I Saw A Child
By cyrus123
@cyrus123 (6363)
United States
May 19, 2009 12:55am CST
I volunteer at a therapeutic riding center here in Jasper called EASI. This stands for "Equines Assisting Special Individuals" and we get a newsletter every so often. This poem appeared in one of our newsletters one time.
I Saw A Child
by John Anthony Davis
I saw a child who couldn't walk, sit on a horse, laugh, and talk.
Then ride it through a field of daisies
and yet he could not walk unaided.
I saw a child, no legs below, sit on a horse, and make it go
through woods of green
and places he had never been
to sit and stare, except from a chair.
I saw a child who could only crawl
mount a horse and sit up tall
Put it through degrees of paces
and laugh at the wonder in our faces
I saw a child born into strife, Take up and hold the reins of life
and that same child was heard to say, Thank God for showing me the way.
3 people like this
3 responses
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
20 May 09
This is a very nice poem, very touching. I have had a busy day today. Getting clients ready to go to an overnight camp. One of the many things that they look forward to is getting to ride the horses. The location is a nearby 4H camp, and they will ride horses, shoot at targets, do archery, hike, paddle canoes. A very sad thing is that there has been a weight limit instituted for the horse barn. We have at least one client going who will be too heavy for the horses they have. I have a client who periodically goes to a program called Reins of Hope which is also and assited riding program.
2 people like this
@cyrus123 (6363)
• United States
20 May 09
It sounds like the job you do is a lot of fun. 
You work with children, don't you? I can imagine it would get hectic, though, wouldn't it? I always thought I would like a job working with children. I love children as long as they're somebody else's, lol
. I consider my animals my children. If you really think about it, they're a lot like kids.
It sounds like the camp where they are going will be a lot of fun. It's too bad that they have a weight limit at the barn. I hope maybe one of these days, he/she will get to a weight where he/she will be allowed to ride. Kathy.
You work with children, don't you? I can imagine it would get hectic, though, wouldn't it? I always thought I would like a job working with children. I love children as long as they're somebody else's, lol. I consider my animals my children. If you really think about it, they're a lot like kids.
It sounds like the camp where they are going will be a lot of fun. It's too bad that they have a weight limit at the barn. I hope maybe one of these days, he/she will get to a weight where he/she will be allowed to ride. Kathy.2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
23 Aug 09
Thanks for the best response. I actually work with the adult disabled. Yes, a lot of them act like children. My clients range in age from 21-49. They can become residential at 18 and we have some much older in our programs. I have worked with mentally handicapped children in the school, but I really prefer the residential support that I do.
@cyrus123 (6363)
• United States
23 May 09
I'm glad you like the poem. I live in Jasper, Alabama. I'm sorry I didn't make that clear. It's about 43 miles northwest of Birmingham. There is also a Jasper, Tennessee, a Jasper, Georgia, and a Jasper, Texas. I didn't know there was a Jasper, Wyoming. I meant to include the website for EASI. It's: www.easi.webs.com. My picture is not on the website, I hate to say. Maybe one of these days it will be. Kathy.
@anniefannie (1737)
• United States
23 May 09
i have seen on tv where they have these places with horses that helps people like you are talking about. these places are great i think.
