Contact usAngel's Story
Theraputic Riding - One Success Story
The Olsons travel 176 miles every Tuesday morning for Angel's therapeutic riding on Ben or Dino. Often, Angel is so relaxed she sleeps during her ride, but the treatment is working nonetheless.Angel suffered a severe head trauma that dislocated the right side of her brain when she was 14 months old. The injury left her unable to walk, stand, or control most of her bodily functions. Angel was comatose for months after the injury. Medical personnel doubted she would live beyond her second birthday. Angel will be seven in November 2003.
Angel enjoys riding through SunDance Riding, a non-profit organization whose mission is "committed to enriching the lives of children and adults with disabilities through interaction with horses." According to the SunDance brochure, "Individuals trade the confines of atrophied limbs or a wheelchair for the freedom and mobility of the horse."
Hippotheraphy, according to the American Hippotherapy Association is "a term that refers to the use of the movement of the horse as a treatment tool by Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech-Language Pathologists to address impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities in patients with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction. Hippotherapy is used as part of an integrated treatment program to achieve functional outcomes." Since there is not a PT or OT directing the riding activity, it is not technically hippotherapy. Angel's riding is considered therapeutic. Therapeutic riding works with balance and posture. The motion of the horse simulates a person's natural movement. Carol Olson, Angel's mom, and the other team members can feel the difference in Angel when they do the stretches and knee bends that are a part of Angel's daily exercise regimen.
According to the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA), "For individuals with disabilities, equine-assisted activities have been shown to improve muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, motor development as well as emotional well-being." The American Hippotherapy Association web site says: "The horse's walk provides sensory input through movement which is variable, rhythmic and repetitive. The resultant movement responses in the client are similar to human movement patterns of the pelvis while walking...Clients respond enthusiastically to this enjoyable learning experience in a natural setting."
Carol says she can see the benefits of Angel's therapeutic riding until January even though the sessions end in September. Carol would like Angel to continue the riding in winter but services are not available. Lack of heated arenas, hauling horses on snow and ice, unavailability of volunteers, and bringing vulnerable clients to lesson sites are just some of the obstacles for winter therapeutic riding.
Angel does receive regular physical, occupational and speech therapy year round. Angel's entire family are members of the care team. Her brother Kevin and sister Terry are Personal Care Providers (PCAs). State cuts have affected Angel tremendously. Programs are not available. The family modifies and makes due. "It's really scary actually," Carol says. But Carol won't allow Angel's life to diminish as a result of government cutbacks, "No, not with Angel because I will do everything and anything for her. I will do whatever is necessary."
"It's not easy; the equipment is so expensive. I was just looking at a tactile piece this morning in a catalog and it was $700. When I showed it to my son he said he could make it. I go to Wal-Mart to get some tactile toys and stuff because you can't afford to get it out of the catalogs."
SunDance Volunteers
At a Tuesday morning class, Cherie Sabo talks about the benefits of therapeutic riding for one student: "He was stiff, he was just as tight as a fiddlestick; but [after riding] his muscles just relaxed.""Some doctors recommend giving therapeutic riding for their patients. They are benefiting and having fun at the same time."
SunDance is an operating chapter of the NARHA. NARHA has established the safety and volunteer standards by which SunDance operates.
"You have to go through volunteer training before you can volunteer," advises Sabo. Some riders require six volunteers. SunDance couldn't function without volunteers. Volunteers must be fourteen years or older, but most are the caregivers. Volunteers lead the horse, act as sidewalkers, (walking alongside the horse to offer the rider support when needed), grooming horses, saddling horses, cooling down horses, cleaning tack, horse care, or helping with administrative functions.
According to the volunteer training video, students who participate in therapeutic riding achieve physical, emotional and mental rewards. They attribute improvements in reading and math skills, recognition skills, muscle relaxation, balance and coordination to the therapy. It also provides mobility and strength.
Sabo talks about the improvements she sees in the riders: "When she was first on it she was nervous, she was shaking and everything. She's sitting straighter. Remember the first time she was on it how she almost used to throw herself backward. We had two sidewalkers behind her cause if she threw herself backwards; someone has to be there to support her so that she doesn't just topple. This is only her third time. Look at how she's not throwing herself backwards now ... She's moving with the horse, she's not fighting the motion, she's moving with it. This is really good for her."
Another student "will be using a bareback saddle, she will be that independent as a rider."
A certified instructor must teach each class. Shannon Nowak recently went through the certification process and now works with the SunDance group.
