The Charlotte Observer
Wednesday, Jul. 21, 2010
A ride at sunset is a dream
Goal of Latta Equestrian Center is enjoyment
By Lukas Johnson
Slideshow
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Brian, 28, and Emily Lucas, 27, of Charlotte took a sunset ride on July 10 at Latta Equestrian Center. "I'd do it again tomorrow if I could," said Brian Lucas. "Riding up the hill with the sunset was great."
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Nearly 20 riders, including staff and volunteers, took a sunset ride on July 10 through the trails of Latta Plantation Nature Preserve in Huntersville. The two-hour ride ended with a "cowboy" dinner.
After the two-hour sunset ride, participants can load up on barbecue chicken, rib-eye steaks, beans, baked potatoes, corn-on-the-cob and the like.
· Horseback excursion
What: Latta Equestrian Center hosts a two-hour horseback ride paired with a "cowboy" dinner. Other activities for ages 2 and older are available throughout the year.
When: Sunset rides are held twice a month, March-September. Reservations are recommended.
Where: 6201 Sample Road, Huntersville.
Cost: $60 per person. $30 deposit required.
Valerie Pierson has been around horses her whole life.
The 54-year-old grew up in Ontario and was a trail guide in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Banff, Alberta, before moving to the U.S. and becoming the director of the Latta Equestrian Center in Huntersville.
"Once I stepped foot in this place, I couldn't leave it," she said. "I volunteered almost every weekend for six years - cleaning stables, doing trail rides - and I've always dreamed of running it. When the former owner asked me to buy him out, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven."
Pierson has been the director of the center for the last four years. Aside from hosting horse shows and other fundraising events, the facility also serves as a spot where people of all abilities can learn about horses at their own pace.
The center offers a variety of activities for people 2 and older, including private lessons, pony rides and therapeutic horseback riding for people with disabilities, but a customer favorite is the sunset trail ride and "cowboy" dinner.
The guided horseback rides, for ages 18 and older, take place twice a month, March-September. They are led by barn manager Janice Turner of Charlotte. Generally, guests arrive about 6 p.m., sign liability waivers, then walk to the barn to meet their horse.
After some quick instructions - more time is given to those with less experience - the group heads out for a two-hour ride on the trails of Latta Plantation Nature Preserve.
"We cover most of the park's trails on our rides," said Pierson.
People are encouraged to where closed-toe shoes or boots and dress for the weather. The journey isn't too strenuous, but it will help you work up an appetite.
The "cowboy" dinner following the ride includes barbecue chicken, rib-eye steak, corn-on-the-cob, barbecue baked beans, baked potatoes, rolls and cheesecake. Water and soda also are available. Meals also can be catered to vegetarians, who can have their food cooked on a separate grill.
"People come to the grill with a plate in each hand," said the center's general manager and chef, Jeff Taylor. "If you go home hungry, it's your own fault."
Brian Lucas, 28, took his wife, Emily, on the July 10 sunset ride as a gift for their six-year wedding anniversary, which the Charlotte couple celebrated June 23.
It was Lucas' first time on a horse, and he admitted it was a little spooky at first.
"But I'd do it again tomorrow if I could," said Lucas. "I kind of felt unprepared, but from the second we started going, the horse was very calm and responsive. It was very simple. And riding up the trail with the sunset was great."
Jarred Carter, 27, and Beth Carter, 26, of Charlotte also took the sunset ride on July 10 with Beth's sister, Becca Carson, 20, who was visiting from Georgia.
The trio had more than 30 years of riding experience between them, and Jarred Carter said he was impressed with how the staff took the time to match people with horses according to their skill level.
"Regardless if you can ride or not, it's a great experience," said Carter. "You may be a little sore the next day, but they really take care of you, so there's nothing to worry about."
For Pierson, it's all about the passion.
"If you don't have passion for horses, it'd be way too much work," she said. "During my very first staff meeting, I told them that my No. 1 goal is to make sure everybody that steps foot in this place enjoys themselves, and that's what we try to do."
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The Charlotte Observer
Wednesday, Jul. 07, 2010
Charity horse show at Latta raises $20,000
Funds go to Cook's Memorial Presbyterian Church for a family life center
By Lukas Johnson
The Charlotte Charity Horse Show was held June 24-26 at the Latta Plantation Equestrian Center in Huntersville. Money raised from the event will go toward Cook's Memorial Presbyterian Church, which hopes to buile a family life center on the grounds of the Charlotte church within five years. · Cortni Henderson (left), 15, poses with friend and fellow rider, Caleigh Bacogeorge, 15, and Bella, a 12-year-old American Saddlebred nicknamed "The Dancing Connection." Both girls live in Huntersville. Henderson competed in the five gated show pleasure, which features the walk, trot, canter and rack maneuvers. Bacogeorge helped her groom Bella.·
Kiersten Lockman, 16, of Kannapolis recently participated in the Charlotte Charity Horse Show held at Latta Plantation Equestrian Center in Huntersville. She's been riding with Lenux Stables of Huntersville for five years. Her horse, Barbie, is a 16-year-old American Saddlebred. She competed in the Academy Division's Walk, Trot, Canter. ·
Cortni Henderson, 15, of Huntersville takes a break from grooming her horse, Bella, to interact with other horses in the stables. Cortni Henderson, 15, of Huntersville grooms her horse, Bella, a 12-year-old American Saddlebred nicknamed "The Dancing Connection." She competed wtih Calibogue Stables in Huntersvilee.The 18th annual Charlotte Charity Horse Show at Latta Plantation Equestrian Center in Huntersville was a success, organizer Betsy Boone says. The event raised about $20,000 and showcased about 200 riders, ages 2 to 70, some who traveled as far away as West Virginia. Boone, an event organizer and instructor at Boone's Farm and Stables in Concord, has been riding for about 40 years.
The money raised will go to Cook's Memorial Presbyterian Church, which hopes to build a family life center on the grounds of the Charlotte church within the next five years or sooner, Boone said. Cortni Henderson, 15, of Huntersville has been riding for about six years with Calibogue Stables, also in Huntersville. She finished second and third in the Five-Gated Show Pleasure division for all ages. Her horse, Bella "The Dancing Connection," is a 12-year-old American Saddlebred. Kiersten Lockman, 16, of Kannapolis is in her sixth year with Lenux Stables in Huntersville. She placed second in the Academy division for ages 14-17. Her horse, Barbie, is a 16-year-old American Saddlebred.
Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/07/1539845/charity-horse-show-at-latta-raises.html#ixzz0uShnhNNe
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Charlotte Observer
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Happy trails, to the hot few...Heat wave scares riders away from Latta's desert-like arena, but $330,000 will buy a cover.
To find out about donating, call the Latta Equestrian Center at 704-992-1550.
It's 10 a.m. and 85 degrees on Friday at the Latta Equestrian Center, and three riders are signed up for the first group trail ride of the day. But as midday approaches and temperatures go from hot to scorching, the number of eager riders is going to dwindle.
"There's just not people coming out," said Valerie Pierson, director and owner of the center, part of the Latta Plantation Nature Preserve in Huntersville.
On Thursday, Pierson said the center was empty by 11:30 a.m.
Friday marked Day 14 of June's heat wave, and temperatures will probably remain in the 90s into next week.
Birthday parties and the center's sunset trail rides are still popular, but Pierson said she has been lucky to see a maximum of 10 people for rides any day this week, compared to the 20 to 30 riders the barn usually sees on a weekday.
The center usually cuts its business in half during hot weather to give the horses a break, but General Manager Jeff Taylor said this drop in riders is uncharacteristic, even for summer.
"(Last summer) on a regular basis, we were booked up every Saturday or Sunday," he said. "We could hardly take another rider."
He's not sure if riders are not coming out because of the heat or the economy, but he thinks the combination of the center's open arena and the blazing sun might deter some people.
"It's kind of like being in a desert," Taylor said of the uncovered arena.
The sand and clay mixture in the front arena reflects the sun and a lack of shade offers no hope of relief, he said.
This weekend, Latta Equestrian is hosting the Charlotte Charity Horse Show presented by Cook's Memorial Presbyterian Church. The center has hosted the show on the same weekend for the past 18 years. Last year, the show had around 190 entries. This year there are 160.
Betsy Boone, a founding organizer of the event, which raises money for the Charlotte church's Family Life Center, said most riders enter in advance so the heat wave most likely didn't cause the lower turnout.
But she said the uncovered arena makes the center less appealing in the heat.
For now, the stable's employees and volunteers offer water blasts from a hose to riders, but the stable is hoping for a more permanent solution to dealing with the heat.
About three months ago, Latta Equestrian received approval from Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation to put a cover over its arena. Now it needs $330,000 to fund the project.
More Information
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The Charlotte ObserverWednesday, Mar. 17, 2010
Horse therapy offers steady gait to success
Experience helping son guides woman to new passion
By Lukas Johnson ·
Learn more:
What: Kids Rein, therapeutic horseback riding for people with disabilities.
When: Riding days and times are 9 a.m.-noon Saturdays. Private lessons are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Where: Latta Equestrian Center, 6201 Sample Road, Huntersville.
Cost: $40 per one-hour lesson.
Donations: Horses, equipment, food and volunteers are always needed. Make checks payable to "Kids Rein," c/o Teressa Tucker, 9122 Crofton Springs Drive, Charlotte, NC 28269.
Teressa Tucker's son, Cameron, said his first word while riding a horse. He was 5 years old and he said "Tess," the name of his therapeutic horse. Cameron, now 11, was diagnosed at age 2 as severe on the autism spectrum. While working with her son in that moment of horseback riding, Tucker said she found her new calling: to help children with disabilities. Growing up in southern California, Tucker always pestered her parents to ride horses and, because of her diligence, has been around horses her entire life. She moved to Charlotte with her husband, Mark, about 10 years ago. She gave up her law career in order to provide full-time care for their son and pursue her new passion. The couple's daughter, Tayler, 15, does not have a disability. Her husband is a vice president of merchant services at Bank of America in Charlotte. One of the methodologies Tucker used to pull her son out of the world of autism, she said, was therapeutic horseback riding. It helped. Last year Cameron was re-tested through his school, and his diagnosis was downgraded to moderate-to-mild. "Therapeutic riding was huge because (Cameron) said his first word, and it broke the barrier we had with communication," Tucker said. After witnessing the success of therapeutic horseback riding with her son, she decided to start Kids Rein. Tucker, 47, a therapeutic riding instructor and trainer for seven years, founded the nonprofit in 2003 with Phyllis Smeaton, 51, a critical care nurse at Presbyterian Huntersville. Smeaton has more than 25 years of experience in the medical and equine field. Kids Rein is a member of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, and Tucker is a NARHA-certified instructor. Each therapeutic lesson is tailored to the individual's needs but can include anything from socializing and grooming to interactive games and riding. "We specialize in early intervention because of my son's little miracle," Tucker said. "With early intervention, we're able to reach them at a younger age and make a bigger impact on their quality of life. We're almost able to re-wire their brains." Based on the Latta Equestrian Center at Historic Latta Plantation in Huntersville, the program caters to people with disabilities as young as 2 and as old as 61. Disabilities range from cerebral palsy to blindness to autism. Therapy aides in their verbal, behavioral, physical and cognitive development, and their emotional well-being, Tucker said. "It's as pure as can be when they get on a horse," Tucker said. "They're sitting up high, they're in control of this gigantic beast and it gives them a form of self-esteem and confidence that can't be replicated anywhere else in a clinical setting." Tucker's first student was her son, who has since lost interest in riding horses. "He was able to communicate that with me, so I'm OK with that," Tucker said. "But I do expect him to return to it again." Her second student was her Charlotte neighbor Caleb Davis, who has been working with Tucker for seven years. Tucker now has nearly 20 students. Davis, who will turn 14 on March 21, has a mild form of cerebral palsy that mainly affects the movement of his left side, but his right side also is slightly affected. His twin brother, Josh, and sister, Hannah, 11, do not have a disability. "This is the one thing he really does well," his mother, Jennie, said. "This is his special thing that the other kids don't do." When Caleb started riding, he needed the assistance of two side walkers while on a horse. He has worked with a few different horses throughout the years, and he's been riding independently for about three years. He has progressed so much that he will participate in his first competition in April. "It's made me more confident and has helped me try new things more," Caleb said. "It's fun and it gives me something to be proud of." Caleb has most recently learned to post at the trot, which means he stands erect in mid-gait while keeping cadence with the horse - a feat that took him nearly seven months to perfect because of his disability. Small successes like this prove to Tucker that therapy works. "The smile when he gets it, the light that goes off in his eyes, is priceless," she said. "You see the magic, you feel the magic."
Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/17/1308678/horse-therapy-offers-steady-gait.html#ixzz0uSgi0vM0
