Ribbon Cutting at Bella Oaks Horse Camp & Stables

BELLA OAKS STABLES & SUMMER CAMP OFFERS PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH Meet Debi and her crew June 15 at her Martinez Chamber Ribbon Cutting from 4-6pm. Enjoy free pony rides, vaulting lessons, pony painting, a petting zoo, a tour and history of the stables and horses, popcorn, hot dogs, tours & a bounce house. Enjoy a dressage exhibition and riding/vaulting show. (Vaulting is gymnastics on horses and Bella Oaks has a United States Equestrian Team member for a coach and a fantastic team waiting to meet you.) Long time horse owner, Debi Cacavo, brings children to life at her Alhambra Valley horse ranch and summer camp, Bella Oaks. Summer fun is had by all who attend Bella Oaks Horse Stables. Campers decompress almost instantly without television, video games and phones. Children are so “over-stimulated”, walking and talking with the animals under the huge Oak trees provides a sanctuary from daily stresses. Debi was brought up with horses. Her father had a huge barn filled with award winning quarter horses, but Debi took off the show saddles and went bareback through the woods with her friends daily. Her childhood was picturesque. Every day held new adventures over the creeks and across the hillsides of Briones. These cherished memories inspired Debi and her crew to create a place for children to enjoy the freedom they all know at Bella Oaks. To say Bella Oaks has a big heart is an understatement. Bella Oaks loves children. Thursdays they teach inner-city children love, kindness and responsibility through equine therapy. “Horses are therapeutic, all children benefit from the horses and being outside. We keep Bella Oaks a safe place to learn and grow.” Relaxed children test better in school. Recent (2005-2006) surveys conducted by both the American Youth Horse Council and Penn State University have found that equine activities develop life skills such as decision making, communicating, problem solving, goal setting and empathy. In the AYHC Study, a significant positive relationship was found between total horsemanship skills development and life skills development. Debi regularly receives calls from recently divorced parents and grandparents of children who have been through some type of trauma. Her heart melts for them and her eyes fill with tears as she recalls the improvements the horses have provided. “One little girl was scared of everything, worried about everything and so obviously anxious. During her first lesson, her very first visit, she opened up, laughing and talking as if she was never filled with fear and stress.” Horses are nonjudgmental, affectionate, and provide a solid sense of having a friend in your corner on bad days. Children and adults who bond with horses develop an emotional connection some find hard to make with people. The sense of achievement gained from mastering riding is a tremendous boost to self-esteem. Sitting several feet above the ground and being in control builds self-confidence. Making the decisions in advance about where to go and at what speed, improves concentration and focus as well as hand-eye coordination. Many children sit in school and then go watch TV or play video games. Visiting a barn, whether you ride or not, is physically stimulating. Brushing a horse, gathering the supplies, walking a horse, picking up after the horse- all of these things are exercise. The act of sitting on and guiding a horse teaches balance and coordination and improves muscle strength. The separation between what the upper-body is doing (guiding with the reins) and what the lower body is doing (gripping with the legs, providing cues with the heels) helps children and adults acquire and hone additional motor skills. Most of the horses at Bella Oaks have been rescued from an abusive or neglectful situation. Caring for the needs of another creature instills a tremendous sense of responsibility. Horses teach that kindness begets willingness. At-risk children who care for horses rescued from neglect often learn to transcend their own home lives and personal issues. Bella Oaks offers riding, vaulting and driving lessons year round. There is an apprentice program called the Saddle Club, an after-school program, adult group riding lessons and mommy and me classes for ages 3 and up. This is Bella Oaks third year to offer summer camp. The horse camp is a huge success but Debi noticed she had a bunch of horse crazy girls but their non-horsey siblings were leaving in the SUV with their mothers so she decided to offer a variety of nature and adventure camps, 17 to be exact. One is Indiana Jones Adventure Camp, another is a Little Cowpokes Camp offering either Horse, Animal Husbandry or Nature Camps for 3 ½ to 5 year olds. She also started a Nature/Animal Husbandry camp for kids ages 6-14 where they learn about bugs, snakes, green energy & our unique and amazing East Bay horticulture. Because Bella Oaks saw so many older kids looking for jobs they decided to offer training for acquiring a job through a summer education class. The most unique and much needed camp they added is the “Get a Job” camp that teaches kids ages 13-17 how to start their own home-based business, write a resume and present themselves to potential employers. They receive Red Cross and swimming training, horsemanship and riding lessons, animal husbandry skills and how to change a diaper. All camps begin June 13th and primary camp hours are 9:00am to 3:00pm. Meet Debi and her crew June 15 at her Martinez Chamber Ribbon Cutting from 4-6pm. Enjoy free pony rides, vaulting lessons, pony painting, a petting zoo, a tour and history of the stables and horses, popcorn, hot dogs, tours & a bounce house. Enjoy a dressage exhibition and riding/vaulting show. (Vaulting is gymnastics on horses and Bella Oaks has a United States Equestrian Team member for a coach and a fantastic team waiting to meet you.) “Open Ranch” is Fridays from 4-6pm through September. A drawing for a free month of riding lesson will be given away at the Bella Oaks booth at the King of the Bar-B-Q at the Water Front Park on June 18 and 19 in Martinez. Please schedule a visit other than the times specified above. bellaoaks@bellaoaksstables.com www.BellaOaksHorseCamp.com 925-229-2171 120 Vaca Creek Road, Martinez (across from Briones Regional Park entrance) Take Alhambra Valley Road past John Swett and turn right at the dead end on Alhambra Valley Road (left is Reliez Valley) then go about a mile to Vaca Creek and turn right. Please take is slow, roll down your windows, turn off the radio and enjoy the sounds of small animals and children playing under the huge Oak trees. - Ya’ll come! # # # For additional information contact: Debi Cacavo 925-229-2171 120 Vaca Creek Way, Martinez bellaoaks@bellaoaksstables.com www.BellaOaksHorseCamp.com Prepared by Denice Barton – 903-521-4570 Publisher/Driver Horses keep kids outside!