Contributed by: Claire Affleck / Claire Affleck Training

The Freedom Recreational Services program brings opportunities, such as horseback riding, to disabled children in Cayuga County. The fall riding program was recently started at The Skaneateles Equestrian Center and was taught by Claire Affleck. In the slideshow below, she and mothers of her students discuss the effect this opportunity had on the students.

Click here for the slideshow

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Contributed by Christine Briel

It’s so rewarding when the work you do has the “hoped-for” outcome, especially when it’s for a worthy effort. I recently sent out a press release for Claire Affleck Training regarding her fall session of Freedom Riders at Skaneateles Equestrian Center. The Syracuse Post Standard picked it up and one of their staff writers, Scott Rapp, did a lovely article. They also captured some great pictures.

Here is the link to the article on Syracuse.com - click here to read it.

And to the right is a snapshot of the article in the newspaper.

Great job Claire, the Freedom Riders and all of the volunteers at skaneateles Equestrian Center.

*Claire also gives horse riding lessons year-round, inside and out. Call her for more information at 315.317.2608

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Contributed by Claire Affleck / Claire Affleck Training

Claire Affleck Training is open for horse lessons all throughout the year, we have an indoor arena as well as an outdoor arena so lessons are performed in all types of weather. Meet the horses available for lessons below:

Hi, my name is Rannita. I am a Norwegian Fjord and we all have a mohawks like me.   I am a mare, which means I’m a girl, and I’m eleven years old. I love to be groomed and fed carrots, apples, and pears!

Hi, my name is Ransom. I am an Appaloosa and we have spotted fur. I am gelding, which means I’m a boy, and I am also eleven years old.  I love having kids ride me and I love to eat peppermints!

Hi, my name is Geronimo.  I am a Friesian. I am a 5 year old gelding - remember that means
that I’m a boy. I love trail riding, fox hunting, and molasses cookies! Read more about Geronimo and watch videos of kids riding him at GeronimoForSuccess.com.

Lessons are $40/hour.  Students will learn how to ride as well as care for the horse.  Students should wear long pants and hard soled shoes, preferably with a heel.  Riding helmets are provided.

Please contact Claire for more information!
Claire Affleck
4011 Franklin Street Road
Auburn, NY 13021
315.317.2608
affleck03@sbc.edu
www.claireafflecktraining.com

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Contributed by Christine Briel / Skaneateles Design

The CNY Fertility Center opened its doors for business in 1997. Dr. Robert Kiltz and the CNY Fertility Center have helped to create over 4000 babies since then. I have been working with Dr. Kiltz for almost a year now and it is only through firsthand experience that you can fully appreciate their dedication to their patients. A client walks through their doors looking for the help they need in having a baby. What they get is so much more; they become part of a community.

In 2007 CNY Fertility Center celebrated their 10th year with a celebration at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo where they invited all of their past and present patients. It was such a huge success that they did it again in June of 2008 and are talking about making it a yearly event. Now the children at this event felt such a connection with the other Fertility Kids that two of them (Annemarie and Margaret) asked Dr. Kiltz if they could create a Kid’s Club. Of course he said “YES” and so the CNY Fertility Kid’s Club was born. Their first get together will take place this Saturday, October 4th at Claire Affleck Training in Auburn, NY. Dr. Kiltz invited the Kid’s Club to “meet and greet” his horse Geronimo at this location. It promises to be a great day for the CNY Fertility Center community and their Kid’s Club. complete with pumpkin painting, horse rides, games, face painting, entertainment and more.

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Contributed by Claire Affleck / Claire Affleck Training

Claire Affleck Training is approaching its one year anniversary of Claire purchasing it last September 20th.
It has been a busy and exciting year to say the least! Besides a full work load of daily chores, riding, giving lessons, and competing in horse shows, Claire and her team of dedicated friends, family, and volunteers have made tremendous improvements and changes to the facility.

All new fencing has been put in the pastures, as well as the outdoor ring, there have been some landscaping changes with the addition of more trees and flowers, both the main horse barn and the hay barn have fresh coats of paint, stalls and stall bars have been stained and painted … oh the list is virtually endless! The most recent improvement has been the expansion to the tack room. The old one was cramped, incongruent, and not overly inviting to guests and customers. Take a look at the new tack room’s photo gallery below! We hope the new version is much more appealing to everyone. The most ingenious idea was the bench that serves for both seating and storage for people’s tack boxes. Our favorite creative aspect of it is the cedar tree that serves as the coat rack!

Everyone at Claire Affleck Training would like to extend an open invitation to you to stop by to see the changes that have been made, meet the horses, and say hello to us!

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Contributed by Claire Affleck / Claire Affleck Training

Breanne, one of the exceptional kids that rides and trains with Skaneateles resident Robert Kiltz’s horse Geronimo at Claire Affleck Training, talks about Geronimo, horse care and shows us how to ride. Thanks Breanne!

Click here to watch the video!

(more…)

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Contributed by Claire Affleck / Claire Affleck Training

Riders from Claire Affleck Training attend the LCH ride at Hobbit Hollow:
L to R- Chris Lego and Shadow, Betsy Mokcryzki and Chance, Claire Affleck on Dr.Robert Kiltz’s Geronimo, Lizz Jones on Ransom, and Jeff Shingleton on Mason.

On Saturday July 12th Hobbit Hollow hosted the Limestone Creek Hunt Club and guests for a lovely ride around Skaneateles.  What a fantastic experience that it was for all of us, horse and human!  We are lucky to have such a remarkable facility like Hobbit Hollow right here in Skaneateles!  Riders were greeted with smiles upon arrival, and treated to an amazing brunch after the ride.

Thank you to both LCH and Hobbit Hollow for being so welcoming and generous!

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Contributed by Claire Affleck / Claire Affleck Training

Claire Affleck Training will be hosting a Horse Camp the week of July 14th-18th, 9am-3pm. The camp is open to all children ages 7 & up. We encourage both beginners and more experienced riders to join us.

Besides working on riding skills, students will learn proper horsemanship which includes the daily care of the horse, basic vet care, feeding, cleaning, and will be able to watch a demonstration given by a horse shoer.

We not only focus on horse skills, our hope is also that children gain life skills such as self confidence, self esteem, leadership skills, and positive communication.

For more information please contact Claire Affleck at 315.317.2608, affleck03@sbc.edu , or www.claireafflecktraining.com.

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By Christine Briel / Skaneateles Design

There are people out there in the world doing good things every single day that we never hear about. At Claire Affleck Training (right here in Skaneateles, NY) there is a group of people doing some great things and I wanted to share it with all of you.

Freedom Riders is a horseback riding program hosted by Claire Affleck Training that is therapeutic as well as recreational. The program teaches horsemanship in a controlled and safe environment for youths with disabilities (from ages 5 - 21). These kids are challenged physically and mentally and walk away from the Freedom Riders Recreational Program with a GREAT sense of accomplishment.

This year’s first of 4 Spring sessions began on May 31st with a great turnout, both in riders and volunteers. In Claire’s blog article about the event she invites volunteers to join in this amazing experience and thanks all past volunteers. She also sent out a BIG THANK-YOU to the 3 owner’s of the horses that were used for this riding event: Daryll Wolford (Rannita’s owner), Traci Uyehara (Thunder’s owner), and Dr. Robert Kiltz (Geronimo’s owner).

Keep up the good work at Claire Affleck Training - Freedom Recreation sounds very inspiring!

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By Christine Briel / Skaneateles Design

Skaneateles Design recently launched a new website for Claire Affleck Training. It’s based on the WordPress framework so that Claire can add pics and articles at will. She also has a blog section “Tack Room”.

Claire purchased Skaneateles Equestrian Center almost a year ago and specializes in Training and starting young horses under saddle. Claire has a very exciting event coming up the week-end of May 28th - 29th in Devon, Pennsylvania. For the first time Claire will be showing a horse (I Am Lucia) in the Devon Horse Show. This horse show is a very prestigious show and entails an application process and approval process. Claire made it through the process and will be there with bells on

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