Boys &
Girls Club
of Aha Macav
Mohave Valley, Arizona
At the Boys & Girls Club of Aha Macav
on the Fort Mojave reservation in Arizona, horsing around
is serious business. The Club has developed an Equestrian
facility and with eleven horses to take care of, the youth
are learning a lot about responsibility and appreciation of
their four legged friends.
“We wanted something new and exciting
for the kids to feel more involved and currently have over
80 boys and girls riding Monday through Friday, out of our
more than 350 Club members, enrolled in the Equestrian center.
The children not only ride the horses but learn to care for
them as well,” explains Karen Cabanillas, Executive Director
of the Club.
Three of the horses were purchased with contributions
from the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, three were donated from
private donors and five were adopted from the Bureau of Land
Management – Wild Burro and Horses Adoption program.
Support for the horses’ basic needs such as food and
shelter comes from a variety of sources including a local
farm, board members and private donors. The horses have eaten
132 bales of special grass in just 5 months so the Club is
actively recruiting annual sponsors to cover expenses which
are estimated at $880 per horse.
During summer vacation, caring for the horses
could easily have become a full time job.
“Almost every day I would arrive at
9:30 to help feed and water the four horses. Then we would
brush them down and saddle them up. We can ride them until
someone else wants to get on,” recollected Kiona, a Club
member in the sixth grade.
The youth regularly go on trail rides along
the Colorado River, prepare and participate in shows and will
be part of an upcoming Fort Mojave Days Parade.
Horses represent power and strength and certainly
this program is teaching the children this and more. As Kiona
puts it, “I fell off today but I got right back on. I
have to because someday I want to be a jockey and do horseshows.”
Ride on Boys & Girls Club of Aha Maca!
For more information on this program
or the Boys & Girls Club of Aha Maca, email theclub@ftmojave.com.
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