Bridles & Blue Jeans Fundraising Event @ STAR

From Don's blog...

Bridles & Blue Jeans

April 26, 2009 by Don


STAR Bridles & Blue Jeans 2009 from Midnight Magic Studios on Vimeo.

For the past several weeks, I have working almost non-stop on a fund raiser promo video for STAR. STAR (Shanghai-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding) holds a very special place in my heart. Four years ago, after seeing the impact that Dolphin Assisted Therapy had on Katie, Leeann and I were looking for a program to get Katie into that would help her on a more consistent basis. Katie has a long list of special needs, both medical and emotional. We wanted to get her in a program that would build her confidence and her self-esteem and hopefully provide an extracurricular activity.

When we heard about the STAR program, we knew we had to get her in as soon as possible. The only problem was there was a waiting list (there still is a list of 113 waiting to get in). I think we called the STAR office about once or twice a month, we wrote letters to the Board of Directors and to the different staff members to see about getting Katie in. It paid off and there was finally a opening that fit Katie and we were able to get her started with the winter session of 2006.

Katie instantly fell in love with the program. We had never really seen her “look forward” to anything the way she looked forward to her weekly sessions at STAR. She’s worked with Cocoa, Maria, Zipper and RB and she’s fallen in love with all of them.

I had volunteered a few times to help out with volunteer training videos or anything else they needed. Well, three weeks ago, I was asked to put together the promo video for STAR’s Bridels & Blue Jeans. This is their annual fundraiser. I was honored to be asked to produce this video and it has been a true labor of love for the past two weeks. I have worked on this video everyday, every spare minute I could find. I was worried about how it would play to a large group of people.

This video needed to tell the stories of the riders, the parents and the staff at STAR. The story of how STAR had come to exist had been told for many years at this fundraising event. The amazing thing about this video is, it never felt like “work”. The video mostly put itself together, I just put the pieces in place and the video did the rest all by itself. It was a great success.

I don’t take the credit… but it was an amazing experience to help tell the story.

Note: The little girl in braids holding the sign "I take medicine every day to stay alive" is Katie.

girls & Horses

I'm so blessed to have a daughter who loves horses as much as I do and that we have a shared passion. I don't think I would have ever even discovered or re-discovered my love of horses had it not been for Katie.


girls & Horses from Leeann Samples on Vimeo.

Lakota is turning out to be such an incredible addition to our family. I get to see him almost every day. Most days I work with him or ride him but some days, Katie and I just go by, give him an apple or a treat and love on him. Those are the days he LOVES!

Today was one of those days and Don took some great photos while Katie and I were enjoying just being with him.

It inspired me to take the photos from today and put them with a few other recent ones and put them to one of my favorite songs by Templeton Thompson.

Dream Big, Work Hard, Have Faith!

xxooxxoo
LA :)

Life On Planet Cowgirl

I have a new favorite music artist and cowgirl mentor... Templeton Thompson! I've had the music from her first three CD's on my iPod for a while now and the video of I did of me working with Belle a few weeks ago was using one of her songs "A Horse That Can Fly".

She seemingly has a very strong faith and a deep passion for horses and that is reflected in her music and couldn't be any better suited for me, AND Katie!

She is coming out with a new CD later this spring "Life On Planet Cowgirl" and she was offering a limited number of CD's as a pre-release titled "Life On Planet Cowgirl - Sketches". It has an audio commentary intro for every song telling the backstory for the song. I got it in the mail today and Katie and I listened to it over and over going to the farm and back tonight... we fell in love with it instantly!!

She's AWESOME!!

Today was just the BEST day in a long time!

The weather could not have been more beautiful!
I didn't wake up with a sinus headache like I have every other morning this week.
I had a GREAT riding lesson this morning with Arthur and Lakota.
I had a lovely lunch and mid-day shopping trip with my wonderful husband!
I had a great late afternoon 30 minute cat nap.
Then I had a great evening with Katie tonight, going to the farm and hanging out with Lakota, giving him apples and letting him make applesauce... (Don wasn't with us because he was at a rehearsal).
And, I got Templeton's CD in the mail.

Here is a photo of Arthur with Lakota! He's my new trainer, new friend and new adopted extended family member! :) I've just clicked with him - He's ALWAYS so happy. He's been working with gaited horses since he was 8 years old... so he KNOWS what he's doing. He still judges local horse shows and has a champion Racking Horse. He's done wonders, in just a few lessons, of helping me to find my riding confidence again!



Lakota has the smoothest gait... he's just a joy to ride. For the most part... he's young and has some stubbornness issues that Arthur is helping to work out but he's very sane under saddle. And he's just a love bug on the ground.... he just wants attention and loving. Wednesday when I got to the farm, he literally trotted to the gait when we heard me. That was awesome!!



My dad recently told me that I have a happiness in me when I'm with horses that he's never seen in me... I truly think that it is my passion. Don even says I'm a different and better person on the days I get time at the farm.

I'm adopting Templeton Thompson's slogan....

Dream Big, Work Hard, Have Faith!

xxooxxoo
LA :)

Heading To The Farm

I'm trying this new program on my iPhone called iBlogger to see how it works. It let's you easily update your blog from your iPhone.

I'm heading out to work with Lakota this morning. Finally a sunny day and it's 50, which is much better than yesterdays 34, blustery wind with snow flurries. It's April people!!!


This is a photo that my friend Sande took of Lakota when he was at Ten Oaks. She is an amazing photographer and artist. You can check out some of her amazing work at her website.

Much has happened in the past week with Katie, my dad and Lakota. I will update details later today or tomorrow.

xxoo
LA :)

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

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Midnight Magic Studios Spring 2009 Demo Video from Midnight Magic Studios on Vimeo.

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Don is loving what he does!!

LA :)