JAKES Club - Jesus And Kids Evangelistic Saddle Club

Hey JAKES Club God is Good!

In our March-April newsletter we shared Jesus And Kids Evangelistic Saddle Club (JAKES Club) had high hopes and expectations for the 2017 Therapeutic Saddle Club (TSC) “Let’s Ride Bigger” program. Also we were excited with the success our VSC (Volunteer Saddle Club) youth were having riding and working JAKES Club’s four horses. Now in May we just expanded to not one riding area but four! Just like four horses! Wow! Let me share.

Riding patterns are created for the TSC grass arena each year but this spring with JAKES Club having the ability to use more horses the grass arena just felt small. One Thursday morning I paused while walking through the grass arena and looked at the fence side parallel to the gated barn driveway and “Let’s Ride Bigger” grass area. “Let’s Ride Bigger” was created last spring by Kohl’s AIA and JAKES Club volunteers. I thought, “We need to cut a hole in the fence, creating a new larger, safer opening into the new larger grass area!” The rider could groom/tack up at the tie ring, mount and enter into the existing grass arena to ride the Barrel Pattern. At the end of the pattern they could simply ride through the new opening into a second grass arena. Wow, how easy and simple is that?! That’s exactly what JAKES Club’s great Thursday volunteer team did. Everyone say, “Yea and thank you!” More pictures may be found on JAKES Club’s website Facebook and Flickr link.

Now in the second grass arena the TSC children are learning to rein their horses left and right by practicing JAKES Club’s Reining Pattern; taken from the Western Pole Bending manual. When completing their second pattern they take a break to play the water game. While mounted they toss a ball into a bucket of water; first on their horses left (near) side and then on their horses right (off) side. Woo-Hoo!

Then our riders have the opportunity to ride on to JAKES Club’s third grass arena. Here they are learning to change directions on their horses by practicing the Figure Eight or Left-Right Reverse pattern. This is important because if the weather cooperates and the 80x150 enclosed outdoor arena is dry they can ride into JAKES Club’s forth riding area where the rider is taught the walk-trot pattern and left reverse. Four riding areas! Thank you Jesus and thank you to the best group of volunteers, who helped make this all happen, bless you. Wow, such growth and it is only May!

God is certainly good and you can see why we are looking forward to 2017 with great expectation! Thank you everyone for helping JAKES Club “Reach children for Jesus one child with one horse at a time.”

May our Lord bless each of you and Happy Mother’s Day,

Cathie and JAKES Club’s Team

By simply cutting a hole in the grass riding area fence JAKES Club went from 1 riding pattern to 4 riding patterns. Smoothly, with ease, safety and order; truly allowing the children an opportunity to “Let’s Ride Bigger!”

Cathie and JAKES Club’s Team

Calendar

Additional suggested reading!

JAKES Club E-Newsletter for May 2017

"Reaching children for Jesus one child with one horse at a time ..."

2017 New Riding Area Opening