Yes, We're Crazy: The Inner-City Horseback Riding Team

We know it sounds crazy. But we're making it happen. We are a KIPP school, dedicated to doing WHATEVER IT TAKES to close the achievement gap and get our students to and through college. Our kids attend school from 7:45 until 5:00 each day, plus two hours of homework, plus Saturday school, plus a mandatory summer session. We want our kids to see that excellence and commitment are their own reward, and so we try to expose them to a wide range of learning experiences. Toward that end, we've just started a very small, very shoestring horseback riding team. We've found a stable about half an hour away from the city whose owner gives the kids an hour of free riding in exchange for an hour of barn chores. The one parent who owns a car drives the kids there and back on Saturdays. I coach the team myself. Our riders are UNBELIEVABLY enthusiastic and committed. Saturday school doesn't officially take place every weekend, but they've pleaded to come in even on the off weeks, even just to do barn work. I catch them discussing strategy and practicing on their own in the hallways of our school. Desire to stay on the team has motivated at least one struggling student to try to keep himself out of trouble. And slowly but surely, the team members are beginning to approach the horses with the confidence, patience, and positivity of true equestrians. Our budget allowed us to purchase two inexpensive helmets, so we take turns riding. However, we have not been able to afford footwear. The students are riding and working in sneakers, which is not entirely safe. These inexpensive PVC work boots provide a reinforced toe (to protect the feet in case a horse steps on them) and a raised heel (to protect the rider from getting his or her foot stuck in the stirrup in case of a fall). We may be horse crazy, but we'd rather not be unsafe! Please help our unlikely band of equestrians look and feel confident and protected as they break barriers, defy expectations, and close gaps they didn't even know existed.