Once apon a time at ranch camp...
2 augustus 2008 - Camp Westwind, The Barn, Oregon, Oregon, Verenigde Staten
Well....this morning is another proof that at this camp, something is always right about to happen.
Just when you feel a bit bored or not quite in to it, this summer has another surprise for you.
So this morning I had to go to the barn and lately it sometimes can bore me a little bit because it is the same every week. One group goes pn a ride and the other group has a lesson.
But the sun was shining and there was a lesson outside about stretching and massaging your horse. Everything was going smoothly and chill until all of the sudden I saw a horse walking down from the trail towards the barn, it confused me...why is there a horse walking out when all of the gates are closed? And then when I looked closer as I tried to catch it I realized that the saddle was falling half off and that the bridal was loose. I realized that it was Rowan's (our riding instructor) horse and that she must have fallen off!
I called out my staff and the barn staff and Eos our other riding instructor called the nurses and the administration staff on the radio and me and my staff tried to keep the kids calm. We asked our kids to try to continue and focus on the horses that they were stretching and that we would take care of the situation and inform them if we knew what was up.
A few minutes later 2 girls from the trail ride came back walking with their horses and they told us that rowan had indeed fall off and that they needed help. I could here the little golf cars (the add staff uses those in case of emergencies) so I knew that help was on their way. We took over their horses and made sure if they were okay. A couple of seconds later I saw the rest of the group coming in and at first that made me feel better, but then I realized that Rowan wasn't there and Jammie, the other riding instructor, told me that she had fallen on her head and that she might have a serious back, neck and head injury and that they couldn't move her.
We started to get all the kids as calm as possible in to the barn on the benches and all off the horses back into the stalls. It was really up to us to prevent the group from panicking, we're talking mostly 11 en 12 years old here.
In the barn we talked about what happened, that it would be very natural to be shocked and afraid. One girl that saw the accident and started crying indeed. We told them that they can always come up to us if they had any questions of concerns. And also that Rowan would not be in the barn today and that we might have to cancel the other ride later that day. I also said that I thought that the girls did an excellent job about keeping calm and following instructions and that that was a very mature thing to do because it helped us. So we ended our barn time earlier and we got back to the lodge and we distract them with some fimo clay that they made yesterday and that had been baked. During that I heard that 911 was involved and that there was an rescue boat on the way to camp to get her to the emergency room.
Then finally the ball rang, which means that the Unit Assistants sing with the kids before lunch and the rest off the staff have a little meeting.
There my tears came. It was just a relief of keeping the situation under control. For me the most important thing was keeping the rest of the kids safe and secure and by doing that I couldn't brake down because of my concerns myself. But that was pretty hard when kids are crying and when kids watched an accident and when you know one off your co-workers might be very bad injured. We all talked about it and everybody off the ranch / barn team was just very upset and people gave us hugs and offered to relief us if we needed more time for ourselves this week.
We also have a so called staff mom, and she is joining our activity tonight as we are going to debrief the situation with the kids. I am fine now, but this is just really a situation were you have to perform in the benefit of the kids. I am proud of myself and the rest of my staff as I think we really handled it well and kept the situation calm and under control. People also complemented me with that. But it is also something we have got to keep our eyes open the rest of the day and week as some girls might be afraid to get back on their horse again etc.
What can I say...another day off Camp Westwind :D
Count your blessings people!
Just when you feel a bit bored or not quite in to it, this summer has another surprise for you.
So this morning I had to go to the barn and lately it sometimes can bore me a little bit because it is the same every week. One group goes pn a ride and the other group has a lesson.
But the sun was shining and there was a lesson outside about stretching and massaging your horse. Everything was going smoothly and chill until all of the sudden I saw a horse walking down from the trail towards the barn, it confused me...why is there a horse walking out when all of the gates are closed? And then when I looked closer as I tried to catch it I realized that the saddle was falling half off and that the bridal was loose. I realized that it was Rowan's (our riding instructor) horse and that she must have fallen off!
I called out my staff and the barn staff and Eos our other riding instructor called the nurses and the administration staff on the radio and me and my staff tried to keep the kids calm. We asked our kids to try to continue and focus on the horses that they were stretching and that we would take care of the situation and inform them if we knew what was up.
A few minutes later 2 girls from the trail ride came back walking with their horses and they told us that rowan had indeed fall off and that they needed help. I could here the little golf cars (the add staff uses those in case of emergencies) so I knew that help was on their way. We took over their horses and made sure if they were okay. A couple of seconds later I saw the rest of the group coming in and at first that made me feel better, but then I realized that Rowan wasn't there and Jammie, the other riding instructor, told me that she had fallen on her head and that she might have a serious back, neck and head injury and that they couldn't move her.
We started to get all the kids as calm as possible in to the barn on the benches and all off the horses back into the stalls. It was really up to us to prevent the group from panicking, we're talking mostly 11 en 12 years old here.
In the barn we talked about what happened, that it would be very natural to be shocked and afraid. One girl that saw the accident and started crying indeed. We told them that they can always come up to us if they had any questions of concerns. And also that Rowan would not be in the barn today and that we might have to cancel the other ride later that day. I also said that I thought that the girls did an excellent job about keeping calm and following instructions and that that was a very mature thing to do because it helped us. So we ended our barn time earlier and we got back to the lodge and we distract them with some fimo clay that they made yesterday and that had been baked. During that I heard that 911 was involved and that there was an rescue boat on the way to camp to get her to the emergency room.
Then finally the ball rang, which means that the Unit Assistants sing with the kids before lunch and the rest off the staff have a little meeting.
There my tears came. It was just a relief of keeping the situation under control. For me the most important thing was keeping the rest of the kids safe and secure and by doing that I couldn't brake down because of my concerns myself. But that was pretty hard when kids are crying and when kids watched an accident and when you know one off your co-workers might be very bad injured. We all talked about it and everybody off the ranch / barn team was just very upset and people gave us hugs and offered to relief us if we needed more time for ourselves this week.
We also have a so called staff mom, and she is joining our activity tonight as we are going to debrief the situation with the kids. I am fine now, but this is just really a situation were you have to perform in the benefit of the kids. I am proud of myself and the rest of my staff as I think we really handled it well and kept the situation calm and under control. People also complemented me with that. But it is also something we have got to keep our eyes open the rest of the day and week as some girls might be afraid to get back on their horse again etc.
What can I say...another day off Camp Westwind :D
Count your blessings people!
I'm proud of you honey for keeping it together, and I am also happy you had a moment to let your own tensions go afterwards.
I'm soo proud of you!
When will you know how Rowan is doing? I feel so sorry for her.
Keep us posted and let's send all our love and healing energy to Rowan.
Love momski
So today our camp director informed us about her status and saved my an angel no serious damage has been done! Her muscles in her back are really really hurting but no nerves were hit and as doctors say a lot of times: she was lucky. She is back at camp right now and her parents are picking her up and driving her back to Washington, they live near Seattle. She can't do anything at all for the next 10 days and may not be coming back as camp is almost over.
Our camp director also spoke to the ranch girls and told them tat Rowan will be fine and that if she feels good enough tomorrow that they have a change to say goodbye. She is on a lot of medicine right now and they make her a bit loopy and sick to her stomach. She also told that tomorrow on the overnight we will have to creative therapist to do some art therapy with us. I personally think to girls are fine, but it won't do no harm.
Tonight we had a 'quiet spa' one of my own made up activities. It was very relaxing and afterwards we made a big drawing to give to Rowan.
Goodnight!
Saar zit met Mir in Kreta. Ze hebben in ieder geval mooi weer. Ze kijkt al uit naar New York. Mooi al die vakanties maar ze heeft er hard voor gewerkt.
Hou je taai, liefs
Katinka