Dana runs a brush over Phil, a
chocolate-milk-colored mare he
helps
take care of at Performance Plus
Arabians. Her flesh trembles as
Dana, 29, traces an arc across
her coat.
She knows this is just the
preliminary treatment. Dana always brings a plastic bag
filled with carrots, the real
treat.
For a few years now, Dana has
taken horseback riding lessons.
Every Saturday for an hour, he
saddles Phil, takes in a ride,
then brushes the mare down.
“He’s just much more confident
than when he started,” says
Patty Kapperman, a riding
instructor at Performance Plus.
“He’s always willing to help and
he does a really good job
getting stuff out and getting
ready.”
Just before
the trail
ride, Dana
slips Phil a
couple of
carrots as
he and the
other riders
lead their
horses into
the sun.
Phil shows
her
appreciation
by nudging
her nose
across
Dana’s
helmet-clad
head.
“I like
her,” Dana
says. “I
like it
here.”
He began his
equestrian
training –
he rides
Western –
with
Performance
Plus. But it
was obvious
quickly that
he was ready
for more
responsibility.
He now takes
part in
equestrian
shows, as
well as the
weekly
lessons.
“He really
shows some
extra
confidence,”
say Paula
Hermanson,
Dana’s
Service
Coordinator.
“He’s really
expanding
his
horizons. He
looks
forward to
coming every
week.”
Dana hops up
on Phil,
turns the
reigns and
she
responds.
Riders
clip-clop
across a rock
parking lot
and head out
across
Performance
Plus’
rolling
prairie,
which is
dotted with
cattail-filled
wetlands.
The riders circle
around the red
stable and everyone
dismounts and leads
their horses to
their stalls. Dana
walks
with
one
hand
on
Phil’s
neck.
The
brush
down
–
and
the
carrots
are
next.
“He’s
really
becoming
a
good
rider,
he’s
got
good
instincts,”
Kapperman
said.
“He
was
telling
us
how
beautiful
it
was
out
there,
and
pointed
out
some
ducks
on
the
pond.”
