Newsletter: Spring 2008

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• Celebrating 25 Years of Equine Assisted Activities!!!
• 2008 Schedule
• Delegates from Japan Visit Three Gaits
• April Restaurant Fundraisers
• The Armstrong Family and Three Gaits:  Twenty-Four Years and Going Strong
• Sponsor Profile: Country View Veterinary Service
• 7th Annual Chair Affair & Art Auction
• Community Support for Three Gaits
• Welcome New Horses!
• Spring Raffle!
• Help Three Gaits
• Three Gaits Mission, Board Members, and Staff

Celebrating 25 Years of Equine Assisted Activities!!!

Three Gaits started in 1983 and this year marks a milestone in the organization - 25 years of service to the community. From beginnings in a "backyard" near Brooklyn, Wisconsin with a few students and two horses to serving hundreds of students each year, the story of Three Gaits continues.

Commenting about the anniversary year, Chris Ziemba stated, "We have to take and step back to realize the importance of serving our students for 25 years and the impact we have had on thousands of riders and their families. We also think of the numerous supporters over the years. It is truly a time to celebrate."

This issue spotlights both a rider and supporting organization that have been part of the Three Gaits story since nearly the beginning. Also included throughout the newsletter are highlights of the many events and happenings which will be going on this year. We hope you can join us.

Thank you, to everyone who has been a part of Three Gaits history. We salute you and hope you will join in the celebration this year.

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2008 Schedule

Session II: Summer
Rider Registration Deadline: Monday, May 5
Session Begins: Monday, June 2
Session Ends: Saturday, August 30
(12 classes held over 13 weeks
NO classes week of June 30-July 5)

Session III: Fall
Rider Registration Deadline: Monday, Aug. 18
Session Begins: Wednesday, September 17
Session Ends: Saturday, December 21
(12 weeks of classes held over 14 weeks
NO classes weeks of October 29-November 1 and November 24-30)

Events

7th Annual Chair Affair & Art Auction
Thursday, May 1
5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Madison Hotel

July 4th Open Horse Show
Friday July 4 & Saturday July 5
The Annual Independence Day Open Show will be held over 2 days this year and is open to the public. Classes will include Halter/Showmanship, English, Western and Driving.

Three Gaits Student Horse Show
Sunday, August 3

25th Anniversary Celebration
Sunday, September 14 at the Stoughton Country Club

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Delegates from Japan Visit Three Gaits

Recently a delegation from Obihiro, Japan stopped to visit and tour Three Gaits in order to gather information about starting a therapeutic program of their own. The visitors work with Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hakkaido, Japan.

The visit was arranged by Jo Oyama-Miller (pictured center) of Madison. Others pictured from left to right include Masahito Kawai, PhD, Senior Assistant Professor; Toshiichi Fujii, Facilty Section Chief; Fumiro Kashiwamura, Professor; and Masami Nii Glines from the Interpreting Services in Madison, WI.

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The Armstrong Family and Three Gaits: 
Twenty-Four Years and Going Strong
By Lynn Hanus

Jeanne Armstrong has a history of therapeutic riding almost as long as the history of Three Gaits itself. Jeanne started in our program when she was in her early twenties in 1984, the second year of Three Gaits existence. Jeanne loved Three Gaits and her riding lessons right from the start. And she especially loves the horses. Over the years Jeanne has ridden many, many of our program horses and had special connections to Warlock, Champ, Howdy, and others-some now retired and some still in the program.

Over the years Jeanne has endeared herself to many of our instructors and volunteers. Speaking from personal experience, it's a very good night when you're out at the barn and Jeanne comes up to greet you with a smile and puts her arm around your shoulder.

Jeanne loves participating in the Three Gaits student horse shows and has many ribbons to show for it over the years. Besides riding, Jeanne also swims and enjoys bowling through YMCA and Special Olympics. She has traveled to statewide meets and tournaments to compete. She likes to hike and has gone on trips through Able Trek Tours. Jeanne has also visited Disney World, loved it, and would go back again in a heartbeat!

Jeanne has always been a very independent and social person who likes to be active and around people. She has been employed since high school and has been in her current job with the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene for about 15 years, where she works in the mailroom and makes deliveries to the many labs. Jeanne has worked with job coaches through Goodwill Industries, and Community Living Connections helps with her living arrangements and transportation.

Very early on, both Jeanne's parents, Bill and Betty Armstrong, volunteered to drive a van taking Jeanne and other riders to Three Gaits for lessons. Since they were coming out to the barn anyway, they got involved in other ways. According to Betty, "I couldn't stand just sitting around, so I started to volunteer!" This was about the time of Bill's retirement in 1994. Over the years he has done countless projects around the facility. Betty helped with horses and lessons. She has also helped with newsletters and the Tupperware fund raiser-and she has been known as "the T-shirt Lady." One of her fondest memories of lessons was when a rider who had not been very verbal reached over, patted her head, and said, "Hi, Betty" to her. "And that's all the 'pay' you need as a volunteer," says Betty. Betty recalls that the Armstrong family has a lot of great memories of Three Gaits over the past two-plus decades. "We've met the nicest, most special people and we appreciate everything everyone's done. It's been such a pleasure to see Jeanne enjoy it so much. We're glad Three Gaits is there for us and hope it's there for a very long time to come."

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Sponsor Profile: Country View Veterinary Service
By Marilyn Gardner

As Three Gaits celebrates its 25th anniversary, there is no better time to acknowledge the contributions of sponsors and friends who have been with the organization from the very beginning: the equine doctors of Country View Veterinary Service.

"Education is a huge part of our relationship with Country View," Dena Duncan, Program Director, adds. "Veterinarians from Country View have been involved with educating our staff, volunteers and riders. Dr. Batker's annual trip out to talk with our Day Camp participants is a huge hit each year. She also has talked at several NAHRA Regional conferences- on topics ranging from geriatric horse care to evaluating confirmation and movement of program horses."

Just as Three Gaits has grown, so has Country View. Today, the clinic offers a full range of services for animals of all kinds, including companion animals, horses and other large animals. Their services include everything from mobile field ultrasounds and digital X-rays to pet grooming and boarding. They now have seven Doctors of Veterinary Medicine on staff.

"We can't begin to thank Country View enough for the 'above and beyond' attitude they have towards Three Gaits," Dena Duncan concludes. In this milestone year in the relationship between Three Gaits and Country View, the veterinary clinic became the sponsor of Dillon, a program horse.

Country View Veterinary Service is located less than eight miles from Three Gaits at 1350 S. Fish Hatchery Road, Oregon, WI. They can be reached at 608-835-0551-or visit them on the web a www.countryviewvets.com

County View also supports Three Gaits through the Annual Chair Affair and Art Auction. This bench was purchased by Country View for their reception area. It represents the largest auction purchase to date at the annual fundraiser. The bench was carved by Michelle Olson. Country View staff report that children visiting the clinic love to run their hands over the hand-carved details and the central image of three horses shown in the inset.

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Get the Hot Seat! At the 7th Annual Chair Affair & Art Auction to benefit Three Gaits, Inc. a silent auction of painted chairs & unique art Thursday, May 1, 2008 Sheraton Madison Hotel 706 John Nolen Drive, Madison 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Chairs will be on display at Hilldale Mall starting April 18, 2008 You can also view items at www.3gaits.org Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door Contact Three Gaits for tickets at (608) 877-9086 See our ad for the spring raffle on page 7! All Proceeds from this event support Three Gaits, Inc. Confirmed Artists: Birgit Bach, Madison Ruth Harbort, Madison Ruth Hansen, Verona Rowena Koschkee, Elkhorn John Longfield, Sun Prairie Craig Strayer, Des Moines, IA Chris Thomas, Lone Rock Bridget & Richard Zemlo, Brodhead

Three Gaits Thanks Mounds for being a Major Sponsor of
Three Gaits 7th Annual Chair Affair & Art Auction

5 Area Locations

• 8311 University Ave. Middleton

• 2110 S. Stoughton Road, Madison

• 2422 Montana Ave. Sun Prairie

• 5350 King James Way, Fitchburg

• 1725 Lodge Drive, Janesville

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Community Support for Three Gaits

AT&T Telecom Pioneers present a $5000 donation to Chris Ziemba, executive director,
to support a Three Gaits horse and assist students:

Firefighters at fire station #1 in Madison sponsor Three Gaits horse Snowcap.
Snowcap is a favorite of many riders at Three Gaits:

Three Gaits is grateful to the many in our community, too numerous to list,
for their continued support and donations!  Thank You!!!

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Welcome New Horses!

Fiona (left) and Emma (right) are the latest additions to the Three Gaits corral. If you'd like to sponsor a horse, please contact Three Gaits at (608) 877-9086!

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Spring Raffle! It's that time of year again! Win a suite at Miller Park for 6 people to see the Brewers take on the Dodgers on May 15th, 2008.  This is a special chance to have a great time with your friends and enjoy the national pastime of baseball! Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20! Contact Three Gaits at (608) 877-9086 to purchase your tickets today! Tickets will also be available at the Chair Affair on May 1, 2008. The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the silent auction.

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Help Three Gaits

Help Three Gaits by detaching this donation slip and sending it with your donation in an envelope.

Yes! I want to support Three Gaits Therapeutic Horsemanship Center so that it may remain a vital community resource! Enclosed is my gift of $25  $50  $100  $250 $500  Other $_____ Name: _____________________________________________  Phone:___________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________ City: _______________________________ State: _________ Zip: ___________ E-mail: _____________________________________________ This is a gift in honor / in memory of: _____________________________________________  (include honoree's contact information on the back of this card so they can be informed of your gift) My employer will match this gift (include your company's matching gift form with this card) Charge my credit card (Visa/MC) Credit Card number _______________________________       Expiration date_________________         Signature ___________________________________________________   Please contact me about volunteer opportunities at Three Gaits  Three Gaits, Inc., PO Box 153, Oregon, WI 53575   www.3gaits.org All gifts to Three Gaits, Inc. are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law. You will receive an acknowledgement letter. Thank you.

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Three Gaits Mission, Board Members, and Staff

Three Gaits, Inc., is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization whose mission is to provide a safe and effective therapeutic horsemanship program for children, youth, and adults with disabilities and special needs. Therapeutic horsemanship uses equine-oriented activities to promote and enhance the development of each participant's cognitive, physical, and communicative abilities, and positive self-esteem. Three Gaits strives to serve interested individuals within Dane County and the surrounding area. It is the policy of Three Gaits, Inc., to promote equal service and employment opportunities for employees, clients, board members, and applicants to the agency. Equal service and employment opportunity means the treatment of those categories of people mentioned above without regard to their age, race, sex, creed or religion, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, color, disability, ancestry, or political affiliation.

Board members:

• President: Andrea Strayer

• Treasurer: Rob Gooze

• Secretary: Mary Ann Zwaska

• Directors: Deb Gunderson, Jay Gunderson, Steve Link, Ann Lovegrove, and Pam Moen

Staff:

• Executive director: Chris Ziemba

• Program director: Dena Duncan

• Office coordinator: Melissa Lawrence

• Farm manager: Missy Landphier

• Instructors: Sandra Faust, Angela Frank, Betsy Kelley and Rudi Meyer

• Occupational therapists: Stephanie Bruschi and Karen Petrow

Three Gaits is a Proud Member of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, Inc. (NARHA)

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