7Qcp2a-cVfGXBJhtMGBJw9uxh7AW6A7mel1UjwKdTtbEEzuVfaDsZnhErm-LltQ/s1600/100_4892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlWDC7Y_eKWUdu3XhNlYHC4YAKGxrS64WcomDYTJpfm2VQGHD-9iqGU1FKPt3W0h0A9joZdW7Qcp2a-cVfGXBJhtMGBJw9uxh7AW6A7mel1UjwKdTtbEEzuVfaDsZnhErm-LltQ/s400/100_4892.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Loli and Ken on the Beach in Almería earlier this year.</div>
Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-35278461705295446872013-09-11T12:31:00.001+02:002013-09-11T12:31:16.436+02:00An Old Posting from 15 Years Ago...<h1>
<center>
<span style="font-size: small;"> We just found this, on an old website of ours from 1998. So, of historical interest only...</span></center>
<center>
</center>
<center>
</center>
<center>
ANIMO: Late News.<br />
Updated November 2nd 1998.</center>
</h1>
<br />
Barbara Napier, the director of Animo, is on the board of the Federation
for Riding for the Disabled International (FRDI) - placed there at the international
conference in Colorado in 1987. She has since attended the AGM in Paris
this March and a further international meeting in Munich during September
as part of an international AAT conference.<br />
<br />
Hippotherapist Joan Would visited Animo on May 16 and 17, and imparted a
two-day seminar to 25 physiotherapists, doctors and rehabilitation specialists.
Joining her was the director of the Spanish Spina Bifida Association, Dr
Carlos Miguelez. Information from Barbara 950 478 268.<br />
<br />
The annual ANIMO dinner will be in Mojacar at El Puntazo on Wednesday, December
4th. During the evening, there will be a satellite link up with the Royal
Prince, Felipe, the Duke of Asturias.<br />
<br />
Talk to us about dolfin therapy? An associate from Madrid wishes to start
a centre locally which sounds interesting.<br />
<br />
ANIMO's animals are two dogs (under training), six horses, four donkeys,
a rather affable pig, sundry rabbits, guinea pigs, peacocks, ducks, turkeys,
about a hundred love birds and some chickens. Did I mention the sheep?<br />
<br />
Cash is always short, as we don't charge our disabled friends, and we work
with volunteers (thanks as always to Viv, Keith, Maria Rose, Lionel, Tina
and Juanico). But we have one full time employee, light, maintenance and
a lot of animal-feed to cover.<br />
<br />
We now have over thirty students using the centre, from Almeria and Murcia
provinces. Most have noted improvement in their mobility.<br />
<br />
Our sessions (weather permitting) at the Era del Lugar centre in Mojacar
(Almeria, Spain) are Mondays and Wednesdays, at 5.00 to 7.00pm and Sundays
10.30am to 1.00pm.<br />
<br />
We're always looking to make new friends, give us a call 34 950 478 268
from outside Spain, or national call 950 478 268, and fax 950 478 789, or
e-mail us at The Entertainer.<br />
<br />
<h1>
<center>
Miguel Rios Supports ANIMO</center>
</h1>
<br />
The Spanish rock star Miguel Rios joined the ANIMO gala evening at the Pascha
discoteque in Mojacar, Almeria, last Saturday. Miguel, accompanied by Pepe
Grano de Oro, the lead guitarist from the legendary Los Puntos pop group
(rated during the late 'sixties as Spain's best selling band), performed
two of his best known songs with a chorus of thirty children who accompanied
him in sign-language. The gala, which featured Juan Roque, Corleone, Los
Templarios and Backbeat, was organised by Barbara Napier, the president
of ANIMO, an association which helps the disabled using animal assisted
therapy. The keynote songs were 'El Himno de la Alegria' and 'Santa Lucia'.
Miguel Rios, who had recently completed a Kurt Weill concert in Granada
together with Ana Belén, said afterwards that he was delighted to
freely give some of his time for such a noble cause. Around 1000 people
attended the concert. <br />
<center>
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<h1>
<center>
INTRODUCTION</center>
</h1>
<br />
ANIMO, a non-profit association currently in its formative stages, consists
of two distinct but complementary entities--a Research and Rehabilitation
Center for Handicapped Persons, and a Farm and Wildlife Animal Conservation
Center. Initiated as two separate entities, the overlap of interests and
of key personnel provided a significant synergism by incorporating the two
into ANIMO. The common element uniting all activities within ANIMO is the
importance and utility of the relationship between man and animal. Animal
Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Activities are almost unknown in Spain
but are widely and successfully practiced in other countries. <br />
<br />
A remarkable benefit has been observed when animals and humans come into
contact with each other. Animals have a way of relieving the symptoms of
depression and creating a calming effect, partly due to the animal's complete
lack of prejudice and total acceptance of a person as he is, boosting self
confidence and improving mental health. The improvement in patients with
depression has been widely observed when interacting with animals, which
is especially useful in accident victims who have to learn to deal with
a new handicap. A tremendous improvement has also been noted in stroke victims
when they come into contact with animals--just the touch of their fur seems
to inspire muscular movement in paralized areas. The benefit of Animal Assisted
Activities (AAA) and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is that the independence,
integration, confidence, mental and physical health in the individual are
improved. Animals can take the place of a missing sense, exercise and massage
body parts that can no longer move on their own, or help with the tasks
of everyday life, providing a happier, healthier life for the handicapped
individual.The values of riding for the disabled and assistance dogs are
described in detail in the following sections on horses and dogs. <br />
<br />
<br />
ANIMO is aimed at, but not exclusive to, the physically and sensorally handicapped
in Spain, which, according to a study carried out by INSERSO in 1986 and
published in the Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas( INE ), was 5,191,063
people. Added to this number are the handicapped people from other European
countries who have expressed a desire for a holiday, therapy and sport center
in the south of Spain, where they may take advantage of the warmer climate.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>RESEARCH AND REHABILITATION CENTER FOR THE HANDICAPPED</b><br />
<br />
ANIMO is involved with all aspects of the ways in which handicapped persons
may benefit from their relationship with animals--specifically horses and
dogs at this time.<br />
<br />
<b>HORSES</b><br />
Although the concept of handicapped persons riding horses may be unfamiliar
and startling to many, therapeutic riding has been widely and successfully
employed in other countries, particularly the UK and USA. It includes four
major elements of providing treatment for people with disabilities: <br />
<br />
Hippotherapy, in which the rider is influenced by the horse, rather than
controlling it. The movement of the horse imparts a movement of the rider's
pelvis that closely resembles that of walking. Under the supervision of
a physiotherapist this movement can be used to stimulate the nervous and
muscular systems of the rider. Physician- or therapist- prescribed exercises,
which strengthen, stretch, and relax the muscles, can also be done on the
horse's back.<br />
<br />
Rehabilitative Riding is a type of treatment which uses functional horsemanship
skills (movements while riding to maintain control of the horse) to achieve
a therapeutic or educational goal, such as improved motor skills and speech/language
skills.<br />
<br />
Sports Riding is used to develop social skills and to provide recreational
therapy and includes such activities as trail riding. Many handicapped people
display an extraodinary ability in classical dressage and other equestrian
events. At ANIMO we will provide top level training for these athletes to
enable them to compete on local, national or international levels. <br />
<br />
Developmental Vaulting, which is used to improve cognitive, perceptual,
and motor skills, allows a rider to explore various types of movement on
the horse's back.<br />
<br />
The center will also provide Carriage Driving, both as a recreational activity
and at competetion level.<br />
<br />
Riding, whether for sport, therapy, or pleasure, is psychologically and
physically advantageous for the handicapped. It gives him the opportunity
to go places unavailable in his everyday life, and to experience the world
from a new vantage point, the whole time providing the much needed stimulation
to muscles and vital organs. Most of the trail-riding at ANIMO will be carried
out on donkeys with specially fitted tack, as donkeys tend to be more surefooted
and calmer for novice riders. This will also help revive a dying breed and
bring a new usefulness to the Andalucian donkey, which is now an endangered
species.<br />
<br />
The instructor must have a real understanding and knowledge of horses and
an ability to communicate with disabled people. He should have an understanding
of the rider's disabilities and should work as part of a team including
the physiotherapist/occupational therapist, center staff members, and other
helpers. The team will set realistic goals to develop the full potential
of each rider, while giving him a sense of achievement and enjoyment.<br />
<br />
All ANIMO horses will be sponsored by companies, with the option to sponsor
school horses or competition level horses, providing positive image and
publicity for many years with a one-off cost and no on-going expenses or
responsibilities. Near the stables and the kennels and with easy access
to both, will be a complete veterinary surgery to cope with the needs of
all the animals on site and to provide training facilities for students.
All animals will undergo a veterinary inspection on acceptance and on-going
supervision for vaccinations and worming. Aside from good health, the character
of all dogs and horses will be studied by a team of ANIMO personnel to insure
a good temperament and easy handling.<br />
<br />
<b>PETTING ZOO: </b><br />
This activity is an outgrowth of an informal animal center which has been
maintained for many years by the president of ANIMO at her home/farm. Due,
perhaps, to the informal and casual setting of the center, all manner of
birds and animals which do not normally breed in captivity have reproduced
well. This has also been a popular educational and recreational center visited
frequently by groups of local school children. All of the local communities
have expressed interest in seeing this activity continued and expanded to
enable the school children to experience, at first hand, typical farm and
domestic animals which are no longer commonplace in their homes.<br />
<br />
<b>RECUPERATION CENTER FOR NATIVE WILDLIFE: </b><br />
This center will be concerned with restoring the viability of native wild
birds and animals which typically are brought to the center by concerned
persons who encounter them in a distressed condition, such as very young
birds which have fallen out of the nest , injured birds or animals which
cannot survive on their own, and wild-type animals which have been raised
in captivity and cannot compete in their proper environment. Every effort
will be made to restore these creatures to a functional level such that
they can be returned to their natural habitat. Those animals which are not
capable of resuming normal existence will be kept at the center, where they
are particularly appropriate, as often a handicapped person will relate
especially well to a handicapped animal. <br />
<br />
<b>VISITING ANIMAL PROGRAM: </b><br />
Since we will have a wealth of animals of all types and many volunteers,
a practical step for us is the very successful Animal Visitation Program
wherein animals are taken to other centers, hospitals, homes for the elderly,
etc., where the patients often find the sight and touch of the animals both
enjoyable and therapeutic.<br />
<br />
<b>ANIMO: CURRENT STATUS</b><br />
The Town Hall of Vera has recently ceded three hectares (around eight acres)
to the association, and is actively helping in the projected move to the
new permanent site.<br />
Barbara Napier, the President of ANIMO, has traveled widely in Europe speaking
at conferences and on the radio and TV. Her boundless energy and determination
has done much to bring the above-mentioned concepts to the attention of
the Spanish handicapped societies and organisations.
<h4>
<br />
CONTACTS and ADDRESSES<br />
ANIMO, Apto 34, Mojacar, 04638 Almeria, Spain<br />
Telephones: (950) 472 277, (950) 528 862 (both voice and TTY/DTS) Fax: (950)
478 789.<br />
Asociacion Benefica: No 137,284. CIF: F04219614<br />
Bank: Caja Rural de Almeria, Mojacar Playa, 04638 Mojacar, Almeria, Spain.
Account Number: 30580126142720001041. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="anchor589939"></a></h4>
<h1>
<center>
ANIMO, PASO A PASO...</center>
</h1>
ANIMO es una asociación nacional no lucrativa cuyo objetivo principal
es la investigación y rehabilitación de personas discapacitadas
mediante terapia asistida por animales (AAT), actividades asistidas por
animales (AAA) y desarrollo de nuevas terapias derivadas de la experiencia
adquirida. Todo ello sin menoscabo del seguimiento terapéutico aplicado
usualmente por los distintos especialistas de nuestro sistema sanitario.<br />
En España, la terapia y actividades asistidas por animales es una
practica poco extendida y por lo tanto bastante desconocida. Sin embargo,
la solidez del proyecto está basada en la actual experiencia y conocimiento
de la terapia que avalan cerca de 100 años de trabajos de investigación
y desarrollo en centros que la practican por todo el mundo bajo la supervisión
de los respectivos servicios técnico-sanitarios.<br />
La terapia con discapacitados asistida por animales se entiende como un
programa de apoyo a otros tratamientos médicos que, trabajando como
un equipo multidisciplinar, proporcionan índices mucho más
elevados en los resultados perseguidos. Ofrece además este tipo de
terapia la posibilidad de abrir nuevos horizontes de relación, ocio
y deporte a personas que, debido a alguna discapacidad ven su vida limitada
a un entorno inmediato, con poca esperanza de cambios o mejoras en su calidad
de vida.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>J.BEAUMONT<br />
</b>Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-71046887802750582502013-08-13T19:33:00.001+02:002013-08-13T19:34:28.960+02:00The Blue Bridle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQJDEzJVeNgr8CC6oioNMwgA8HEgedBnU_m3gWQEDsBEU5FC9P4nG-WGz31-Ff01zfS3GoJLHzoowehS1cCX-9335hbt5mO8EBncoOqZqoF8kMxuA7nz5-5h8sTetO-6P-bOAoA/s1600/100_5283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQJDEzJVeNgr8CC6oioNMwgA8HEgedBnU_m3gWQEDsBEU5FC9P4nG-WGz31-Ff01zfS3GoJLHzoowehS1cCX-9335hbt5mO8EBncoOqZqoF8kMxuA7nz5-5h8sTetO-6P-bOAoA/s400/100_5283.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLL4KghRsshaunyYhUuetDQymWFpKt_9JmXBMiRNUk_V8_jH27t_PV8IMSxsn7KHJpHKHZqdvVFUFAoyu0_Entttabs_fCDZqcFwZGueB-rMehagVQ-IzpoapOYi6V_vQGBCulbg/s1600/100_5277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLL4KghRsshaunyYhUuetDQymWFpKt_9JmXBMiRNUk_V8_jH27t_PV8IMSxsn7KHJpHKHZqdvVFUFAoyu0_Entttabs_fCDZqcFwZGueB-rMehagVQ-IzpoapOYi6V_vQGBCulbg/s320/100_5277.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Frisona has got a fancy new blue bridle - which goes very well with her colouring - and, yesterday, she took Barbara for a ride on a large field behind our house. Everything went well; and so it should.Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-84191107417579580092013-07-27T10:12:00.001+02:002013-07-27T10:12:49.084+02:00Whoops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhAbH-pMiAh6_9WMi5rTcCZq9NxQF1Cfr-qKLTNpIEAJNQblUMnXeU3CqEKWwBGeXBi7SvX0SRcpVLkw7qG8nEYHHdOGd6TRcOO8E7c27jZfjoEjPrfaEZkTTEUGNHSu3mLTt4Q/s1600/100_5150-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhAbH-pMiAh6_9WMi5rTcCZq9NxQF1Cfr-qKLTNpIEAJNQblUMnXeU3CqEKWwBGeXBi7SvX0SRcpVLkw7qG8nEYHHdOGd6TRcOO8E7c27jZfjoEjPrfaEZkTTEUGNHSu3mLTt4Q/s400/100_5150-001.JPG" width="342" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And sometimes, not often, but sometimes, I fall off. </div>
<br />Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-32661024109530534442013-07-01T21:31:00.001+02:002013-07-01T21:31:20.498+02:00She Stole my Heart
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2N25bDMk24dgTFtWV8Uy0Qsegszy21Qj7mppe2dJGOirmme2Yh5Jbh6MN9tkZWUGfipCPBgvjjMVSdL1UxdhEoC54EsyRMe6_4MnW-n7IGSJbiYr8cE3gsAkIAMgkEHchsaEeRw/s1600/100_2096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2N25bDMk24dgTFtWV8Uy0Qsegszy21Qj7mppe2dJGOirmme2Yh5Jbh6MN9tkZWUGfipCPBgvjjMVSdL1UxdhEoC54EsyRMe6_4MnW-n7IGSJbiYr8cE3gsAkIAMgkEHchsaEeRw/s400/100_2096.JPG" width="400" /></a>I was looking at horses with a friend
of mine who wanted to buy his first horse. He had been taking me to
my riding therapy and after his third trip, decided to try it
himself. It worked out well, and he felt so much better that he
started therapy on a regular basis, together with me... In fact, he
liked it so much, he said he wanted to buy his own horse. He had only
ridden as a child and was now in his late sixties and recovering from
cancer treatment. We had so much fun going to all of the nearby stud
farms and ranches, viewing and trying out different horses and seeing
all types of training methods. We didn't care about whether it was
pure bred on anything like that, we wanted a horse that was calm and
easy for a novice. While we were at one ranch he saw a horse,
standing by herself away from the pack on the paddock, and just like
that said 'I want that one'. I told him we should look around some
more but his mind was made up. We did look more but his heart was set
on this one horse, who now lives with us in the stables. Another day,
while we were at one particular ranch spread out over several
kilometres and that had about 150 Pure Bred Spanish horses, I spotted
a black horse on the hill, up with the youngsters and horses that
weren't in foal. From a distance I could feel the excitement build
and when I got up to her and our eyes met, I knew she was going to be
mine. I didn't know how because I wasn't looking for a horse and
didn't have the money for one but I knew in my heart she was meant to
be with me. My friend had decided that without a doubt he wanted that
first horse so he had bought her and brought her home to my stables
and called her <i>Cariño</i>, which means 'affection' or 'Darling'
in Spanish. A week or so before she arrived we were donated a
wide-bodied <i>Hispanó Bretón</i> called Cookie for therapy for the
children at Animo. Cookie was not too tall but she was built in a way
that made her fantastic for bareback riding and her temperament was
perfect and she didn't mind standing still for long periods of time,
which is important when you are trying to load and unload wheelchair
student on to the horse. So we now had two horses at home and I kept
dreaming up plans to get the black horse I saw on the hill. We went
to visit her four times but they wanted a lot of money for her and I
just didn't have it. At Christmas I saw her for what I thought would
be the last time, she had become thin and dry and the spark had gone
from her eyes. I felt so bad that I made the owners a deal. I said
that I would take her for a year and feed her and care for her and
ride her and at the end of the year we could discuss it again. -
They said no and I left very sad, knowing it would be the last time I
saw her. One rainy evening in February I got a call and they told me
to go to the stables. There she was, skinny and scared, but she
responded to my voice right away. It was almost dark and starting to
rain so I had to just put her in with the other horses and hope for
the best and I would see her in the morning. She was mine, my dream
horse was mine. They decided to donate her to me so that I could
continue my therapy here at home. She is a Friesian, they are very
large and have long hair on their feet and usually long thick manes
and tails. In Spanish I knew that a Friesian was called <i>un Frisón</i>
but they called her Frisona so I thought it was just a name they gave
her. Stupidly I didn't know that it was a female Friesian and that
she didn't have a name. She has pretty much stayed Frison but in the
last few months she has made it clear that she prefers it when I call
her Pony, so that is what I call her now. She has been with me for
just over a year and she is 7 years old. In the beginning she was
very docile because she was underfed and had never worked. Now she is
a black muscled up power-house and a bit much for me to handle, but I
am getting there and will never give up because everyday I love her
more and everyday I know she helps to keep me healthy and happy. I
have been learning about discipline and it really works. In the
beginning I was so sweet and didn't want to upset her now the tables
have changed and I am finally the boss and we are getting along even
better. Before she loved me but didn't respect me now she loves and
respects me. I am so grateful to everyone that helped in me getting
Pony. I know she is my magic charm. It is in her eyes.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>Picture: Frisona and Cookie </i></div>
Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-22724355871777666622013-06-17T20:29:00.003+02:002013-06-17T20:30:10.071+02:00Pineapple Pol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcO3TpwTH_q9XHmf_qEcb3_ZRQ-p6b5UCY0y6zHffXBZlAiteaO2ocCkqnL8_10V6hBY0NucqWWqdpL-xxDi11k6U6CWvBM2NWLTWaeQxTDz3Ryf7MVS-r2Ry4fBnZy2MDbl_e-A/s1600/100_5023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcO3TpwTH_q9XHmf_qEcb3_ZRQ-p6b5UCY0y6zHffXBZlAiteaO2ocCkqnL8_10V6hBY0NucqWWqdpL-xxDi11k6U6CWvBM2NWLTWaeQxTDz3Ryf7MVS-r2Ry4fBnZy2MDbl_e-A/s400/100_5023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Frisona and me share a piece of pineapple. Luckily, there's lots more. Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-81198763999468729922013-05-09T20:54:00.000+02:002013-05-09T20:54:00.659+02:00Puppy Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9GqNQrkHmoWE1jimjxVbK4hyY-wAmCJzRjMImqHGaokkvdZbMQpK5nq9JNIHbLAdl99NWHM0Ijbmr0eji6R1oqNCxHd50QoEtCIke_-kO6UpG-FDIS7XJiM3oSpKy4ttme-hkg/s1600/100_4945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9GqNQrkHmoWE1jimjxVbK4hyY-wAmCJzRjMImqHGaokkvdZbMQpK5nq9JNIHbLAdl99NWHM0Ijbmr0eji6R1oqNCxHd50QoEtCIke_-kO6UpG-FDIS7XJiM3oSpKy4ttme-hkg/s400/100_4945.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Here's the latest addition to the family. Hey, I'm taking your picture - say 'Cheese'!Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-15554609533815104022013-04-25T11:00:00.002+02:002013-04-25T11:03:40.186+02:00A Sporting Event<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1Lp7ZDRTkeUFfntYhTwr7supNs2b_kmCxCcSoxFoU0nVqgJK0yYW7uY1CuxixOfXWO4dgx5gUv9AABxaFCK16H4t-qRhHrc2I6WKSd3wjfX_Z4GAI7DWWz9T1y2G4NlHuXTKzQ/s1600/BB+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1Lp7ZDRTkeUFfntYhTwr7supNs2b_kmCxCcSoxFoU0nVqgJK0yYW7uY1CuxixOfXWO4dgx5gUv9AABxaFCK16H4t-qRhHrc2I6WKSd3wjfX_Z4GAI7DWWz9T1y2G4NlHuXTKzQ/s400/BB+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
To have a good afternoon's sporting event, all you need is two willing teams, a bat, a ball, and a number of donkeys. Collecting the donkeys and their owners from the isolated farms in the surrounding hills can take a while, but it's all worth it in the end. You need twelve or so, plus a handy supply of carrots, to be sure that you don't run out of willing equine sportsters during a game of Burro Béisbol. Lenox, who by virtue of knowing nothing about either baseball or indeed donkeys, acts as the referee. The two teams are assembled, the Red Cross ambulance is bought a cold beer and the whistle - actually an old trumpet - is blown. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMSij-AqZjaBqEgT_v-5w-2gVhb1cm1dzd67Jsw8cuOgmIcI86kLwMdKCVlBMpBC-mVRDnNS04EYUfG7vWFL1omK1a3HbbyVyQd7mgg2V9SVRQ4FsufemPO8XeMQoHih3fY8bpQ/s1600/B+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMSij-AqZjaBqEgT_v-5w-2gVhb1cm1dzd67Jsw8cuOgmIcI86kLwMdKCVlBMpBC-mVRDnNS04EYUfG7vWFL1omK1a3HbbyVyQd7mgg2V9SVRQ4FsufemPO8XeMQoHih3fY8bpQ/s320/B+b.jpg" width="320" /></a>The rules, as explained to the referee, are easy enough: don't ambulate anywhere unless you are seated on a donkey. Neither the hitter, the catchers or the fielders can move unless they are mounted on what quickly turns out to be a most unwilling ride. As the donkeys stand stock still, take off in the wrong direction or throw their riders, the score is professionally tallied and the game is eventually declared: Donkeys one, Humans nothing (well, apart from a stripped finger and a bruised ass).<br />
<br />
The top photo is from 1999. Not sure about the other. We played Burro Béisbol during the Mojácar fiestas for around eight years during the nineties. <br />
.Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-68070062486165872492013-04-17T13:18:00.000+02:002013-04-17T13:18:50.127+02:00Catman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4e0KAjg5A5zVcBmh643l9J_XOqVaR8fE0x9swbwkPIDo1IweNxBwYP9XnVEXPg-aP6tUkUTlmkpZGhrCCdnTxGa8m1vUC2OdTh71CEiivf_b9FRFBSrrFV83_qLHD43e36zpc5Q/s1600/100_4867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4e0KAjg5A5zVcBmh643l9J_XOqVaR8fE0x9swbwkPIDo1IweNxBwYP9XnVEXPg-aP6tUkUTlmkpZGhrCCdnTxGa8m1vUC2OdTh71CEiivf_b9FRFBSrrFV83_qLHD43e36zpc5Q/s400/100_4867.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Like any farm, you have to have some security. We use Little Boy Kitty to keep an eye on things because he's plenty tough! Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-55163604850530389912013-03-25T10:33:00.002+01:002013-04-01T10:15:14.014+02:00Five Senses<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Wegener's
Granulomatosis</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> destroys your senses, all of
them. In my case it started with the sense of </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>sound</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">
leaving me partially deaf most of the time and completely deaf the
rest of the time. When I had partial hearing I had what they call
'hard of hearing', that means that you can't always identify the
sounds you hear and you have no idea where they are coming from. All
of these symptoms are present at one time or another, there is never
a moment when everything works properly. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Sight</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">,
strange things will happen to your eyes and sight. My vision, now, is
very poor, I was blind for a year and then had an almost complete eye
transplant from a donor, and my sight was returned. Not perfect but I
wasn't complaining. Since this <span style="font-size: medium;">disease</span> runs around the body eating and
destroying bone, membrane, muscle and pretty much whatever it
desires. It started on my sinus cavity and jaw which included the
membrane around my eye lids which made them stick to my eyes. I also
lost my depth perception. The sense of </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>smell</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">
was destroyed for several years during which my kidneys were not
functioning well. The general life of this disease is five years if
you are diagnosed and treated properly, but they still don't seem to
know what 'properly' is, so they just pump you full of strong
steroids which practically kill you anyway. When you kidneys don't
function properly everything </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>tastes</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">
and smell metallic or you only smell the bad things and you never
really know if what you smell is real or maybe you have no smell at
all. Remember that all of these symptoms come on and off and around
and around whenever it suits them. My case is a little different
than most because I had another rare disease before Wegener's. I had
Rhodotorula, a fungus in the blood, that you get in the hospital,
very hard to detect, and it moves slowly through the blood destroying
the heart and kidneys, so that may be why my symptoms are a little
different than others. Since there are so few of us they don't really
know, I feel that having the Rhodatarula first made me more
susceptible to getting the Wegener's. That is just a personal opinion
and I have no medical evidence. You would think that the sense of
</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>touch</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> was pretty hard
to mess with but no, it found a wonderful way of damaging all of the
nerve endings and my fingers, toes and ears. Something that had not
been seen yet by any hospital that I went to, which were many. The
skin also cracks and the nails grow funny but definitely leaving you
without a sense of touch. This again comes and goes. Next on
Wegener's list are the kidneys, complete destruction over a long
period of time causing everything from muscle cramps, bone pain,
tiredness. Loss of tendon and ligaments in the joints, causes partial
dislocation of all of the joints at varying times. Like the ankle,
knee, hip, shoulder, wrist and - yes - even the jaw. They all seem to
go back into place after a series of painful hours or days. The last
supposed stages of Wegener's are the destruction of both the trachea
and the lungs. This has already started on me by making holes in the
trachea making each time harder to learn to speak, swallow or chew,
but each time you get the hang of it. The hardest part of this
disease for me besides the disfiguration, has been the three or four
times that these things have all happened at the same time. I haven't
yet mentioned the chronic arrhythmia and anaemia. Yes, I have those
too. I feel like I can cope pretty well most of the time and then
when everything goes on the fritz at once it is a bit too much to
handle. Fortunately until now these complete meltdowns have only
lasted a few weeks at a time and I go back to having just one or two
of the symptoms. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Riding
Therapy</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEerb7JrHADRloDcRn30SPYHTYDXbR721e2WynQ8dWKSieTL6B2kVYIof7gieCnCi8FihyphenhyphenpjISAYYQ5cmH_tYUs-iv0MbeYdXwR2ThROEezcm-l4mDw1j6gseksxdDLHdaBRhVw/s1600/100_4747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEerb7JrHADRloDcRn30SPYHTYDXbR721e2WynQ8dWKSieTL6B2kVYIof7gieCnCi8FihyphenhyphenpjISAYYQ5cmH_tYUs-iv0MbeYdXwR2ThROEezcm-l4mDw1j6gseksxdDLHdaBRhVw/s400/100_4747.JPG" width="312" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;">A few
years ago I discovered that riding and being around the horses help
to make me feel better. This was something I began to study in depth
and after several years have come up <span style="font-size: medium;">with</span> a </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>therapy</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">
that really works for me, and some of the benefits are even long term
not short. Some of my Doctor's prescriptions actually carry a note
about riding the horse. I decided to write about what I feel because
so little is known about this disease and the more I can help anyone
else with it, the better, also because I just finished a one month
complete shut down of my whole system, and I was very frightened and
had no one to discuss it with. I didn't know what to do or what my
chance of survival was and it was the not knowing rather than the
pain that made it harder to deal with. I need someone to explain what
will happen, they probably don't know either. My new doctor won't
talk to me or even touch me.. I have way out lived their
expectations, I am sure it is through the love of my family and my
horse. I lose more of my body, especially my face, every day and I
just wonder how long can I can hold on. My upper jaw is gone and now
in the last few weeks I have started to lose the hard palate making
it almost impossible to wear my prosthetic plate. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">I think I
should point out that my case is slightly different than others (I
guess all cases are different) because I started by having
re-constructive surgery for a smashed nose and cracked jaw around
2002 and received some very bad treatment for the first year. In my
opinion, I was used as a guinea pig for an experimental new type of
transplant that went terribly wrong. I have since met three other
people who had the same problem as I did and the same doctor and same
experimental transplant, without success. None of them had Wegener's.
It is at the time, I was moved to a better hospital to fix the
damage, that we started to see symptoms of Wegener's. Every time they
would replace something the virus would come and eat all of the skin
and bone around the area, leaving me in much worse shape than when I
started, but since we didn't know what it was until years later we
just kept operating. I have to say that my treatment here in Spain,
except for the first year, was extraordinary and very good . I spoke
to another Wegener's sufferer, she is being treated in America, and
she is now being given exactly what they gave me six years ago, down
to the quantity, that in the end never worked, which she is just
finding out now.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">(Posted on <a href="http://wegeners.es/#">Wegener's</a>) </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-82142088159499381082013-02-16T01:10:00.002+01:002013-02-16T01:10:34.686+01:00A Sunday Morning Picture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86t3EzoC5BQ3RCs3AfBxL3c3mJnlW49e7Md6OZ5y1Zk1Xq1mNtDOkplUG0KyJeIZvT33WwRMw1yOzyr1W5kVK2KeBW-QXVS2iNiLceEOcx1o-B2mKNmAL4y5JCgmAmAyd3RSxtg/s1600/100_4695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86t3EzoC5BQ3RCs3AfBxL3c3mJnlW49e7Md6OZ5y1Zk1Xq1mNtDOkplUG0KyJeIZvT33WwRMw1yOzyr1W5kVK2KeBW-QXVS2iNiLceEOcx1o-B2mKNmAL4y5JCgmAmAyd3RSxtg/s400/100_4695.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Some warming up for Frisona. Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-33124190964896201872013-01-16T11:05:00.004+01:002013-01-16T11:05:57.415+01:00Pronto Pinto
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Three years ago we went to Oklahoma to
visit our children and grandchildren, a trip that we actually thought
would be my last. On that trip I was talked into riding a little
pinto pony named Pronto. I hadn't ridden in nine years and had become
very withdrawn and anti-social due to my physical deformities and so
many years in hospital and in pain. That little pony changed my life
and the way I live it. I no longer sit at home and feel sorry for
myself and I have found tremendous strength within me that has made
it possible for me to enjoy every moment as it comes. Not only did I
feel better emotionally, thanks to Pronto, but I started to feel
better physically as well. After I came back to Spain, with my whole
new attitude, I started to work on developing a type of therapy to
help me and other people suffering from disease and toxic medical
treatments. In this, I was helped by Loli Berenguel, my friend,
teacher and now the new president of Animo at her stables El Albero
in Los Partidores, Almería. I went several times a week to Almería
to ride and work on programs that could improve my health. We used
her vaulting horse, Nora, and that seemed to make all the difference
and Loli and I finally found a system that worked.
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDIUenP0jL5T3DWex5Yl2pKlFx4WgmQj-EejyxJwlCY0yNpKWpnDtl364shXHBKpcWbiKFU9mpQJMx99toahLAnBKnDbFR4VQVki_MBnty0GzgAP5kKwNDMn0qqEZyiGqeFkVkg/s1600/100_4418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDIUenP0jL5T3DWex5Yl2pKlFx4WgmQj-EejyxJwlCY0yNpKWpnDtl364shXHBKpcWbiKFU9mpQJMx99toahLAnBKnDbFR4VQVki_MBnty0GzgAP5kKwNDMn0qqEZyiGqeFkVkg/s400/100_4418.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
We have just come back from spending
another two weeks in Oklahoma with the children and, once again, I
was able to ride Pronto every day. I just wanted to thank him and his
owner, Patsi Smith for the wonderful gift they had given me, and that
was to get my life back. Since my first visit things have changed
considerably. I have my own horse, the horse of my dreams, that was
donated to me so that I could do my therapy at home. My friend and
partner in this investigation, Ken, also has his own horse and we
have just finished building a beautiful new stables, right outside my
back door. My horse is a Friesian mare that I fell in love with the
moment I saw her, a year later she was mine. We are now training her
to take over my therapy and in the meantime she is a great companion
and I get a lot of benefit from the very active gaits that she has.
She makes me want to get up each morning and start my day with a
smile.</div>
Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-35901512955695089072012-10-22T12:36:00.001+02:002012-10-22T12:37:45.353+02:00Never Stop Learning<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I realized yesterday that I never had
actually <i>learned</i> to ride in the 50 some years that I have been
riding. It came as quite a shock. I have had and have been around
horses since I could walk and all of the horses that I have had were
already trained or I raised them from birth and had taught them
myself. I always rode bare-back, no shoes and no bit; not for any
reason it is just I never had any tack to speak of beyond a hackamore
and I became very comfortable with the situation, plus it was a lot
less expensive and I could be ready to go before my friends had tied
their horses to get ready to tack up. I never rode in a ring, I just
did trail riding. The foals that I raised just came with me
everywhere and I just talked to them and we seemed to reach a very
suitable agreement.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
When our girls started riding lessons
it was easy for them, because they understood the body language and
the horses' characters and so they felt very comfortable both around
and on them. They had also always ridden bare-back.. They were young
enough that the change from bare-back to a saddle was easy and they
both became Three Day Event Champions in the Basque Country where
they went to school. When they came home and rode our horses and
started with all of this discipline stuff things started to change. I
remember one day my younger daughter, Amber, was working my foal,
Casi, in the ring and asked me how I got her to put her head down. I
just said, “head <i>down</i> Casi” that was it; couldn't be easier but
the girls were horrified. I think that they always assumed that mom
knew how to ride and everything else about horses. Now that they
had learned dressage and jumping and knew all about leg aids etc they
felt it was time to teach our horses as well. Thankfully the horses
adjusted well to the combination and even became very good therapy
horses. They seemed to understand who was riding by what sort of tack
they had on or whether or not they had to stand at the ramp and be
led around for hours.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5m5pzZl19rLUeYeRvqZqoUsAOXkd9Vnxuqzd7uWgAJee60oNR6onQabA1gM040cAsSOPrc40rchzU80skIZgoGqjb3lSaqEdEkRpzj0slZxg0PwDifB4uzXMrkr6H3COsvfPcvg/s1600/PA040536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5m5pzZl19rLUeYeRvqZqoUsAOXkd9Vnxuqzd7uWgAJee60oNR6onQabA1gM040cAsSOPrc40rchzU80skIZgoGqjb3lSaqEdEkRpzj0slZxg0PwDifB4uzXMrkr6H3COsvfPcvg/s320/PA040536.JPG" width="320" /></a>My new horse, Frisona, is seven years
old and had never been ridden or had any life experiences, like
traffic, dogs, trees etc. she just lived peacefully on a hill top
with 30 other mares and was put into foal every year without much
success. Her nature is so sweet and she is so willing to learn and
help me that she has been very easy to back and start to train. Now I
have a trainer that comes once a week because I feel as if I am out
of my league. She is doing great but I have to learn along with her,
even if it is just so I can go trail riding. I feel like someone who
has driven all of their life and just got into a stick shift; there
are so many things to think about, it all used to come naturally and
I never thought about it, now I have to remember to stay centered,
watch where I am going, learn the leg aids and hardest of all learn
to lengthen my legs so that they stay in the stirrups. At 17”2 she
is quite large and I am not as strong as I used to be so I have
started riding in a treeless western saddle. It is very comfortable
and I feel much safer taking a green horse out to meet the world than
I would if I were bare-back. It just came as a shock that in my whole
life I had never learned all of these things yet always rode very
well.</div>
Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-48332556534031438022012-10-12T18:37:00.002+02:002012-10-12T18:40:22.243+02:00Things Are Looking Up<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70DMJZOyPzGuycjrOP6WMjiYmDRZPhNckSiYK40kZ6wTSr7BS-d4D2cWrIU8PFRcH4nFKsTWg9NDkl9bszJSKVfC12WnD_bhSBrd9SoR9wMZSb-sDgOw9yuKZcJ00CtPPAr7t4w/s1600/100_2546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70DMJZOyPzGuycjrOP6WMjiYmDRZPhNckSiYK40kZ6wTSr7BS-d4D2cWrIU8PFRcH4nFKsTWg9NDkl9bszJSKVfC12WnD_bhSBrd9SoR9wMZSb-sDgOw9yuKZcJ00CtPPAr7t4w/s400/100_2546.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
Where I came from, living with thirty
other mares and foals, food was on a first-come first-served basis.
30 horses meant 30 buckets of <i>pienso</i> in the trough then the
hay and alfalfa in the middle of the large paddock. At the trough who
ever ate faster got more, so I became a vacuum cleaner and worried
about chewing later. Girls all kind of gang up and get into groups,
each group helping the other members to food, grooming, water etc. I
just couldn't quite fit into any of the groups so kind of hung out by
myself, maybe talking to some of the ponies or younger males on the
other side of the fences. My name is Cariño and I am a registered
PRE brood mare, with a blood line to make you all jealous. I have had
three colts, all spectacular. I lived on a farm where the man just
loves horses so he has them for a hobby. He has another job to make
money to pay for us all. A few times a year he likes to take all his
friends out for a jolly and a paella in the <i>campo</i>, so they all
arrive with bread, wine, <i>chorizo</i> and all the fixings for a
good day out. They each get to choose their horse. I got picked quite
often because I love going out on excursions and I am not afraid of
anything. I loved those outings because other than that I was pretty
much alone in the paddock because the girls didn't really like me
much, until one day, a strange man came to look at us. He looked at
me and I looked at him. He asked our man if I could come out so he
could talk to me. The next time he came, I came out of the paddock
but not just for a talk, we went for a trail ride. There was
something very special about this new man and I think he thought I
was special too. A few weeks later he came back and gave our man a
wad of really wet money; it had fallen out of his pocket while he
was showering me after a ride. I don't know what happened but next
thing I knew I was at a new place with the new man together with a
big fat thing they called a therapy horse. She looked like a sofa to
me. We had really good food in my new house and I got along with
Cookie, the therapy horse, except she liked to eat really slowly so I
would vacuum down my <i>pienso</i> and kick her out of her stall and
eat hers too. Boy, this was great and easy too, she just went to the
big box and ate hay and alfalfa. There was always stuff in the big
box so after a few weeks of pigging out I realized that I could take
a break sometimes and there would still be food left. I had a lack of
salt and minerals when I was young so I loved to put everything in my
mouth; still do. They got me a salt and mineral block but I never
tried it until one day a new horse arrived. I thought I was pretty
good size, but wow, this was some big black mare. As soon as she came
into the paddock she ran straight to the salt block and looked like a
cow, liking it for ages then she drank half the bath tub. I guess she
didn't have one either at her old place, but she knew she needed one.
The new horse was called Frisona; stupid owner didn't know that is
what her breed is in Spanish and thought it was her name, well now
she is stuck with it. She had also lived with thirty other mares and
youngsters and all the hay was in one huge box with a roof on it but
they didn't have the trough for <i>pienso</i>. This was getting
better and better, I could eat so fast that I could finish mine, kick
Cookie out eat hers and still have plenty of time to eat Frisona's.
Frisona had to eat lots of times a day and in small quantities until
she got used to the <i>pienso</i> but then boy, jack pot, I was on a
diet and she had to gain a lot of weight so in the end she got fed
three times a day and I could kick her out every time and eat it all
myself. Now I really needed to be on a diet, they said I had a
Michelin, I don't know what that is but they were all laughing and
grabbing handfuls of my fat. All of this came to an end; gates went
up poles went in.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZ27OV7gwSis8c3tfNiYwNwT4Z8PMd-00mDz1zOFQzGXOd4gHVA0q6OOQpe5cgWeMCY0MnCF7JmGLRjeC3SdtQttwRbtWmO4eH3IOnDLxoxVY5GX4F6MpYrRjrU7h7x792lGjfA/s1600/100_2563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZ27OV7gwSis8c3tfNiYwNwT4Z8PMd-00mDz1zOFQzGXOd4gHVA0q6OOQpe5cgWeMCY0MnCF7JmGLRjeC3SdtQttwRbtWmO4eH3IOnDLxoxVY5GX4F6MpYrRjrU7h7x792lGjfA/s320/100_2563.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I was locked in my stall until the other girls had
finished then they let me out but I got my way at the big box. I
found that if I came at it looking really mad, ears back, head out;
you know the look, the others would step back just long enough for me
to get my head in the box then I could keep my head there and walk
around the box kicking at anyone that came near. If they put their
head in the box I just bit them and they left, but then the lady
human got really mad. Well they tried everything, electric fence,
dividing the paddock with the other two on one side and me on the
other. I outsmarted them on every move. I pulled the plug on the
bathtub so many times we have had to buy lots of new ones, I opened
the gates. I'm so talented, I don't know where to begin. Well, today
my life was ruined..They took Cookie away a few days ago, to go back
to work with disabled people in Barcelona, sad for our children that
rode her every week but great for the disabled people at her new
place. You see, Cookie can carry a lot of weight and stand still for
a long time and is very gentle and not too tall so she is really good
for people in wheel-chairs. I've watched her. People do the strangest
things on her but they always seem to be happier and feel better when
they get off. Even people who don't like horses like Cookie: she just
has one of those magnetic characters. Well, back to me because she is
gone. While Cookie was here on vacation during the summer, when she
wasn't working with the children, Frisona moved to the other side of
the paddock so she would stop rubbing her mane and tail. See, Frisona
is really delicate, she may look big and tough but she is just a
gentle giant and even the flies and mosquitoes get the best of her. I
did too, biting and kicking her. Now she is on the other side and we
also have an electric fence between us. She is starting to heal from
all of her wounds from rubbing and from me biting. Today it hit me
and I felt very sad and all alone. I could eat and drink all I
wanted, no one to bother me, well, that was the problem there was no
one for me to bother, so I just stood and watched Frisona while she
slowly ate her food. Remember that strange man that came to see me?
Well he has something very special about him and he saw something
very special in me. Even though there were lots of mares, he knew
instantly that I was his. That lady again, made him go look at other
horses to be sure I was the right one and every time he saw another
one he said no, Cariño is for me. He <i>called </i>me that – it
means darling. We have such a special relationship, some people think
I can be a bit of a bitch or hard to handle because I don't like to
work or learn in the ring but I love trail riding and so does my
special man. He doesn't care about dressage or any of that stuff, he
just likes to brush me and talk to me and take him out riding.. He
loves me just the way I am and I love him the same way. Somehow I
think we are soul mates and meant to be together. Every once in a
while you find that very special someone just like I think that lady
has found with Frisona. The four of us are all kind of difficult in
our own ways but we seem to be just the piece that was missing to
make the other better.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22038879.post-6145350680967056672012-10-10T09:16:00.002+02:002012-10-10T09:16:43.881+02:00Cookie Heads North<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gns2IiFa73yYmCNdUSlR-pXc4_KjQHmOXPlGx6_rOVDLxAZe-qOmcazEIBXK9dH5VkCiFsZGlmrw1t_eio-odpvRSdQWfrbK3t5ZvZndCTSc8A46bgcdXiRVaSDr-e_U_rS5WA/s1600/100_1754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gns2IiFa73yYmCNdUSlR-pXc4_KjQHmOXPlGx6_rOVDLxAZe-qOmcazEIBXK9dH5VkCiFsZGlmrw1t_eio-odpvRSdQWfrbK3t5ZvZndCTSc8A46bgcdXiRVaSDr-e_U_rS5WA/s400/100_1754.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Slightly out of the blue, Cookie was needed up in Catalonia by Cadí Moixeró. She left last week. We both miss her terribly. Lenox thinks he's getting out of riding, but we have two horses that remain with us here. Lenoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933569673776013122noreply@blogger.com0