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Music therapy, changing
lives one note at a time
By Nancy Nguyen
Do you ever listen to music to improve your mood? Have you ever before heard of music therapy? Music therapy can help with many different kinds of social issues for anyone at any age. It is commonly used to help people who have depression and anxiety. Also, it’s used to help the elderly who have memory loss associated with diseases like Alzheimer's and Dementia. Did you know, that the Pythagoras, Plato, and Aristotle wrote about how music can affect health and behavior? Native tribes from around the world have also used music as a part of their arts.
Music therapy began in the 1960s when scientists and doctors began to prove the healing power of music with clinical trials.Today, music therapists work in a variety of places such as, hospitals, clinics, schools, and nursing homes. In a one-to-one setting, music therapists help their clients to work through their problems. The therapist might start off by asking the patient to listen to relaxing music to soothe stress and anxiety, or they might start off by “measuring the emotional well-being, physical, and mental health, and communication abilities of the patient,” according to the University of New Hampshire.
Music on it’s own can help release negative memories and feelings; also it can improve behavior. Music can improve skills such as communication and physical coordination. For example, a music therapist helps 90 year old Beverly Herzog who lives in the Hebrew Home in Riverdale, the Bronx, NY. Once a week, Mrs.Herzog changes her thoughts into music lyrics while Kaitlyn Kelly, her therapist, plays music to the lyrics on her guitar. Ms. Kelly told the New York Times that during one of the music sessions, “Mrs.Herzog would be marveled at how magically the music reflected her views on love and her life.”
Do you ever listen to music to improve your mood? Have you ever before heard of music therapy? Music therapy can help with many different kinds of social issues for anyone at any age. It is commonly used to help people who have depression and anxiety. Also, it’s used to help the elderly who have memory loss associated with diseases like Alzheimer's and Dementia. Did you know, that the Pythagoras, Plato, and Aristotle wrote about how music can affect health and behavior? Native tribes from around the world have also used music as a part of their arts.
Music therapy began in the 1960s when scientists and doctors began to prove the healing power of music with clinical trials.Today, music therapists work in a variety of places such as, hospitals, clinics, schools, and nursing homes. In a one-to-one setting, music therapists help their clients to work through their problems. The therapist might start off by asking the patient to listen to relaxing music to soothe stress and anxiety, or they might start off by “measuring the emotional well-being, physical, and mental health, and communication abilities of the patient,” according to the University of New Hampshire.
Music on it’s own can help release negative memories and feelings; also it can improve behavior. Music can improve skills such as communication and physical coordination. For example, a music therapist helps 90 year old Beverly Herzog who lives in the Hebrew Home in Riverdale, the Bronx, NY. Once a week, Mrs.Herzog changes her thoughts into music lyrics while Kaitlyn Kelly, her therapist, plays music to the lyrics on her guitar. Ms. Kelly told the New York Times that during one of the music sessions, “Mrs.Herzog would be marveled at how magically the music reflected her views on love and her life.”
Mrs.Herzog is suffering from memory loss, and she is confused sometimes. She would sometimes tell her therapist that her husband, Bernie, came to visit her, but, unfortunately, he is actually deceased. She would also talk about her job and how it was taking her away from her family, even though she had not worked in years and has lived at the Hebrew Home since 2013. However, when she sings, she doesn’t get confused about the lyrics and she will also offer to add some detailed edits. When Mrs.Herzog sings and creates songs with her therapist, it would “help her remember her loved one.” Mrs.Herzog has written a total of four songs such as, “The Song” and another song tiled, “Family First,” which is about remembering her parents. Mrs.Herzog longs for her mother and would have loved for her to have heard her songs. “She would be so proud,” Mrs. Herzog said of her deceased mother.
“About 15% of music therapists now work in geriatric settings, and about 10% of them work with terminally ill patients,” according to an American Music Therapy Association employment survey. Russell Hilliard is the founder of the Center for Music Therapy in the End of Life Care in Finksburg, MD. He has published research on the hospice environment, and he stated that music therapists are quite possibly “the only professionals that consistently treat the emotional, spiritual, cognitive, social and physical needs of the patients.” Music therapy is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted; it can have positive effects on people, and it proves the healing power of music and how it can be enjoyed in many ways.
To learn more about music therapy and how it can help. Visit the website below or check out these references.
“About 15% of music therapists now work in geriatric settings, and about 10% of them work with terminally ill patients,” according to an American Music Therapy Association employment survey. Russell Hilliard is the founder of the Center for Music Therapy in the End of Life Care in Finksburg, MD. He has published research on the hospice environment, and he stated that music therapists are quite possibly “the only professionals that consistently treat the emotional, spiritual, cognitive, social and physical needs of the patients.” Music therapy is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted; it can have positive effects on people, and it proves the healing power of music and how it can be enjoyed in many ways.
To learn more about music therapy and how it can help. Visit the website below or check out these references.
Get to know your high school options
By Nancy Nguyen
Are you ready for high school? Transitioning from middle school to high school can be nerve racking and you will meet many new people. High school is a step closer to college and it gets you prepared for what you plan on doing in the future. Each high school provides different courses and activities for the career that you want. Colleges will be looking at how you do in high school, so it’s important to do well, and also take classes that you prefer. Student's from Meriden Public Schools have many high schools to choose from/apply to. Here are a few high schools that you can take a look into, Francis T. Maloney High School, Orville H. Platt High School, H.C. Wilcox Technical High School, and Lyman Hall High School.
Both Francis T. Maloney High School and Orville H. Platt High School have great performing arts programs and much more. Maloney’s most recent show was Mary Poppins in the spring and The Man Who Came To Dinner was performed in the winter. Platt has great courses such as AP/ECE. AP and ECE is an abbreviation for advance placement and ECE is an abbreviation for early college experience courses. Some of the courses offered at Platt include music theory, music technology, advanced piano, and many more. Maloney has a diverse selection of courses to choose from such as CTE, Career Technology Education Department and the College and Career Center. This program provides information about post secondary school education and career exploration. Maloney's principal is Jennifer Straub, and the principal at Platt is Robert L. Montemurro. Maloney’s school colors are white and green, Platt’s school colors are blue and white.
Are you ready for high school? Transitioning from middle school to high school can be nerve racking and you will meet many new people. High school is a step closer to college and it gets you prepared for what you plan on doing in the future. Each high school provides different courses and activities for the career that you want. Colleges will be looking at how you do in high school, so it’s important to do well, and also take classes that you prefer. Student's from Meriden Public Schools have many high schools to choose from/apply to. Here are a few high schools that you can take a look into, Francis T. Maloney High School, Orville H. Platt High School, H.C. Wilcox Technical High School, and Lyman Hall High School.
Both Francis T. Maloney High School and Orville H. Platt High School have great performing arts programs and much more. Maloney’s most recent show was Mary Poppins in the spring and The Man Who Came To Dinner was performed in the winter. Platt has great courses such as AP/ECE. AP and ECE is an abbreviation for advance placement and ECE is an abbreviation for early college experience courses. Some of the courses offered at Platt include music theory, music technology, advanced piano, and many more. Maloney has a diverse selection of courses to choose from such as CTE, Career Technology Education Department and the College and Career Center. This program provides information about post secondary school education and career exploration. Maloney's principal is Jennifer Straub, and the principal at Platt is Robert L. Montemurro. Maloney’s school colors are white and green, Platt’s school colors are blue and white.
H.C. Wilcox High School is a technical school that has a wide variety of activities and there is something for everyone. Wilcox has the Red Cross Club, the Thespian Club, the Aviation Club, FCCLA, Family Career and Community Leaders of America Club, and many more. Wilcox provides courses such as honors trigonometry, physiology, advanced science investigations, etc. If you’re into sports, then Wilcox could be the school for you. They have coed sports like water polo, golf, and lacrosse. You have to apply to go to Wilcox and go through a registration process. Wilcox is also located in Meriden and it's school colors are blue and yellow.
Lyman Hall High School is located in Wallingford, and you can apply to go there if you want to learn about agriculture. Lyman Hall has an advanced agricultural science and technology program. Agricultural Science is a hands on program that enhances and completes a academic curriculum. If you decide to go to Lyman Hall, you can choose one agricultural field to specialize in for the next four years. Agricultural science and technology was formerly as vocational agriculture or Vo-Ag. Lyman Hall offers classes based on agricultural mechanics/landscape management, aquaculture, wildlife biology, plant science, and many more. These classes will prepare you for post secondary education and career readiness. There are three components to this program, it includes instruction, supervised agricultural experience (SAE), and the national Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization.
All of these high schools offer top notch classes that will help you develop skills in the real world settings. High school is more competitive than middle school because that’s when colleges will be looking at your work and your performance. Choosing the right high school to go to can be difficult, but your school counselor can help you every step of the way.
Lyman Hall High School is located in Wallingford, and you can apply to go there if you want to learn about agriculture. Lyman Hall has an advanced agricultural science and technology program. Agricultural Science is a hands on program that enhances and completes a academic curriculum. If you decide to go to Lyman Hall, you can choose one agricultural field to specialize in for the next four years. Agricultural science and technology was formerly as vocational agriculture or Vo-Ag. Lyman Hall offers classes based on agricultural mechanics/landscape management, aquaculture, wildlife biology, plant science, and many more. These classes will prepare you for post secondary education and career readiness. There are three components to this program, it includes instruction, supervised agricultural experience (SAE), and the national Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization.
All of these high schools offer top notch classes that will help you develop skills in the real world settings. High school is more competitive than middle school because that’s when colleges will be looking at your work and your performance. Choosing the right high school to go to can be difficult, but your school counselor can help you every step of the way.
Three tales of Dwarf Holland Lop bunnies
By Sami Park, Julia Skrzyniarz, and Celine Cardona
Our Bunny Buddies
Do you know what rabbit has the cutest ears that drag past their eyes, with a heart of gold, and a body covered in the fluffiest fur? This rabbit is called the Dwarf Holland Lop. Dwarf Holland Lops are a type of domestic rabbit breed with ears that flop down instead of up. These bunnies are so endearing and "snuggly." As soon as you lay your eyes on one, you will fall in love. They do require a lot of attention and work, but in the end, they can make great pets. Here are three tales about our Dwarf Holland Lops bunnies and what makes them so special.
Celine’s Rabbit
My life with with Coco began when I was 10 years old. Sadly, my dog had just died and I really wanted another pet. One day, I went to a pet store and saw a black bunny. I thought it was adorable, so I asked my mom if I could get one. At first she said no because she simply wasn’t ready for another pet. Soon enough my tenth birthday came along, and again, I asked for a bunny. My parents said over and over again, “you are not getting a bunny.” So, I set out to prove to them that I was ready for a bunny. (Tip: If you want to get your parents to buy you a bunny, prove it by doing extra chores, keeping your room clean, and if you have another pet, take care of it extra well).
To my surprise on my tenth birthday, I got the black bunny of my dreams! This bunny was more adorable than I ever could have imagined. She is a Dwarf Holland Lop with short ears that went from side to side. The first time I saw her, she was in a basket sitting quietly. I shrieked with delight. I was so happy and I decided to name her Coco. Now that Coco has been my pet for awhile, I can tell you that I have grown to my sweet bunny. She licks me and this is how she shows me that she loves me the best. She loves cuddling, and giving and getting kisses. Coco is an all around amazing bunny!
Sami’s First Rabbit
After seeing Coco and how sweet these bunnies are, I knew I wanted my own bunny, too. I got, Snickers, from Fluffy Bunny Rabbitry. He was a male Dwarf Holland Lop. I named him Snickers because of the way his coat blended like a Snickers Bar, brown and tan. He was pretty sweet and was very athletic. I cuddled him a lot and he was as cute as a little baby. He hopped so fast and he could jump very high. I’ll be honest , he wasn’t that cuddly, but he sure loved to hop. I would put him outside during the day, and he stayed inside during the night. I had him for a little while and I enjoyed being his parent. I would sometimes take him places to let him hop around. After a year, he fell ill and he developed an illness that was unfortunately untreatable. We tried everything we could to help him. After about a week of being sick, he passed away the night of Thanksgiving. My mother is veterinarian and I gave him some medicine she recommended. He went to the emergency vet twice before he passed away, sadly there was nothing else we could do. I missed him a lot and I really missed having a bunny. My parents felt badly too, and fortunately, they bought me another bunny. My bunny story continues…
Our Bunny Buddies
Do you know what rabbit has the cutest ears that drag past their eyes, with a heart of gold, and a body covered in the fluffiest fur? This rabbit is called the Dwarf Holland Lop. Dwarf Holland Lops are a type of domestic rabbit breed with ears that flop down instead of up. These bunnies are so endearing and "snuggly." As soon as you lay your eyes on one, you will fall in love. They do require a lot of attention and work, but in the end, they can make great pets. Here are three tales about our Dwarf Holland Lops bunnies and what makes them so special.
Celine’s Rabbit
My life with with Coco began when I was 10 years old. Sadly, my dog had just died and I really wanted another pet. One day, I went to a pet store and saw a black bunny. I thought it was adorable, so I asked my mom if I could get one. At first she said no because she simply wasn’t ready for another pet. Soon enough my tenth birthday came along, and again, I asked for a bunny. My parents said over and over again, “you are not getting a bunny.” So, I set out to prove to them that I was ready for a bunny. (Tip: If you want to get your parents to buy you a bunny, prove it by doing extra chores, keeping your room clean, and if you have another pet, take care of it extra well).
To my surprise on my tenth birthday, I got the black bunny of my dreams! This bunny was more adorable than I ever could have imagined. She is a Dwarf Holland Lop with short ears that went from side to side. The first time I saw her, she was in a basket sitting quietly. I shrieked with delight. I was so happy and I decided to name her Coco. Now that Coco has been my pet for awhile, I can tell you that I have grown to my sweet bunny. She licks me and this is how she shows me that she loves me the best. She loves cuddling, and giving and getting kisses. Coco is an all around amazing bunny!
Sami’s First Rabbit
After seeing Coco and how sweet these bunnies are, I knew I wanted my own bunny, too. I got, Snickers, from Fluffy Bunny Rabbitry. He was a male Dwarf Holland Lop. I named him Snickers because of the way his coat blended like a Snickers Bar, brown and tan. He was pretty sweet and was very athletic. I cuddled him a lot and he was as cute as a little baby. He hopped so fast and he could jump very high. I’ll be honest , he wasn’t that cuddly, but he sure loved to hop. I would put him outside during the day, and he stayed inside during the night. I had him for a little while and I enjoyed being his parent. I would sometimes take him places to let him hop around. After a year, he fell ill and he developed an illness that was unfortunately untreatable. We tried everything we could to help him. After about a week of being sick, he passed away the night of Thanksgiving. My mother is veterinarian and I gave him some medicine she recommended. He went to the emergency vet twice before he passed away, sadly there was nothing else we could do. I missed him a lot and I really missed having a bunny. My parents felt badly too, and fortunately, they bought me another bunny. My bunny story continues…
Julia’s Rabbit
After seeing Celine’s bunny, Coco, and Sami’s bunny, Snickers, I fell in love too. I begged my parents to get me my very own Dwarf Lop Bunny. With my birthday approaching, I began to try to convince my parents. Day after day, I would not-so-slyly hint that I really wanted a bunny, and eventually I think they got the message. On my birthday, I awoke to the smell of hay, but I saw nothing reminiscent of a cage. While I was opening my last gift, my dad went out the garage and brought out a cage full of hay, a water dripper, and lots of other bunny related objects. I was so excited! I couldn’t wait to have my own bunny. The next day, we went on vacation. The whole way there I was jumpy. Everyday on vacation I was looking at bunnies. I knew that I wanted a black and white bunny, and I would name it Oreo. I had looked on the Facebook account of the same breeder that Celine got her bunny from, Mighty Roar Rabbitry. I found a Mini Lop eared rabbit, but found out that they are much larger than Dwarf Lop bunnies. I kept searching the web and finally I found a black bunny with white feet and some brown on his ears. I loved him!
My dad sent a text to the breeder. At the time the rabbit was called Harry Potter. The breeder said that he was available. My dad told her to hold him, we couldn’t wait to go pick him up. The day after I got back from vacation, I was off with my parents to pick up my bunny. It was a two hour ride, but it was worth it. When we pulled up to the house, a boy met us at the front door and led us to a garage. He opened the door, and I saw a cage separated into three parts. The bottom said “for sale,” I was a bit confused. The right side of the cage was empty, in the middle was my little guy, and on the left of the cage was a chicken. The boy grabbed him and gave him to my dad. The boy said, “I’ll get you a box.” My eyes opened wide because, I didn’t want my bunny to be put in a box. “We already have a carrier,” my mom said. The boy said, “I’ll go grab you some food."
We remained quiet. We heard the boy say from inside the house “it dropped!” and another voice replied, “so get another one.” About ten minutes later, the boy gave us the food and we gave him the money. ”Have a great day,” my dad said and “you too,” the boy replied. He walked inside the house and we heard him say in an excited voice, “uncle, we made eighty bucks!” and then we heard cheering. We all hopped into the car as we drove off, my mom said “how bizarre?” I nodded my head in agreement. We took Oreo home and put him in his cage. On Christmas morning he got an upgrade to a giant bunny hutch. I love Oreo so much, and he is the best pet I could ever ask for. He is now best friends with Sami’s new bunny.
After seeing Celine’s bunny, Coco, and Sami’s bunny, Snickers, I fell in love too. I begged my parents to get me my very own Dwarf Lop Bunny. With my birthday approaching, I began to try to convince my parents. Day after day, I would not-so-slyly hint that I really wanted a bunny, and eventually I think they got the message. On my birthday, I awoke to the smell of hay, but I saw nothing reminiscent of a cage. While I was opening my last gift, my dad went out the garage and brought out a cage full of hay, a water dripper, and lots of other bunny related objects. I was so excited! I couldn’t wait to have my own bunny. The next day, we went on vacation. The whole way there I was jumpy. Everyday on vacation I was looking at bunnies. I knew that I wanted a black and white bunny, and I would name it Oreo. I had looked on the Facebook account of the same breeder that Celine got her bunny from, Mighty Roar Rabbitry. I found a Mini Lop eared rabbit, but found out that they are much larger than Dwarf Lop bunnies. I kept searching the web and finally I found a black bunny with white feet and some brown on his ears. I loved him!
My dad sent a text to the breeder. At the time the rabbit was called Harry Potter. The breeder said that he was available. My dad told her to hold him, we couldn’t wait to go pick him up. The day after I got back from vacation, I was off with my parents to pick up my bunny. It was a two hour ride, but it was worth it. When we pulled up to the house, a boy met us at the front door and led us to a garage. He opened the door, and I saw a cage separated into three parts. The bottom said “for sale,” I was a bit confused. The right side of the cage was empty, in the middle was my little guy, and on the left of the cage was a chicken. The boy grabbed him and gave him to my dad. The boy said, “I’ll get you a box.” My eyes opened wide because, I didn’t want my bunny to be put in a box. “We already have a carrier,” my mom said. The boy said, “I’ll go grab you some food."
We remained quiet. We heard the boy say from inside the house “it dropped!” and another voice replied, “so get another one.” About ten minutes later, the boy gave us the food and we gave him the money. ”Have a great day,” my dad said and “you too,” the boy replied. He walked inside the house and we heard him say in an excited voice, “uncle, we made eighty bucks!” and then we heard cheering. We all hopped into the car as we drove off, my mom said “how bizarre?” I nodded my head in agreement. We took Oreo home and put him in his cage. On Christmas morning he got an upgrade to a giant bunny hutch. I love Oreo so much, and he is the best pet I could ever ask for. He is now best friends with Sami’s new bunny.
Sami’s New Rabbit
I traveled four hours to New Jersey to get my little precious angel, S’mores. The first time I saw S’mores my eyes lit up brightly; I was so happy to know that she would be my pet. She was so tiny that she fit into the palm of the breeder's hand. S’mores was completely covered in a thick layer of fluffy fur. I fell in love with her right away, and cuddled her for a long time. We could not take our eyes off of her cute little face. We walked to the car and all I wanted to do was snuggle her. I just loved her. I took many pictures of her and could not stop hugging her. It took me while to come up with her name, but soon I settled on S’mores. Before I got her, I cleaned out Snicker’s old hutch and put it in my room.
S’mores settled into her new home; she loved it. She ran around her cage and played with all her new toys. She always sits and sleeps right next to me. I eat dinner with her, play with her all the time and take her outside where she gets lots of treats. Soon after I got her, my family and I went to Arizona and when we came back, she had grown. She was still so adorable though. I still snuggled her, played with her and taught her tricks. She now knows her name. For more fun, I like to dress her up in costumes I also love to make her treats. Her favorite food of all time is romaine lettuce. By far our favorite thing to do together is snuggle. I am so extremely happy that I have S’mores as my pet.
I traveled four hours to New Jersey to get my little precious angel, S’mores. The first time I saw S’mores my eyes lit up brightly; I was so happy to know that she would be my pet. She was so tiny that she fit into the palm of the breeder's hand. S’mores was completely covered in a thick layer of fluffy fur. I fell in love with her right away, and cuddled her for a long time. We could not take our eyes off of her cute little face. We walked to the car and all I wanted to do was snuggle her. I just loved her. I took many pictures of her and could not stop hugging her. It took me while to come up with her name, but soon I settled on S’mores. Before I got her, I cleaned out Snicker’s old hutch and put it in my room.
S’mores settled into her new home; she loved it. She ran around her cage and played with all her new toys. She always sits and sleeps right next to me. I eat dinner with her, play with her all the time and take her outside where she gets lots of treats. Soon after I got her, my family and I went to Arizona and when we came back, she had grown. She was still so adorable though. I still snuggled her, played with her and taught her tricks. She now knows her name. For more fun, I like to dress her up in costumes I also love to make her treats. Her favorite food of all time is romaine lettuce. By far our favorite thing to do together is snuggle. I am so extremely happy that I have S’mores as my pet.
Riding at Rivendell Farm
By Katelyn Park
There is no feeling like being on the back of a horse! Feeling the wind blow in your hair as you soar over the jumps is beyond exhilarating! I’ve been to many barns before, but none compares to the helpful, caring place that is Rivendell Farm, located in Durham, CT. If you are interested in horseback riding, I highly recommend Rivendell as a barn, especially for beginning riders. There are two activities at Rivendell that are important to their barn, the IEA (Interscholastic Equestrian Association) team, and therapeutic riding.
There is no feeling like being on the back of a horse! Feeling the wind blow in your hair as you soar over the jumps is beyond exhilarating! I’ve been to many barns before, but none compares to the helpful, caring place that is Rivendell Farm, located in Durham, CT. If you are interested in horseback riding, I highly recommend Rivendell as a barn, especially for beginning riders. There are two activities at Rivendell that are important to their barn, the IEA (Interscholastic Equestrian Association) team, and therapeutic riding.
Not many people know what IEA or Interscholastic Equestrian Association is. The most basic way to describe IEA is that it’s a riding team where you go to a barn, but instead of riding your own horse, you are able ride the horses that the barn provides. As a result, you don’t know what kind of horse you will get to ride. Because of the variety, it can be an exciting way of showing a horse, and I highly recommend it. Another reason to pick Rivendell Farm is because of its programs. One program is therapeutic riding, which is for disabled children who can come to the barn to ride as a form of therapy. Rivendell reserves Saturday mornings for this wonderful program. Many believe animals can be a healing method for sick children and the opportunity to see smiles on the children's faces is priceless. The barn offers volunteer hours for people who have riding experience.
From the minute we walked through the barn doors, Rivendell has been very kind to both my family and I. They have done many things that no other barn would have for us. For example, when my pony, Jade, was hurt, they only charged us for half board instead of full board. Boarding is where you pay a barn to keep your horse. The average cost to board depends on whether or not the barn is also taking care of your horse. If you are doing a board where you come to the barn everyday and care for your own horse, it is called a “rough board.” This kind of boarding costs less because you don’t pay for all the maintenance. You can also pay for a “full board” where the barn takes full care of your horse. Boarding costs can range anywhere from $600-$1,000 depending on the barn facility that you use.
Rivendell also lets us borrow horses when our family comes to ride. If it wasn’t for Rivendell’s kindness, we would have never bought my horse, “Sky”. Sky was the most favored lesson horse at Rivendell, but they made a decision to sell him to us because he had given too many lessons. If a horse has more than five lessons a day, the animal can feel overworked and this can be bad for its health. If you are a horse owner, you want to be sure to ride your horse often to give it exercise and keep it in shape, but not too much as you don’t want to overwork your horse.
Lessons are a good idea for people who don’t have the time to own a horse. Lessons are an excellent way to learn about horses and riding them. The cost per lesson at Rivendell is $40. The quality of their lessons is worth every penny! “The trainers at Rivendell are influencing, and helped build my confidence,” said one lesson client.
Rivendell has many great lesson horses that work with a variety of riding levels. “I love the lesson horses here,” remarked Julie, another client at Rivendell. Lessons are a great way to learn more about this amazing sport.
In my opinion, Rivendell Farm is the obvious choice when choosing a barn. If you are interested in learning more about this incredible facility, go to their website by clicking the button below or call 203-984-9232.
From the minute we walked through the barn doors, Rivendell has been very kind to both my family and I. They have done many things that no other barn would have for us. For example, when my pony, Jade, was hurt, they only charged us for half board instead of full board. Boarding is where you pay a barn to keep your horse. The average cost to board depends on whether or not the barn is also taking care of your horse. If you are doing a board where you come to the barn everyday and care for your own horse, it is called a “rough board.” This kind of boarding costs less because you don’t pay for all the maintenance. You can also pay for a “full board” where the barn takes full care of your horse. Boarding costs can range anywhere from $600-$1,000 depending on the barn facility that you use.
Rivendell also lets us borrow horses when our family comes to ride. If it wasn’t for Rivendell’s kindness, we would have never bought my horse, “Sky”. Sky was the most favored lesson horse at Rivendell, but they made a decision to sell him to us because he had given too many lessons. If a horse has more than five lessons a day, the animal can feel overworked and this can be bad for its health. If you are a horse owner, you want to be sure to ride your horse often to give it exercise and keep it in shape, but not too much as you don’t want to overwork your horse.
Lessons are a good idea for people who don’t have the time to own a horse. Lessons are an excellent way to learn about horses and riding them. The cost per lesson at Rivendell is $40. The quality of their lessons is worth every penny! “The trainers at Rivendell are influencing, and helped build my confidence,” said one lesson client.
Rivendell has many great lesson horses that work with a variety of riding levels. “I love the lesson horses here,” remarked Julie, another client at Rivendell. Lessons are a great way to learn more about this amazing sport.
In my opinion, Rivendell Farm is the obvious choice when choosing a barn. If you are interested in learning more about this incredible facility, go to their website by clicking the button below or call 203-984-9232.
Gems galore: The Lapidary and Mineral Society of Central Connecticut
By Kailee Finnigan
Are you interested in minerals, jewelry, or mining? Then, the Lapidary & Mineral Society of Central Connecticut, also known as LMSCC, might be perfect for you! The club meets every fourth Monday, from September through June in the Maloney High School cafeteria. For only $15 per person, or $20 for your entire family, you can join many other mineral enthusiasts for lots of great activities!
The club plans mining trips often! If you were to mine at various localities on your own, you’d have to pay for a permit but with our club, we take care of all that. The only thing is that you must arrange for your own transportation to the mining sites. The majority of the trips are right here in Connecticut; however, there are also trips available to sites in New York and New Jersey. You just bring your own materials for the trip like bug spray, a chisel, a rock hammer, and a first aid kit.
Every March, the club holds an annual show at Maloney High. So mark your calendars for this coming March 3rd & 4th! We typically have around 17 vendors from who can purchase rough gems, polished crystals, beads, jewelry, and more! Club members can showcase their specimens too! Food is also available for purchase. General admission fees are $5, but children under 12 and scouts with uniforms get in for free! Each admission comes with a free mineral.
Are you interested in minerals, jewelry, or mining? Then, the Lapidary & Mineral Society of Central Connecticut, also known as LMSCC, might be perfect for you! The club meets every fourth Monday, from September through June in the Maloney High School cafeteria. For only $15 per person, or $20 for your entire family, you can join many other mineral enthusiasts for lots of great activities!
The club plans mining trips often! If you were to mine at various localities on your own, you’d have to pay for a permit but with our club, we take care of all that. The only thing is that you must arrange for your own transportation to the mining sites. The majority of the trips are right here in Connecticut; however, there are also trips available to sites in New York and New Jersey. You just bring your own materials for the trip like bug spray, a chisel, a rock hammer, and a first aid kit.
Every March, the club holds an annual show at Maloney High. So mark your calendars for this coming March 3rd & 4th! We typically have around 17 vendors from who can purchase rough gems, polished crystals, beads, jewelry, and more! Club members can showcase their specimens too! Food is also available for purchase. General admission fees are $5, but children under 12 and scouts with uniforms get in for free! Each admission comes with a free mineral.
The club also holds silent auctions! Silent auctions are held every meeting but in June we hold a huge, open auction with super deals cheaper than retail! Placing bids is exciting. At past auctions, I have personally won precious stones like amethyst, and aquamarine. The deals to be had are enormous.
There are giveaways at the start each of our meetings where you have the possibility of getting things like mineral kits! Valuable mineral lessons are given too. Our meetings are funny, informative and thought-provoking! If you are interested in joining, or want more information, please head over to lmscc.org or visit our Facebook page. Happy rockhounding!
There are giveaways at the start each of our meetings where you have the possibility of getting things like mineral kits! Valuable mineral lessons are given too. Our meetings are funny, informative and thought-provoking! If you are interested in joining, or want more information, please head over to lmscc.org or visit our Facebook page. Happy rockhounding!