Lawrence makes the most of summer break

FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas outside hitter Christina Lawrence may be on break from school but she’s learning valuable lessons with the toughest summer job she’s ever had. Lawrence, a redshirt sophomore from Sullivan, Mo., works for Michael and Glenda Munson at the Rogers Equestrian Center, a 56-acre farm they run along with their children, Geneveve, Gabriel and Morgan. "Mr. Munson and his family are great to work for and treat me as well as their own kids," said Lawrence. "They are all wonderful people and would help anyone if they needed it. It’s nice to work there to keep my mind off home and give me a break from volleyball workouts and school." Lawrence, who is a pre-veterinary major at Arkansas, learned of the position from Dr. Nancy Jack, Director of the Dorothy E. King equine program on campus. With her love of horses, it was a perfect fit. Lawrence’s job duties are many and varied at the Equestrian Center. In addition to cleaning stalls and grooming horses, Lawrence has a special project working with a two-year-old and her foal helping the newcomer get used to being handled. Lawrence is also learning a lot about equine injury prevention and treatment. "This experience helps a lot with my major as far as learning about treatment of certain cuts and bruises as well as how to keep a horse healthy and how to be safe while handling the," said Lawrence. "I learn something new everyday whether it be how to put on a wrap to cover a cut or how to put on some kind of tack for riding. I help with lessons with the younger kids which is also fun as I get to see the kids have fun with the horses and teach them a lot of new things about the horse." The Rogers Equestrian Center is rapidly expanding its operation. The Munson’s opened their doors in 2001 after moving to Northwest Arkansas from Little Rock. Their future plans include a new arena to host events and lessons and the addition of stables to board horses. Currently the Center is home to 15 horses, 12 of which are owned by the Munson’s. Their stable also includes a very special stallion named Thriller who is a favorite of Lawrence. "They have a well-known stallion named Thriller who is the highlight of their place," Lawrence said. "He is gorgeous and has a hysterical personality. Unlike most stallions he’s easy to handle, which I have done many times, and knows plenty of show tricks." "Overall it’s a great experience," Lawrence added. The work can sometimes be really hard but I wouldn’t want to have any other job. Not only do I enjoy helping the Munson family with their Equestrian Center, I enjoy being around the horses and preparing myself for my hopes of someday becoming and equine vet." Lawrence and the Lady Razorbacks return to campus the second week of August to begin preparations for the 2005 volleyball season. Arkansas head coach Chris Poole expects Lawrence, an outside hitter, to have an immediate impact on the lineup this year.