THERAPEUTIC HORSEBACK RIDING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

DISABILITY ACTION CENTR NW - Camaraderie with a horse is a dynamic that few get to enjoy, even with two good legs and arms. And getting outside is good for any person's well being. Horse therapy is a wonderful way for a person with a disability (and many can be helped here) to stay active and provides many benefits.

For an amputee, adjusting to the motion of the horse helps with core strengthening of the lower back and hips while taking pressure and pain off the end of amputated limbs. A rider can fine a whole new center of balance and a whole new sense of control. For riding independently there are now adaptive saddles available.

  

For stability, the saddle has leather straps that run from the back of the saddle under the thighs and through a ring in the front. When you pull, you get pressure on your hips. You can release the strap and it easily comes off, which is important in an emergency. The lower strap gives support if the horse jumps sideways.

For people with mental disabilities, the simple joy of riding a horse takes on a deeper meaning. Whether it's medical, natural, or spiritual, the power of healing - by way of horseback riding - is special.  

I had a chance to see the faces of kids light up when seated on a horse for the first time at Operation Challenge sponsored by the NezPerce Mounted Sherriff’s Posse in Lewiston. After talking to some of the parents and assistants, this was clearly an opportunity they thought they would never have. The event filled day proved to be helpful in so many ways. What impressed me the most, was the accessibility built into the event so individuals can participate independently. The creative mounting platform was easily reached by a ramp and made the transfer from chair to horse very simple.

Walkers and supportive riders were provided as needed.

In the mid 20^th century equine therapy was catapulted into the limelight when in 1952, Liz Hartel from Denmark (who had lower extremity paralysis from polio) won a silver medal at the Helsinki Olympic Games. The North American Riding for the Handicap Association says for individuals with disabilities, therapeutic riding has been shown to improve muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, and motor development as well as emotional well being from the bonding between a human and a gentle horse. Muscle spasticity and paralysis make walking difficult or impossible for some individuals. A person's gait is similar to that of a horse; therefore, many riders are able to experience this type of normal movement for the first time while on a horse.

The final goal for most recreational horse therapy is to teach an individual how to ride. "Along the way a lot of neat stuff can happen," says Kaufmann of NARHA. "If someone is removed from a wheelchair and placed on a horse, it takes them out of themselves. It helps the whole body to be something entirely different. Riding a horse approximates a normal walking gait in the pelvic, trunk, and upper body area of a person. This rhythm can be very stimulating to the muscles as well as the brain”, Kaufmann explains.

Muscle spasticity and paralysis make walking difficult or impossible for some individuals. A person's gait is similar to that of a horse; therefore, many riders are able to experience this type of normal movement for the first time while on a horse. The joy of sitting astride a horse is an empowering experience for an individual with physical, mental, and/or emotional disabilities. "You are one with the horse. It's the life of your body that goes as energy through the horse's body, then down through the legs and back up again -- you've become one" -- Rebecca Lewis, MD.

After hearing parents expressing a desire that this type of therapy was available in our area, I did a little digging. For therapeutic horseback riding in our region you can contact:

•     PATH in Pullman, Washington. PATH’s mission is to provide recreational, therapeutic horseback riding for people with these challenges. PATH is accredited by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International. PATH benefits not only the riders and their families, but also the community members and the WSU students and staff who volunteer their time and talents to make this program a success. They are offering an 8 day course in June. If you live the and area and want to be a part of PATH (as a rider or as a volunteer) please call 509-335-7347.
•     Harmony Ranch Therapeutic Riding Center in Rathdrum, Idaho  208-819-2603 
•            Free Rein Therapeutic Riding in the West Plains neighborhood in Spokane WA. They are offering volunteer orientation May 21, 6-7 pm and training May 31, 9:30-11:30am  freereinvolunteer@hotmail.com

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