Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
For Daniella Roccasalvo of Waterford, being blind is not going to stop her from pursuing her dreams, one of which is the unlikely skill of horseback riding. Luckily for her, Roccasalvo has found a spot where the crew is more than up to the challenge of helping her realize this goal.
Tina Gifford, a lifelong horse owner, runs Iron Spirit Farms in Dunnville, a location offering a variety of options to those interested in learning how to ride: “I purchased the property in 2009 when my daughter was a young teen. We walked into a property with beautiful land and a warm farmhouse. The property had sat empty for close to two years.”
Many of Gifford’s friends thought she had taken on more than she could handle with the property, but with the help of her retired-contractor parents and husband, Iron Spirit Farms was born. The name is a tribute to a mare Gifford owned that passed in 2011, whose full name was ‘Iron Horse Hill Valour Spirit’, or just ‘Spirit’ as Gifford lovingly called her.
“My background is in developmental services and mental health, with a degree in educational resources and special needs. I have spent years training in anti-bullying, goal-planning, and a host of other wellness trainings,” said Gifford, touching on how running the farm allows her to utilize her training. “I feel that horses and humans help each other. The idea is that by giving as much as taking, the mutual companionship becomes reciprocal.”
Gifford believes that a core foundation in developing the relationship between rider and horse is touch. Spending time on brushing and tacking the horses is the key to forging bonds. She welcomes riders of all skill levels, from beginners to experienced, to come on out and check out the farm for themselves. Daniella Roccasalvo is one such rider who accepted that invitation.
“I have been blind my whole life,” explained Roccasalvo, who was diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity. “So much of the world is visual. There are some things that accommodations just can’t make accessible, however I think the challenges of my disability have brought some amazing people into my life and without them I wouldn’t be the person I have become. I’m glad for my disability. With its challenges, it’s brought me a lot of life experiences I would never have had and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
When Gifford was first approached by Roccasalvo’s support worker Dawn inquiring about lessons, her “heart soared.”
When asked how she settled on horse riding, Roccasalvo said, “I’m not really sure…. I wanted to be included in a sport and it was an option so I tried it and fell in love with the horses and the sport.”
Roccasalvo goes for weekly rides at the farm, accompanied by Dawn, who brings her to the grounds and helps her get to know the lay of the land around the farm.
“I have been able to adapt the riding program slightly to adhere to Daniella’s needs,” explained Gifford. “We do a lot of voice direction and she rides either Blue or Whisky, who patiently wait for instruction before continuing on with the next steps of the patterns. I have been able to maneuver around the barn with Daniella by having her hold onto the saddle or the horses tail off to the side. Once she mounts the horse, we speak in ‘strides’ or ‘steps’ … and she does all the riding independently.”
At about two months into her time at Iron Spirit Farms, Roccasalvo says she has experienced a lot of progress in her abilities: “It’s the most inclusive barn I have ever been to! I’m now super excited to ride and I’m slowly starting to gain back confidence!”
Roccasalvo descibed a typical lesson as starting with grooming in the barn, then walking the horse to help situate the saddle properly, then a mount up. In a short time, she is already doing obstacle training, relying on guidance from Gifford to properly time and count out the distance between polls on the ground that need to be jumped over and barrels that need to be steered around.
The inspiring student summed up her feelings: “To be able to control an animal that is much heavier than you, that is bigger than you, I can’t put that feeling into words…. To know that horse trusts you to do something that sometimes goes against his fight or flight instincts is huge and it’s a great feeling. It’s helped in my life a lot.”
“I’m learning how to connect with something. Socially I really struggle and horses have helped a lot with that. They’re super forgiving, so if you make a mistake they’re going to forgive you and teach you again,” she continued. “It’s teaching me that if one communication method doesn’t work there’s is always another way.”
DUNNVILLE—Ten-year-old Nate Crowder is a local youth who has found an outlet for his anxiety by learning to ride and care for horses in his time at Iron Spirit Farms.
Roccasalvo isn’t the only student who views Iron Spirit Farms as a special place: “When I am having a lot of anxiety or a bad day, going to the barn and working with Nakita or Blue helps me calm down and relax. I always feel better after playing with the horses,” said Nate, a 10-year student who suffers from anxiety.
“I started taking my granddaughters to Iron Spirit a few years ago, with my son. Watching how the bond between the girls and the horses has helped them grow as human beings is beautiful. They’ve learned kindness, responsibility, built courage, and done some hard work along the way,” said Cindy, who has found a sense of peace in her time at the farm following the loss of her husband.
“To have such an amazing job and to have met so many wonderful people is all a person could ask for,” summed up Gifford.
For more information of the services and activities available at Iron Spirit Farms, visit ironspiritservices.com or send an email to ironspirit@hotmail.ca.
