My Nonprofit Reviews

In 7th grade a friend invited me to join the local drill team at Circle K Ranch in Newbury Park. It was run by a former Blue Shadows member, and while it was great fun as an independent entity, eventually she was able to merge our troop with Blue Shadows and we became Troop N. Although I left Blue Shadows in my junior year of high school, I can't say how thankful I am to have been a part of it for all those years! I was always very anxious and shy as a kid (still am!) but Blue Shadows really helped me out of my shell by giving me responsibility and leadership over others. It helped me learn how to speak up, how to teach and look out for others, how to best cooperate with a huge group of people, and helped me become more comfortable in social situations. I have also seen it transform other kids, helping them get over their fear of horses, and building confidence and character in each of its members.

I had always loved riding horses for as long as I can remember, but Shadows taught me specific horsemanship skills and about caring for these beautiful animals, leading me to get a horse of my own. It was stressful at times, especially practicing drills before a show, rehearsing horsemanship knowledge in my head and finding the best ways to get scuffs out of my boots to pass Inspection, but I am forever grateful for the years Shadows has given me.