Therapeutic Riding Volunteer

Insider Info

"Our ponies are bomb proof," boasts Elizabeth Coopersmith with the Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Foundation. When you bring disabled children together with horses, you need to trust your four-legged volunteers! Coopersmith also asks a lot of her two-legged volunteers. "You've got to have a love of children and be comfortable with horses!"

Therapeutic riding helps children and adults with a wide range of disabilities. It can improve balance and muscle coordination for those with physical disabilities. It even helps non-verbal riders develop speech!

"We've got one little girl who didn't talk," says Kids 'n Bits volunteer Tonya Crow. "This year she squeals and makes sounds -- and before she didn't do that at all."

Crow was a little nervous at first about working with children with disabilities. "You lose your fear being around them, and become 100 percent comfortable with it. They're just so appreciative that someone will take the time to spend with them."

The North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) has nearly 800 therapeutic riding centers in the United States and Canada. "I can't imagine how many volunteers that is. It depends on how many riders are using each program," says Pam Simons. She's the communications director for NARHA.

Coopersmith estimates that two or three volunteers are needed to lead the horses and act as side walkers. "Without volunteers, this program wouldn't exist."

"Most of our programs are run by volunteers," agrees Simons. "From the executive directors, the maintenance of stables, to side walkers."

A year after his wife died, Dick Greiser needed something to fill the void. Then came the answer -- a local therapeutic riding center was looking for volunteers. Greiser called Therapeutic Riding of Tucson (TROT) and was invited to a volunteer orientation meeting the next week.

"I went to that meeting and it sounded so good I signed up the next morning!" That was several years ago. Greiser, now in his eighties, has no plans to quit. "I feel like I'm doing something worthwhile and actually helping some children."

Grover McCurdy and his wife have spearheaded Saddle Pals for 10 years. "We have a son who's handicapped, and a lot of people helped him," says McCurdy. "This is what you call payback!"

McCurdy remembers one little boy who didn't want to ride. "I went and sat in front of him and said, 'My name is Grover.'" When the boy's name was called for his turn he curled up in McCurdy's arms and let him put him on the horse. "I don't know how many times I've had to go somewhere to keep the kids from seeing me cry," he says.

Sallie Murphy is a veteran of therapeutic riding. Her nephew, who suffers from spina bifida, greatly benefited from the program when he was young. Murphy enjoys sharing her love of horses with the riders and helping the riders accomplish what would otherwise be impossible.

She takes the riders over several fields to the nearby beach -- places normally off limits to those dependent on wheelchairs and crutches. "If you saw the smiles on their faces from the minute they get here to the minute they get back . . . this is something they look forward to all week."

How to Get Involved

Therapeutic riding programs are always looking for volunteers. Volunteers must be 14 or older. In many cases certification is available for high school students needing to complete community service requirements. "One volunteer used it to help get a scholarship," adds Crow at Kids 'n Bits.

Most programs are accredited by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. And most volunteers need to take a training session before working with the horses or children.

A certain degree of fitness is required of volunteers. But the only equipment you'll likely need is a pair of boots or leather tennis shoes and a big heart.

Associations

North American Riding for the Handicapped Association
P.O. Box 33150
Denver , CO   80233
USA
Internethttp://www.narha.org/

Links

Directory of NARHA centers
Find a therapeutic riding center near you

The Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Foundation
Learn more about this therapeutic riding center

Equest
Find out more about therapeutic horsemanship at this therapeutic riding center

STRIDES Therapeutic Riding
Learn more about therapeutic riding from this nonprofit organization

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