We asked our longest-attending student Reid Pickett, who has been riding at the Red Barn since 2011, to explain what the barn means to him in his own words. His mother, Gretchen, interviewed him.
Gretchen: “What have you learned at The Red Barn?”
Reid: “Well I have learned trotting, but also how to use my words to instruct the horses.”
Gretchen: “What does The Red Barn do?”
Reid: “They teach lessons… but it’s really a place for kids to have fun.”
Gretchen: “Do you use what Miss Alexis has taught you at home?”
Reid: “I’ve learned how to take care of things like grooming. And I’ve learned to ask about unfamiliar situations like how it feels to ride a different horse.”
Gretchen: “What does Miss Alexis mean to you?”
Reid: “Well, she’s my person and she’s made me better.”
Gretchen: “Tell me about the horses.”
Reid: “They have frogs on their feet! And it’s cool that you can ride on them.”
Gretchen: “How do you feel when you go to the barn?”
Reid: “Happy and safe.”
Gretchen: “One thing that is neat about where Reid is in his Red Barn journey is that he’s very interested in the history of the barn/property. He’s gotten some information from Miss Alexis and he likes to tell people about what it was before the lower barn was built and how people used to live in the Red House. He’s also come home and researched a bit on his own, such as finding old pictures of the property online. Very cool!”