Stories of Llamas and Kids
Mandrake Is the Best
Cody, a wiry 8-year old with ADHD, was not a happy camper. Although he was cooperative with the guides, he looked very sad and avoided interacting with the other boys on the trek. He didn't even join in the game of hide and seek at the campsite after dinner. Instead, he sat on a log near the meadow where the llamas were grazing. Occasionally, he walked over to stroke the neck of "his" llama, Mandrake. Then, Cody was overheard talking softly to Mandrake. He told Mandrake how miserable he was since his parents decided to get divorced. Because they had sent him to camp for the whole summer, he couldn't even talk to his sister or his grandparents. He talked for a long time, eventually sitting cross-legged in the grass next to Mandrake, who was lying down quietly chewing his cud. The next day, Cody led Mandrake over some tricky stream crossings and seemed interested in the deer tracks the campers found on the trail. He spent the next evening in the meadow talking to Mandrake. During the final day's hike back to the trail head, Cody walked alongside one of the guides. He told her that he thought that his llama was the best one in the herd. When asked why he thought so, Cody replied, "Because Mandrake is the best listener."
Mary Ann and Blue
Mary Ann came to the farm one summer afternoon with her Girl Scout troop. This troop had several girls, including Mary Ann, who were developmentally disabled. Most of the girls quickly got acquainted with their llamas and began leading them around the pasture, practicing for their hike on the following day. After being shown how to brush the llamas, the girls began to groom them. Mary Ann, however, hung back and tried to hide behind the truck. She was afraid to go near the llamas, much less to touch any of them. One of the guides let Mary Ann sit down on a folding chair and just watch what was going on. After a while, he led one of the most experienced and gentle llamas named Blue over to where Mary Ann was sitting. He began talking to her about other things, not even mentioning the llama that was peeking at her over his shoulder. After 20 minutes or so, Mary Ann asked what the llama's name was. When he replied, "Blue, short for Blue Chip," she thought that was a funny name. Gradually, Mary Ann began to look at Blue and finally agreed to hold his lead. Eventually, Mary Ann stood up and walked over to where the other girls were brushing their llamas. Of course, Blue had to follow her. Mary Ann was surprised that she was leading a llama! The Girl Scouts camped in tents at the farm that night and walked on a trail up the mountain the next morning. Mary Ann agreed to lead Blue if one of the Scout leaders would walk along with her. She did well during the hike, only asking for help when they had to cross a big mud puddle. When the Scouts got packed up to return home, Mary Ann hugged Blue's neck for a long time.
Billy and Morgan
Billy was eight years old when he first met Morgan the llama. It was Morgan's first year as trail leader, and he was just three and a half, still not fully grown. Billy was a loud child, who cursed a lot and was not very happy with his life. It turned out that his family only had him home four or five weeks a year, during Christmas vacation and the end of the summer. The rest of the time he was in a special residential school or at a special camp. He was on the trail with Morgan almost every weekday for that whole summer, and they learned together. Morgan got better and better at remembering the trails and crossing the streams and Billy got better and better at concentrating on where they were going and taking care of Morgan. As the summer went by, he cursed less and began to talk a little more with some of the other children. Over the following winter, Morgan grew a lot, and so did Billy. When the first trip went out in June, there was Billy asking to lead Morgan and there he stayed for all of that summer. Now Billy knew how to load and unload the llamas, how to set up the llama feeding, and he helped teach the other children. He spent a lot of time with Morgan, sitting with him in the evening, talking to him or just watching the moon and stars. He was a quieter boy when he left that summer, more mature. The next summer, he returned, and again asked for Morgan. They greeted each other as old friends, just picking up where they had left off, spending their time together but also introducing each other to their other friends ,llamas in Morgan's case and humans in Billy's. That summer was very wet, and the two friends spent a lot of time walking silently through the rain, making sure they kept their friends from stepping where they might slip and get hurt. At the end of the summer, Billy had a long talk with Morgan. He had to say goodbye. He was going to be twelve before the next summer, too old to continue in the program. He told Morgan he had learned a lot from him. The two friends had learned a lot from each other, three summers on the same trails, helping each other, then helping others. Morgan was full grown now, Billy big for his age. They had both grown up.
Cody, a wiry 8-year old with ADHD, was not a happy camper. Although he was cooperative with the guides, he looked very sad and avoided interacting with the other boys on the trek. He didn't even join in the game of hide and seek at the campsite after dinner. Instead, he sat on a log near the meadow where the llamas were grazing. Occasionally, he walked over to stroke the neck of "his" llama, Mandrake. Then, Cody was overheard talking softly to Mandrake. He told Mandrake how miserable he was since his parents decided to get divorced. Because they had sent him to camp for the whole summer, he couldn't even talk to his sister or his grandparents. He talked for a long time, eventually sitting cross-legged in the grass next to Mandrake, who was lying down quietly chewing his cud. The next day, Cody led Mandrake over some tricky stream crossings and seemed interested in the deer tracks the campers found on the trail. He spent the next evening in the meadow talking to Mandrake. During the final day's hike back to the trail head, Cody walked alongside one of the guides. He told her that he thought that his llama was the best one in the herd. When asked why he thought so, Cody replied, "Because Mandrake is the best listener."
Mary Ann and Blue
Mary Ann came to the farm one summer afternoon with her Girl Scout troop. This troop had several girls, including Mary Ann, who were developmentally disabled. Most of the girls quickly got acquainted with their llamas and began leading them around the pasture, practicing for their hike on the following day. After being shown how to brush the llamas, the girls began to groom them. Mary Ann, however, hung back and tried to hide behind the truck. She was afraid to go near the llamas, much less to touch any of them. One of the guides let Mary Ann sit down on a folding chair and just watch what was going on. After a while, he led one of the most experienced and gentle llamas named Blue over to where Mary Ann was sitting. He began talking to her about other things, not even mentioning the llama that was peeking at her over his shoulder. After 20 minutes or so, Mary Ann asked what the llama's name was. When he replied, "Blue, short for Blue Chip," she thought that was a funny name. Gradually, Mary Ann began to look at Blue and finally agreed to hold his lead. Eventually, Mary Ann stood up and walked over to where the other girls were brushing their llamas. Of course, Blue had to follow her. Mary Ann was surprised that she was leading a llama! The Girl Scouts camped in tents at the farm that night and walked on a trail up the mountain the next morning. Mary Ann agreed to lead Blue if one of the Scout leaders would walk along with her. She did well during the hike, only asking for help when they had to cross a big mud puddle. When the Scouts got packed up to return home, Mary Ann hugged Blue's neck for a long time.
Billy and Morgan
Billy was eight years old when he first met Morgan the llama. It was Morgan's first year as trail leader, and he was just three and a half, still not fully grown. Billy was a loud child, who cursed a lot and was not very happy with his life. It turned out that his family only had him home four or five weeks a year, during Christmas vacation and the end of the summer. The rest of the time he was in a special residential school or at a special camp. He was on the trail with Morgan almost every weekday for that whole summer, and they learned together. Morgan got better and better at remembering the trails and crossing the streams and Billy got better and better at concentrating on where they were going and taking care of Morgan. As the summer went by, he cursed less and began to talk a little more with some of the other children. Over the following winter, Morgan grew a lot, and so did Billy. When the first trip went out in June, there was Billy asking to lead Morgan and there he stayed for all of that summer. Now Billy knew how to load and unload the llamas, how to set up the llama feeding, and he helped teach the other children. He spent a lot of time with Morgan, sitting with him in the evening, talking to him or just watching the moon and stars. He was a quieter boy when he left that summer, more mature. The next summer, he returned, and again asked for Morgan. They greeted each other as old friends, just picking up where they had left off, spending their time together but also introducing each other to their other friends ,llamas in Morgan's case and humans in Billy's. That summer was very wet, and the two friends spent a lot of time walking silently through the rain, making sure they kept their friends from stepping where they might slip and get hurt. At the end of the summer, Billy had a long talk with Morgan. He had to say goodbye. He was going to be twelve before the next summer, too old to continue in the program. He told Morgan he had learned a lot from him. The two friends had learned a lot from each other, three summers on the same trails, helping each other, then helping others. Morgan was full grown now, Billy big for his age. They had both grown up.