Cheff Horses
Over the years, Cheff has been very fortunate to have had
so many amazing horses. These animals are the heart of our
program and a great source of inspiration for many of our
clients. Whether they were here two years or twenty five,
they’ve made a lasting impression on the hearts of many and
we thank them! This word search contains several names of
current and former equine employees- see how many you
can find!
from the
Barn
of Events*
Like Always
K.C.
Nifty
Copper
Princess
Wendy
Clicker
Goldie
Missy
Mookie
Tim
Petey
Rain Man
Fawn
Lady
Kissie
Jet
Rina
Milo
Trombone
Ribbon
Finale
Easter
Funshine
Sadie
Toady
Ruthie
Beauty
Gabby
Skipper
Shoamie
Dawn
Salty
April 17 - Volunteer Orientation
April 24 - Spring Frolic Open Show
Cheff Classic Student Show
May 15 - Rummage Sale in Richland
May 18 - Senior Day at the Cheff Center
July 10-11 - AHAM Trail Ride at Cheff
July 17-20 - SRS Dressage Clinic at Cheff
July 24 - Country Fair (birthday party!)
July 31 - NARHA Certification Prep Clinic
August 26-29 - Richland Park Horse Trials
September 10 - Cheff Center Shindig
September 16-19 - NARHA OSWC
October 2 - Cheff Center Ride-a-Thon
Hawk
Sherlock
Popeye
Blaze
Fooler
Rosie
Poppie
Onnie
Bob
George
Parent Panel
“The Center has meant the world to us for Robbie. We’ve
never seen him happier than when he is on his horse...
We’ve cried many tears of sadness for Robbie, but at the
Cheff Center, we were able to cry tears of joy... You have
all been a wonderful blessing to us. Robbie was able to do
something we never imagined him being capable of or ever
having the opportunity to do. “
- Helen McGee
Our Mission:
To improve the emotional and physical wellbeing of individuals through the therapeutic
use of horses, and to serve as an international training and education center for therapeutic riding programs.
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A Publication
CheffTherapeutic
TherapeuticRiding
Riding
Center
269.731.4471
Spring
Issue
20102010 Volume
4 Issue
11
www.cheffcenter.org
Winter
Edition
Volume
4 Issue
www.cheffcenter.org
Happy Birthday Cheff!
Forty years ago this January, the
Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center
made national headlines as the
first barn built specifically to
serve those with special needs.
Our center set precedence for
over 750 now existing therapeutic
riding facilities. Prior to Cheff’s
grand opening, the concept of
therapeutic riding was
confined mostly to
Europe where it was just starting to gain
momentum.
Under the guidance of Lida McCowan, Cheff
established itself as a premier Therapeutic
Riding and instructor training facility. Cheff
staff was also instrumental in founding
NARHA, the national governing agency for
therapeutic riding, and in 1975, was the first
barn to achieve NARHA accreditation.
Since those days, Cheff has seen many changes.
Different students, horses,
instructors, and staff have
walked the halls, but under it
all, the center has remained
remarkably similar to what it
was in 1970. This has been
possible because over the
years, the focus has remained
right where it belongs- on our
clients.
To celebrate this momentous
occasion, Cheff has planned
two very different very exciting
events. We invite you to join
us for our birthday party, taking
place in conjunction with our
“Country Fair” event
on July 24. There will be bounce inflatables,
midway games, demonstrations, and much
more! This year’s shindig event, “Wranglers
and Rubies” is also celebrating our 40th
anniversary. This event will feature live
music, dancing, dinner, a silent auction and a
live auction. Tickets for the shindig will go
on sale over the summer. Be sure to keep
checking our website, www.cheffcenter.org
for details!
Cheff is continuing to collect testimonials,
photographs, and Cheff memorabilia from years past.
If you or someone you know
has any of these items that
they would be willing to
share with us for our 40th
celebration, please contact
the center!
* For more information visit www.cheffcenter.org or call us at 269-731-4471
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Program Paddock
2010 is off to a great start for the Cheff Center. This “off season” things have been
busy! Here’s a quick look at all the exciting things going on within our program...
Silver Saddles
Senior Class:
With spring settling in, we’re
excited to get this newer
program back in gear. This
season is uniquely special,
as many of our Silver Saddle
riders will be participating in
a Cheff-run study researchKathryn Walters
ing the effects of Therapeutic Silver
Saddles Class
Riding on balance.
Hippotherapy and Therapeutic Riding:
Our regular sessions are currently
in full swing! Both programs will be
in session throughout the summer
Bronson Partnership: As a direct
months with special camps also
result of funds received from The
being offered for our therapeutic
Bronson Health Foundation, Cheff will
riders. Cheff is even introducing
be partnering with Bronson PT and
a new teen class which is more
Bronson Child Life to undertake a twogeared towards independent riding!
pronged project engaging pediatric
Also, for the very first time, Cheff
patients in the health and healing benwill be combining its student horse
efits of hippotherapy and therapeutic
show with the annual Spring Frolic
riding. This program will address the
Noah McGlynn
Therapeutic
Riding
Open Show! Our students will be
needs of clients who have reached the
strutting their stuff on Saturday, April 24th and
limits of traditional physical therapy as well as
the emotional needs of children living with a life everyone’s invited out to cheer them on!
altering medical circumstance.
Our programs are always accepting students and volunteers! If you or someone you know would
benefit from riding or volunteering at Cheff, please don’t hesitate to contact the center and see how
Cheff can make a difference in your life. Also, if you would like to help make a program possible, or
make riding a reality for a student, Cheff is always accepting donations.
Sue Sanders is Volunteer
of the Season!
1. What is the horse’s closest relative?
2. True or false... Horses do not have collar bones.
3. How old was the oldest working equine at Cheff?
f?
Equestrian
Events
Senior Day at the Chef f
Spring Frolic: Join us for our no-show-clothes open
show, April 24th. Visit the Cheff website for details!
AHAM Ride: Join us July 10th and 11th at Cheff
as endurance riders and novice riders alike take to
the trails. The ride is sanctioned by the Great Lakes
Distance Riders and the Arabian Horse Association
of Michigan. This event is open to all riders and all
breeds. For more information, contact Gene Dake at
269-979-9472.
SRS Dressage Clinic: Join us for 4 days as we
explore the world of dressage with Spanish Riding
School Bereiter, Herbert Seiberl! Sign up for a slot
to ride in the clinic or drop by and audit. For more
information on the clinic or about signing up, visit
www.dressageclinics.org.
* Proceeds from these events will go directly
back to Cheff.
Answer 2: TRUE!
This program at Cheff which
focuses entirely on U.S. Veterans is quickly becoming
a model for other centers in
our region. Since its inception in the spring of 2008,
Cheff’s Horses for Heroes
program has grown from
22 rides its first year to over
150 in 2009. The remarkable positive results found
in participants have gained
full support of the Veteran’s
Willis Munich
Administration as well as the
Horses For Heroes
Veterans. The program currently has a waiting list, as financial support in 2010
is proving to be incredibly hard to come
by. Cheff and the VA are in the process
of writing grants and scouting for funds.
Louis O’Daniel
Silver Saddles Class
May 18th from 10:00 a.m. –
12:00 p.m., Cheff will be hosting
an open house specifically for
senior citizens. All area seniors
and their caregivers are invited
out to the farm to visit our
horses, view a Silver Saddle class,
take a tour of the facilities and
learn all about what we do. This
event is free of charge!
Annual Rummage Sale
This
T
his yyear,
ear w
while
hile you’re
you’rre in
in the
the middle
middle of
of spring
spring
cleaning, think of Cheff! The Cheff Center is
currently collecting items to be sold in o u r
annual rummage sale that will be held
in Richland on May 15th. If you
have items you wish to donate,
bring them to the Cheff any time
before May 15th and we will
gladly take them off your hands!
(No clothing please!)
Answer 1: The Rhino!
Horses for Heroes:
Calm, caring, and competent are all words that come
to mind when the staff here at the Cheff Center
thinks of Sue Sanders.
Sue began volunteering in 2000 and since that time
has become an invaluable member of our team.
As a volunteer, Sue has done it all. She has worked
in the arena with students, been on the equine
management team, and been involved in numerous
fund raising committees. In 2006 she even went so
far as to adopt Apache, one of the Cheff Center
horses who was looking for a home.
Sue retired in 1997 fromWestern Michigan University
where she taught computer science. When she’s not
volunteering her time at Cheff, she and her husband,
Jim, enjoy traveling and walking through their woods
with their dogs – Leonard and Winnie.
On behalf of our students, horses, and staff, Cheff
would like to thank Sue for her compassion and
continued commitment to our program. It’s
volunteers like you who help make our organization
so great!
Answer 3: The oldest working equine at Cheff was a pony named Easter who was used in the program until the ripe old age of 39!