On Wednesday, Oct. 24, career and tech ed teacher Steve Rickabaugh’s agriculture and vet science students took a break from their regular classroom learning to ride horses instead.

Rickabaugh’s classes have a horse unit every year and gifted teacher Janet Michaels brings her horses in for students to ride and gain some hand-on learning experience. “It’s a fun activity that I look forward to doing every year with the agriculture and vet science classes,” Michaels said.

The two horses, Ella, who is 12 and Billy, her son, who is five, are both Michaels’ horses. Michaels has had Ella since she was six and Billy since he was born. Both Ella and Billy are haflinger horses, an Austrian breed. Both horses are very small, almost pony sized.

Sometimes, Michaels said, students are nervous around the horses but usually they overcome their fear. “They’re really friendly, gentle and calm and that’s why I like them,” Michaels said. Michaels thinks that students really seem to enjoy the day and so does she. “It’s a fun activity that I look forward to doing every year,” Michaels said.