THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 21, 1996 TAG: 9601190268
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
AFTER AN INTENSIVE monthlong book study about ponies, two Princess Anne Elementary teachers decided that their fourth-grade students deserved a chance to do a little ``horsin' around.''
So, the combined classes of Melanie Heishman and Meeta Jones spent a recent rainy afternoon touring the grounds of Breckenridge Manor, a working stable on Princess Anne Road, where they learned a little more about horses.
The classes had embarked in November on a study of Marguerite Henry's 158-page ``Misty of Chincoteague,'' a story centered on ``pony penning'' on the Eastern Shore.
Over the weeks, students learned horse talk - such as the difference between stallions and mares - and created life-size drawings of the book's characters. They also picked up some history about ``Pony Penning Day'' in their social studies books, as well as from a video.
Visiting Breckenridge was a natural follow-up, Heishman said, because ``I thought it would be great for the students to see first-hand what goes into the care of horses.''
Their Tuesday afternoon tour began with three pieces of advice from maintenance man Larry Heidlebaugh:
``Keep your little fingers away from the horses,'' advised Heidlebaugh, appropriately wearing a pair of blue Dickies overalls and a flannel shirt. ``Some of them do bite.''
``Don't get behind the horses. They might step back and step on you,'' he said, explaining that most of the 55 to 60 horses weigh more than 2,000 pounds.
And finally - and possibly most important - Heidlebaugh warned, ``Beware of the horse droppings.''
Stable manager Chris Wynne then emerged, and with the help of a volunteer horse and rider, explained a horse's three natural gaits: walking, trotting and cantering.
``We just want to expose them to horses and all the different things that go on at a horse farm,'' he said.
The few dozen children were then treated to what Breckenridge's hunters and jumpers do best - verticals. Wynne set up jumps of different heights for his two volunteers, and the students cheered with each leap.
``I never saw a horse jump that high before,'' said 10-year-old Corey Zimmerman.
``I never did either,'' said 9-year-old Jose Valdez.
The group then moved to the other side of the barn, where Breckenridge's blacksmith, Mark Ingram, worked out of the back of his blue Ford pickup. He schooled the students on horseshoes, explaining that horses need shoes for the same reasons people do - protection, traction and therapeutic reasons.
Ingram said a lot of horses use manufactured steel shoes, while some use lighter aluminum shoes. He explained the difference on a fourth-grade level, by describing them as boots versus tennis shoes.
Students were surprised when Ingram trimmed a show pony's feet right before their eyes.
``I didn't know that's how they did that,'' said Angelina Davis, 9.
The students then walked past some stalls, petted a few of the horses and learned a few grooming techniques from Angela Walke, who runs the barn. Armed with a loaded bucket, she broke out a few tools such as the massaging curry comb, dirt-removing hard brush and tangle-busting mane and tail comb.
On their way out, all the students received information about horses and Breckenridge's school.
``I was very impressed with the presentation,'' Heishman said. ``They were well-prepared for us, and they kept the children's interest.''
She said she will probably continue to take her students back in coming years. ``It was a wonderful experience for them,'' Heishman added. ``When you make education hands-on, fun and exciting, they learn so much.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos by HOLLY WESTER
Angela Walke, who runs the barn at Breckenridge Manor, demonstrates
grooming techniques to the students using a massaging curry comb, a
dirt-removing hard brush and a tangle-busting mane and tail comb.
Breckenridge's blacksmith, Mark Ingram, schooled the students on
horseshoes, explaining that horses need shoes for the same reasons
people do - protection, traction and therapeutic reasons.
by CNB