For us, Paint and Quarter Horse Foundation Bulgaria, it is extremely interesting, as well as challenging to partner with the "Community for Democratic Education" in the BUSTA project. Interesting, because this project involves both people and animals to interact and support each other in a humane cause and challenging, because we as adults observe the work, the way of thinking, the energetic creativity and the undisguised emotionality of the future generation, which will enrich and advance our work.
The almost grown-up children of the Democratic School visited us for the third time at the ranch where we raise and train our therapeutic horses. Of course, teenagers with their inherent self-confidence came quite unprepared for what awaited them. Suddenly, the strong rain wet them completely, the sandals were sinking into the rapidly forming mud, and the horses turned out to be much larger live than in the pictures on the phones. But all this did not disturb the enthusiastic hearts. Curious questions rained down, we got caught up in conflicting opinions, and curiosity turned out to be greater than we expected. On subsequent visits, they already had rubber boots, raincoats and larger sandwiches. Moreover, the questions became more constructive, the opinions and proposals more mature and reasonable. We did various demonstrations "on the field" with a real horse and a child with special needs.
The empathy of these wonderful children is impressive.
The quick connections they make in a real situation and their desire to be really useful. Typical for their age banter and cheerfulness, lack of concentration and childhood dreaming was replaced by a real working atmosphere. Children gave a number of interesting suggestions for new games and exercises. Keeping in mind, as an age they are much closer to the children we work with and this has proved extremely important. On the other hand, 10-year-old John, part of our Program "Free Therapeutic Riding for Children with Disabilities" had great and sincere fun seeing so many smiling older boys and girls around him. This visit to the students of the "Democratic School" with the guidance of Tsveti Kolovska was a wonderful learning holiday for us.
The director of our Foundation, who was among the trainers, shared:
'I expect the next visits of future therapists to be even fuller of new ideas, opinions and emotions. I believe that adapting free-thinking children to such projects will increase quality of life in many areas of our daily lives.'
Follow the visits of the children here:
Official number of the project: 2021-1-LT01-KA220-SCH-000034363 'This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects only the personal views of its author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained therein.'