Adaptive Riding Center Offers Benefits for those with Special Needs
FELTON — Some might consider activities involving horses as being only for those with strong arms and legs. After all the movies suggest that a John Wayne or Clint Eastwood type is required to control them. However, these movies don’t show the special attributes of a horse to provide equine therapy for people with a variety of special needs.
For example, a person who has trouble walking can gain strength and confidence through equine therapy. Sitting on a horse when it walks is the closest you can get to the movements a human body makes while walking. This helps stimulate a person’s nerves and muscles used in walking.
According to PATH, the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, the benefits of therapeutic riding include promoting strength, flexibility, balance and coordination as well as boosting self-confidence and building self-esteem—essential components of any special needs program. Therapeutic riding can help improve walking, address autism, develop muscle tone, deal with bipolar disorder or even provide a recreational experience for the vision impaired. Recreation and exercise for one’s special needs are important parts of a healthy lifestyle just as they are for everyone else. The website www.abilities.com/community/horse-therapy.html is one of many that speak to the therapeutic value of horsemanship.
Lichen Oaks Adaptive Riding Center (LOARC) (www.lichenoaksarc.org), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, began operation this spring to provide an equine experience to young as well as older people who have special needs. To date, LOARC has served people with cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, autism and various emotional issues.
Each program is custom-tailored to the desires and needs of the participant but generally involves on-the-ground familiarization with and tacking of a horse, as well as riding with trained side-walkers and leaders to help stabilize the participant. LOARC’s instructors are PATH certified to develop and direct the activities of each person’s program.
The mother of a participant benefiting from riding at the center wrote: “LOARC provides everything we have ever hoped for on our son’s behalf: a safe, beautiful and tranquil environment in which he can truly focus on learning new skills and feeling proud and happy about his accomplishments. The elusive benefits of his communication with the horse Hallie are no doubt reflected in the fact that he exhibits no resistance or challenging behavior whatsoever in the LOARC environment. This is very rare. We really can’t thank the center’s founders, instructor, and the many volunteers enough.”
Volunteers are also trained at the Center to become familiar with horsemanship and therapeutic riding and to provide support to the activities. Parties interested in becoming part of the LOARC program either as a participant or a volunteer may contact the center at [email protected].