Meadowood Barn Encourages School Tours

On a warm June morning at , nothing unusual happened — for the horses that is. They were their normally expressive, welcoming, nickering selves. The horses at the barn played “host” to a group of wide-eyed, nervous, intrigued teenage kids who had travelled from Green Valley Academy, an alternative high school in Prince Georges County, as part of a pilot field trip program. 

”It was truly inspiring to watch my students be in such a different environment than what they are used to and to be challenged beyond their comfort zones," said Teach for America teacher Meredith Ackerman.  "One student's mother called me the next day to say her son could not stop talking about it and that he was more proud of overcoming his fear and riding a horse than anything he had done in recent memory.” 

Mills and Ackerman are looking to expand the program and bring more kids to the barn.

Green Valley is an alternative high school in Suitland, MD whose mission is to provide students, many of whom have not been successful in the regular school system or are referred through the courts, with small class sizes and a positive learning environment. 

These kids had never seen or touched a horse before. Starting with a tour of the barn and meeting all the horses individually, the kids began asking questions about the differences in size, color, breed types, and food needs. By the time the tour was over they each had their favorite horse and could distinguish temperament difference between the horses. They overcame their fear and began freely petting each one.

Then they went to work. We taught the kids to groom, clean hooves and tack up the horses. But the biggest benefit seemed to be learning how to safely lead a horse. Each teenager willingly took hold and walked a 1000-pound horse and together walked on. 

“He stops when I stop,” said an amazed student.  

“That’s right,” I told him. “Horses are trained to be respectful of their handlers and to walk with them, not in front of or lag behind.”

One trip to a horse farm will not change these kid’s circumstances or the challenges that face them, but it was a great day for them-a great day to be with a horse.  If you would like to explore the possibility of bringing your organization to the barn please contact me at stablesatmeadowood@verizon.net. 

The author is the Barn Manager at the Meadowood Barn.