August 18, 2005

People helping people

Preteen volunteers time with Personal Ponies

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

It is an extraordinary person who decides to dedicate her life to aiding children with special needs—especially when that person is only 12 years old.

Whini and Truffles enjoy their home on a rolling hillside overlooking Almaden Reservoir. Photos by Lorraine Gabbert

Like any preteen, Amanda Martinez likes going to the mall and hanging out with her friends. Unlike most, she is a Junior Community director with Personal Ponies Limited (PPL), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing special needs children with tiny U.K. Shetland pony companions.

PPL was originally founded in 1986 by Marianne Alexander. She discovered through her own two U.K. Shetlands, that the ponies have a special sensitivity to children with disabilities. She knew the ponies could immeasurably enrich the children’s lives.

As opposed to miniature horses and American Shetlands, U.K. Shetlands are a distinct breed imported from the United Kingdom. Good-natured and gentle, they resemble ‘My Little Pony’ toys or small, furry draft horses and reach of height of 28 to 38 inches tall.

Intuitive animals
“The ponies are so gentle and intuitive—they have a good sense of the children’s abilities,” says Annie Norvelle, a PPL California state director. “That’s the beauty of the U.K. Shetland breed. We bring them in because of their special temperament and intuition.”

Images from www.wannabes.com of Wannabes Ranch, created by and courtesy of Annie Norvelle.

Martinez will be guided in her position by Norvelle and by her mother, Michelle. The elder Martinez is also a new PPL community and state director and is already actively involved in growing the organization.

An eighth-grader at Bret Harte Middle School, Amanda loves horses and ponies, but for her, this labor of love is as much about the children as the animals. She realized, while tutoring and being a kindergarten buddy at Simonds Elementary School, how much she enjoyed teaching younger children and wanted to work with children with special needs.

Aware of her daughter’s interests, and the value of volunteering, Michelle set about researching possibilities for her. One day while driving by Norvelle’s Wannabe Ranch in the heart of New Almaden, Michelle realized she had found just what Amanda had been looking for.

Norvelle first became aware of PPL on the Internet. “I just wanted to do something with children,” she says. “I had a pony when I was a kid and thought, what could be better.” Her Web site, www.wannabes.com, which educates children and benefits PPL, includes cartoon characters based upon PPL ponies like Truffles, along with other animals from her ranch.

Within seven years, Norvelle established 14 PPL Shetlands in California, with most in the Bay Area. Four of the PPL mares are expecting babies in the spring, sired by their stallion, Mr. Unico. Norvelle couldn’t be more excited.

Breeding, delivery
The breeding and delivery of PPL ponies takes place at Norvelle’s Wannabe Ranch under her watchful eye. “It’s exciting and a little scary because you’re always worried about the mom and the baby,” she says, “It’s also a big responsibility because you have to make sure you have your medical kit at hand and have the vet on call, but you’re so in awe.”

Norvelle raised Truffles from six months on and was by her side when she delivered Tilly named for Pat Tillman.

“The minute the babies are born, they start imprinting, which is worth years of training,” says Norvelle. “We tap on their hooves, pet them and squirt water on them to teach them not to be afraid of new things.”

Although Personal Ponies are usually too small to ride, their largest pony, Sara, and rider Charlee Lewis recently took a belt buckle—the ultimate gymkhana prize—in a state show.

“The children are the caretakers for the ponies and they feel responsible, appreciated and loved,” says Norvelle, “It’s wonderful to see the bond between them.”

From left, Truffles, Michelle, Whini and Amanda Martinez look forward to enriching children’s lives. Photo by Lorraine Gabbert

The ponies also create a real sense of purpose for children with special needs, she said. “It gives them a lot of confidence and unconditional everything. When they come to see the ponies, they’re not kids with handicaps or special needs they are just kids.”

“I like to help out the children when they’re here.” says Amanda. “I like that I can be involved and feel like I’m needed.”

Depending on their abilities, the children can run and play with the ponies or they can just sit and pet and hug them since the ponies are about the same height as the children.

“It’s really wonderful to see,” says Norvelle. “Some of the kids are incredibly agile. They come in with their wheelchairs and their walkers and can do the most amazing things. One time, a boy with a walker wanted to see the stallion, and I was concerned because of the incline. But he took off, saying, ‘I’ll race you,’ and made it there before I did. They’re great kids. They’re my little heroes.”

Working in all phases
Norvelle is also impressed with Amanda, who besides caring for the ponies, is also involved with the business side of the organization from bookkeeping to designing logos and marketing.

“This is exactly what I wished for from the very beginning,” says Norvelle. “I hoped to see a child continue what I had built. Soon she’ll be running everything. She is our future.”

“I think it’s important for teenagers to understand about giving back to the community,” says Michelle, “but it’s hard to find volunteer opportunities for kids under 13. This was something she could do now.”

“We’re not age specific,” adds Norvelle, “We don’t have any high- or low-end age limitations. If someone wants to get involved, they can get involved.”

The Martinez home and the headquarters for Amanda’s community service project, lies amidst rolling hills dotted with majestic oak trees overlooking a ribbon of road and the winding Almaden reservoir. The setting also houses three Shetland ponies—Whini, Truffles and Mr. Unico.

Amanda and Michelle Martinez enjoy a close relationship with Annie Norvelle. Photo by Lorraine Gabbert

“The goal of the program is to place ponies with special needs families. But not everyone has the land to do that, which is why we board them here,” says Michelle. “We all thought it was a miracle finding this property,” says Amanda. “It’s perfect for the ponies. We love it.”

With programs in almost every state and ponies placed freely with hundreds of children, PPL depends on the hearts and hands of volunteers.

“People are always welcome to help us set up for the ponies that are here,” says Norvelle. “We need assistance putting in an access ramp for the children and a winter enclosure for the ponies.”

In addition, Michelle plans to add a petting zoo adjacent to the paddock for the children to enjoy, which will also require fencing. As PPL is totally volunteer-based, and U.K. Shetland ponies, feed and fencing are expensive, financial assistance is also always appreciated. Volunteers can also help by being a pony hugger, groom or trainer, by transporting the ponies and through writing grants.

Amanda and Michelle are hoping to receive visitors on a weekly basis at their site as well as serving the larger community by visiting schools and hospitals, following one of PPL’s mottos, ‘have pony, will travel.’

Like Norvelle, they plan to be involved in PPL for years to come. “I’m hoping I’ll grow old and gray and watch my daughter and grandchildren continuing with the program,” says Michelle.

“I feel very lucky,” says Amanda, “and appreciate what I’ve been given and all that I have going for me.”
To schedule a PPL visit, call Amanda Martinez at (408) 489-2765. For more information on PPL, see www.personalponies.org.