DAYTON — It didn’t take long for families to start filing onto the grounds at the LaDawn Therapeutic Riding Center in Dayton. At 10 a.m. Saturday, the outfit opened its gates for the annual Halloween Spooktacular Trail Ride; by 10:15, the main building and outlying trails were swarming with parents and children, mostly young girls, equipped with riding helmets and smiling as they cantered their horses through a wooded environment replete with ghosts and spiderwebs, mummies and bats.
“It was good!” exclaimed 5-year-old Lilliana Boucher as she dismounted her horse and waited to have her face painted by a volunteer. “I liked the trail. It was perfect.”
Her mother, Amy, beamed as she watched Lilliana gaze lovingly back at the quarter horse that had guided her through a maze of age-appropriate spooks and chills.
“It was very, very scenic,” said Amy Boucher. “The decorations were a nice touch.”
That came as good news to the volunteers and staff who spent weeks planning, decorating and advertising for the fundraiser. Those who donated their time made sure that the trail ”“ a beginner’s trail that would pose no challenges to first-time riders and novices ”“ was fully decked out with spiders, witches and other iconic images that have come to symbolize the approaching holiday.
Kelly Canning, vice president of LaDawn’s board of directors, said that the Spooktacular Ride, now in its fifth year, has grown in popularity, joining a host of other fundraising events that keep the nonprofit afloat. That allows LaDawn to offer therapeutic horseback riding for those with disabilities, through a slate of programs ranging from equine-facilitated psychotherapy to yoga on horseback.
The 2013 event also marked a first of sorts for the event.
“This is the first time that we’ve decorated the trail for Halloween,” she said. “We have lots of things for the children to look at.”
The results drew positive reviews. Michelle Sayward, 7, bounded excitedly about the stalls after returning from her ride.
“I like the trail,” she said. “I’ve been on it a billion times already! I like every part of it.”
Children weren’t the only ones who felt refreshed after a woodsy stroll through crisp, autumn air. Sue Martin’s American Indian name is “Dancing With Horses,” and on Saturday, she took a step toward fulfilling the promise of that name.
“I’ve never been on a horse before,” she said. “I thought, ”˜OK, I’m gonna fall!’ But I didn’t. It was excellent. I couldn’t believe I was finally on a horse.”
For Donna Lariviere, LaDawn’s executive director, the benefit to the nonprofit was twofold: It raised money, but also, she hoped, let people know about volunteer opportunities at the organization, and the need to keep its services going. And with nary a minute to take a breath, the fundraising efforts will continue: On Wednesday, from 5:30-8 p.m., LaDawn will host another fundraiser, this time at the Run of the Mill brewpub in Saco. With proceeds to benefit its programs, $12 will purchase a drink and hors d’oeuvres.
Over the weekend, she was happy to see children and their families usher in the harvest season with a scenic horseback ride on the trail.
“The trees right now are so beautiful,” said Lariviere. “It’s definitely very well-suited for Halloween.”
— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 319 or jlagasse@journaltribune.com.
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