STSF Seeks Host Families for Equestrian Students

By Administrator on May 8th, 2009
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Each year, the STS Foundation sponsors an international exchange program for high school students that gives foreign students the opportunity to live with an American family for an academic year or semester, while attending the local high school. Part of STSF’s mission is to place students with families who share their interests and courses of study. STSF has several students with equestrian pursuits, either academic or leisure, that it is currently seeking host families for.

All students are between the ages of 15 and 18, and come from countries all over the globe, including Australia, Austria, Brazil, China, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland and Vietnam. Only students who show academic interest and achievement, good character, adaptability and a satisfactory command of the English language are accepted.

Host families provide room and board, along with a safe, nurturing environment. Matches are made according to personality, background and lifestyle. Students are able to share a room with a family member of similar age and the same gender. Students have their own money and their own health insurance. The schools that the students attend are dictated by the host family’s home address. Students will attend public high school for one academic year beginning in August. Children of host families are eligible for a scholarship to study abroad. STSF welcomes empty nesters, single parents, newlyweds, retirees or families with several kids at home or none at all.

STS Foundation is a not-for-profit organization based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and has regional and state offices across the United States. Its mission since 1986 has been to raise cultural awareness through cultural exchange. STSF also offers a high school year or semester abroad program for qualified American students between the ages of 15 and 18. American students have the opportunity to study in countries throughout Europe, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

To share your passion for horses with one of these students and give your family an unforgettable cultural experience, call Brian MarGrave at 1-800-522-4678, or e-mail brian@stsfoundation.com. For more information about STSF, log on to www.stsfoundation.org.

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Equine Expressions: Understanding Your Horse’s Body Language – EquiSearch.com

By Administrator on May 1st, 2009
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Understanding equine body language is critical to successful horse-human interactions. Find out what it all means.
By Laurel Scott

Oh, those ears–the way they flit back and forth! And that swishing tail! A horse can speak volumes using body language. But what exactly does all that mean? And how important is it that we know?

Understanding equine body language is critical to successful horse-human interactions.

Just ask Dr. Camie Heleski, coordinator of the Michigan State University Horse Management Program and lead instructor for My Horse University™s online Horse Behavior and Welfare Course, which is based out of Michigan State University. Many horse accidents are a result of not reading the horse™s body language, she explains. We are working with a very large animal that still thinks primarily like a creature of prey, hence, being observant to their body language is possibly more important than when working with any other animal.

Equines actually communicate using all five senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste.

“Horses have evolved to live in cohesive groups (herds or bands) and their ability to interpret the postures and movements of their group members is important for their survival,” explains Professor Natalie Waran, senior vice president of the International Society for Equitation Science council and head of the School of Natural Sciences at Unitec New Zealand. “Body language in humans may not be that sophisticated due to the fact that we tend to use sounds to communicate; but horses appear to rely a great deal on using their tail, ears, mouths [and] postures, and these may or may not be linked with specific sounds or calls.”

You can read more on EquiSearch.com.
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!