(these are recorded verbatim from annual evaluation forms filled out independently by students and their parents)

STUDENTS:

I learned a lot of responsibility because of caring for my own horse, learned to pay attention, and let loose and have fun doing something I normally wouldn't.

I see myself better because I learned to see myself for what I am, not what I look like.

It helped me be responsible with my other animals.

I feel that HW has helped a lot with my self confidence. After learning to be able to control and communicate with a 1/2 ton animal with a walnut sized brain I feel that I can handle a lot more.

It helped me in other parts of my life because I wanted to become more independent from my friends and it worked because on Fridays when I would normally go hang out with them I got to ride in beautiful places of Jackson.

I loved the journals because it allowed me to open up and write what I felt, mostly because it was at a beautiful place. My favorite part was being able to draw.

I had a great time and think every minute was worth it. I want to give (my mentor) a special thanks for teaching me so much about horses and allowing me to follow through with my goal.

I loved writing and drawing in my journal! I thought it was a great way to express the way I was feeling on that day. My favorite part of journaling was the drawing.

I rediscovered my love of journaling, and some of the topics we were given really put me to work. I have actually continued to work in that journal, and it has sort of turned into an autobiography of my summer. My favorite part of the journaling was the spirit animals.

I like drawing and making a picture to add with it.

Working in our journals was really neat. You got to see what people's thoughts were, and it also made us think.

I felt Horse Warriors helped a lot in building self-confidence and being able to get along with people despite differences. I also think it made me feel like a more compassionate person.

Horse Warriors was an escape for me. This summer was the first summer that I was on my own financially. I worked full time managing a busy photo lab/camera store and by the time my Fridays would come, I was ready for a break from the norm. Horse Warriors gave me a chance to relax and be inspired, and I think that my ability to sit down and create great art came from the Fridays I spent with H.W.

I think how grateful I should be for the things I have. It also affected the way I express my feelings.

Being in Horse Warriors did help me in many ways. For a few things; it showed me that I could trust other people. Some people just aren't man and nasty; meeting people isn't all that hard. I believe that Horse Warriors did affect the way I see myself. I say that because at the beginning of the summer I was just a shy person and by the end of the summer I had more friends, and I wasn't just a shy person not wanting to say anything.

For one thing I learned was talking with my horse [sic]. Number two: you must express yourself in order for people to understand who you are. And for the last thing and the most important thing of all you were supposed to have fun.

Some of my goals were being involved in certain activities and being heard. This was met when I got to know (student, student and student) because I have not been accepted into many things and I haven't been listened to many times. So that is why I thought that I had better wait and find out what everybody was like before I opened up to anybody.

Not only did I develop new skills and a new perspective on my own life, but watching the middle school group really start to grow and interact was exciting. I think that this program can help shape healthy kids into adults that enjoy working with the community. Thank you!!

PARENTS:

In these beginning teenage years, I'm glad she has something constructive yet fun to do. I am also extremely happy that she has another adult to confide in and feels comfortable with. We all know that teenagers are genetically engineered to argue with their parents.

She seems to be more responsible and she is more open to me now.

The experience that your child will get is that they learn to properly care for their horse, how to ride them as well, they get to see parts of our valley they may not have ever seen before and they also do volunteering so that the kids can help in our community and how important that [is] and how it helps so many people that really do need it and how much that can change your life to be able to help someone else.

This is a great program. It helped my daughter tremendously. I would really suggest anybody that can to join.

Thank you for the opportunity for my daughter to participate in Horse Warriors. This program has been thoughtfully organized to bring not only a rewarding experience to children but to also create a challenge to adolescence. They take responsibility for changing not only their own behavior but also their community through volunteerism. While my daughter struggles with how to balance this, Horse Warriors has not let her fail her commitment. It does not let her fail herself.

She is a little more outgoing. I think this is due to her positive experiences with volunteering.

It is a horse based program where relationships between horse and rider are applied to all relationships. Mentors are available to facilitate discussions and be non-parents; another adult to talk to.

(Student's) attitude surprised me. When (mentor) told (student)what they would be doing for their volunteer work she looked forward to it. She couldn't wait to give a helping hand.

I think it is great. It teaches the kids that you have to give in order to get a little sometimes in these times that we are living in. And hard work or volunteering is not a bad thing it does you [sic - probably means 'give'] you [sic] something in the long run.

(Student) has shown us a great love and respect for his horse. We like having him know more about horses and riding.

Yes it has helped (student) in so many ways and I hope it will be around for a long time so that so many other children can experience what (student) has gotten too because of the wonderful people that ran it so well. Thank you.

(Student) has become more thoughtful, caring, more independent, responsible and maybe even volunteering in other needs in our community [sic].

I think this helped (student's) self-esteem and her responsibility. She is so different now it's hard to explain.

Given her confidence in herself.

I just want to thank you for having this program. I really appreciate the folks that make this happen. (Student) is so into horses that this made it to where she can be with them and enjoy [sic].

We feel it is a greater sense of responsibility that he shows.

I wish that there were more people like (mentor) around. She took (student) under her wing and gave my child something that I know I could never give her, and that was giving her a horse that she felt was hers. She had to feed it, groom it, bath and also teach the horse to do what she wanted him to just like it was her own. (Student) had always wanted to be around horses, but I didn't know of anybody or could afford it to let her go horseback riding that often so it gave her a sense in a way that this was her horse. And when (student) would talk to us about what she did, her eyes and her face would just light up. As her mother it was wonderful to see her get so happy when she would tell us what she did and once again I thank you. [sic]

I really love that (student) has had access to caring, non-threatening adults because kids don't always talk to their parents.