Horses for Orphans, Brazil - Day 5

This afternoon we do Horse Agility with the girls. Initially there weren’t any girls in the program, but the orphanage has agreed to allow some of the girls one horsemanship session per week. However, they are not allowed to train with the boys – it has to be on a separate day. The boys come along to watch, and are reluctantly sent away by us.

Emma continues preparing Welliton for his Horse Handling assessment; he has achieved some of the tasks but has a way to go yet. Douglas is also working hard on his Horse Handling tasks. Just 13, he is a very dedicated horseman, and it shows. He has a lovely relationship with his horse, Palomina, and there is a lot of harmony between them. Ingela comments that if he passes all his tasks this time, Douglas will be the youngest person to complete the first H-Factor certificate.

Ingela gives Bruno a lesson. Bruno has only been riding for 8 weeks – he is a very fast learner and I am impressed. Aurimar remains my favourite ‘cavaleiro’ (horseman) though. The way he rides speaks volumes to me about moving and flowing in harmony with the horse, and I learn a lot just watching him. Later I tell him that I would like it if he could be my ‘professor de equitação’ (riding instructor). Smiling, he offers me his horse, a tall Lusitano called Zageru ... but I am not ready to embrace this challenge yet!

Today, after many attempts, Kate realises her goal of climbing the palm tree. The boys are amazed, and she is asked, again and again, to demonstrate how to do it. Of course, her smaller size does make the task a little easier. But it is still quite an achievement. There is nothing to hold onto on the trunk of a palm tree, so it is all about balance and grip. She admits that her thigh muscles ache every time she does it, and that it is very tiring.

Friday night is movie night when the Horses for Orphans teams are here. We set the children up in our ‘lounge’ with their chosen movie – Flicka. (Apparently they always request this one.) While they watch I make piles and piles of popcorn. Mel mixes cooldrink, and the rest of the team keeps the children supplied with snacks and chocolates and drinks. After a while a boy named Breno* comes into the kitchen. He doesn’t speak English, and all my attempts to communicate with him earn the response ‘Sim, Sim’ (‘Yes, Yes’) and a smile. He has suffered brain damage as a result of drug abuse in his childhood. Tonight he takes a necklace off his neck and puts it around mine. I am touched by his gift, and by the accompanying hug. I wear this necklace for the rest of my stay at Betel.

 * Name changed to protect privacy