Hope has Four Legs | Teen Ink

Hope has Four Legs

July 26, 2009
By writerscramp PLATINUM, Green Bay, Wisconsin
writerscramp PLATINUM, Green Bay, Wisconsin
33 articles 0 photos 130 comments

Favorite Quote:
Anyone who says winning isn&#039;t everything,<br /> Has won nothing.<br /> ``Mia Hamm


When I first walked into the stable that day, I didn't know what to expect.

I was here to volunteer to help handicapped kids ride horses for therapy.
I must admit, I was scared. Thoughts about the different people I would face, how heartwrenching it would be to see these kids.

The thought "Can I really do this?" Kept going through my head.

"Hello. You must be Sarah. I'm Kait, here's some brushes, can you brush Cash?"
"Yes"
"Great. We have about fifteen minutes"
As I get into the familiar rythem of grooming a horse, i let my thoughts drift.
What kind of handicaps? What if I do something wrong, and they fall off?

Too soon, Kait comes and yanks me out of my trance. I see a little girl, no more than four or five. She's African American, and adorable.

I don't see anything visibly wrong with her.
"She has Spinal problems. She's just recovered from her third surgery."

Alana* wanted to run to the horses. she hugged them, and said to me as I held her belt to make sure she was steady:
"Some people look at me weird. But the horses don't care. They just want you to get better so you can bring them more carrots."

A five year old said this. FIVE. Just then i realized, sometimes we need to be like horses. We need to help people carry their burdens, and carry them when their weak. We need to allow people to lean on us, and eventually, they'll do the same for us.


The author's comments:
I still go to this stable. I love it. The kids, even those with autism, love to laugh and tell jokes. You learn to communicate.
They've taught me so very much.
Here are some qoutes:
"When people see my legs, they automatically assume something's wrong with my brain. Just because I can't walk, doesn't mean I'm slow" --11 year old

"My family tries to shelter me. It only hurts all the more then, when people completely avoid me on the street"--8 year old

"I wanna do what i could do before the accident. I want to work at a pizza place. I can't even reach the counter." --15

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This article has 16 comments.


on Sep. 18 2014 at 3:50 pm
Tigerlover123, Washougal, Washington
0 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Every girl is beautiful, it just takes the right guy to see it.&quot;

You seem like a great person. Although I haven't done any community service yet.... I still feel like doing this. Thx for encouraging me some more

haha4579 GOLD said...
on Jan. 19 2011 at 4:18 pm
haha4579 GOLD, Westfield, Wisconsin
17 articles 1 photo 36 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;It&#039;s a car, that runs on water!&quot; - Hyde

This was really touching! :) Great Story!

on Dec. 1 2010 at 8:13 pm
writerscramp01 GOLD, Green Bay, Wisconsin
11 articles 6 photos 51 comments

Hey Guys! I have revised this poorly written thing and combined it with the follow up one. Please check it out! Its on my "Better writtings" screen name. click on the screen name in blue above and then click on the revised version.

Thanks!

Keep writting til you can't anymore, then pick up your pen and write some more!                         

Love and Christmas Wishes to all!

Writerscramp


on Sep. 28 2010 at 11:44 am
writerscramp01 GOLD, Green Bay, Wisconsin
11 articles 6 photos 51 comments

Thanks and I'm sorry that the grammer and everything is so bad. I was in a hurry to type this, and you know on TeenInk you can't save things and come back later to edit them! I have better poems and such on this account.

Thanks for commenting, guys!


live & love said...
on Jun. 28 2010 at 8:08 pm

Wow, so many of these articles just flaunt the commmunity service that people do, and seem almost braggy, but this really told a story. Great job.

 


on May. 20 2010 at 5:11 pm
writerscramp PLATINUM, Green Bay, Wisconsin
33 articles 0 photos 130 comments

Favorite Quote:
Anyone who says winning isn&#039;t everything,<br /> Has won nothing.<br /> ``Mia Hamm

Yeah.
I love those kids because they are smarter than...well... just about everyone I know!

Thanks for commenting! Sorry I didn't check sooner. :(


on Apr. 25 2010 at 4:41 pm
writerscramp PLATINUM, Green Bay, Wisconsin
33 articles 0 photos 130 comments

Favorite Quote:
Anyone who says winning isn&#039;t everything,<br /> Has won nothing.<br /> ``Mia Hamm

Hey everyone! thanks for commenting! I've made it a goal to check out at least ONE work of someone who comments, and return the favor. So thanks, and keep writing! luv writerscramp lol

on Mar. 17 2010 at 5:07 pm
DeadlyPoppy PLATINUM, Chehalis, Washington
30 articles 13 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Is mayonnaise an instrument?&quot; -Patrick, Spongebob Squarepants

This is so amazing. It's so beautiful what some of the kids say. I guess having people treat you like you're less than them really makes you think. It's wonderful that you want to help them.

on Jan. 4 2010 at 9:33 pm
writerscramp PLATINUM, Green Bay, Wisconsin
33 articles 0 photos 130 comments

Favorite Quote:
Anyone who says winning isn&#039;t everything,<br /> Has won nothing.<br /> ``Mia Hamm

THANKS FOR COMMENTING KEEP'EM COMING!

on Dec. 6 2009 at 5:18 pm
writerscramp PLATINUM, Green Bay, Wisconsin
33 articles 0 photos 130 comments

Favorite Quote:
Anyone who says winning isn&#039;t everything,<br /> Has won nothing.<br /> ``Mia Hamm

Wow. This isn't a poem, but thanks for commenting! To all of you Thanks a lot, guys!

Heart SILVER said...
on Nov. 7 2009 at 10:56 am
Heart SILVER, Arcadia, California
9 articles 0 photos 58 comments
First of all, great poem! It's so wonderful for you to be helping the kids. You are right, they are no different then us. They just get treated differently. I am in a club that helps disabled kids too. But not as much as you do because, well, it is a school club and a lot of people are only here to get volunteer hours. Which makes me mad because it's supposed to be about the KIDS, not their own selfish reasons! Wait, I think I lost my point...Oh yeah, great poem and you are a good person. :)

on Oct. 7 2009 at 6:26 pm
that is truelly amazing! you are a great insperation , i love working with kids and i have had a couple of disturbed kids and there just like any one else

i forgot my password

L*N* said...
on Sep. 29 2009 at 12:01 pm
Well the horses dont know that they're actually physically or mentally wrong with a disabled human. but besides that your paragraph goes on to two different subjects. GReaaattttttttttttttt JJOOOOOOOOOOBBBB

ridetolive20 said...
on Sep. 27 2009 at 5:15 pm
wow. this story is absolultly wonderful. what the kids say are true and makes me think. very insparational!

on Sep. 26 2009 at 4:02 pm
writerscramp PLATINUM, Green Bay, Wisconsin
33 articles 0 photos 130 comments

Favorite Quote:
Anyone who says winning isn&#039;t everything,<br /> Has won nothing.<br /> ``Mia Hamm

Yes. She is a sweetie. All the kids are! Even the "emotionally disturbed kids" are sweet if you talk and joke and don't treat them any different.

on Sep. 25 2009 at 10:18 am
that is amazing , i work with kids that dont have any issues , on horses but ocassionaly we get them!! Amazing what a wounderfull little girl!!