Today I saw a young woman with Down Syndrome light up with pride and happiness after she completed a horseback riding class at Stirrups ‘n’ Strides Therapeutic Riding Center. I have been leading her on a sweet quarterhorse named Jasper each Saturday morning, but today the instructor gave me the go-ahead to unclip the lead rope. I looked up at the student and said, “You’re the boss now!”

Taking up the reins, she gave Jasper a little kick, and said, “walk on.” She kept him walking around the arena, steered him through a line of poles, and completed an obstacle course with only a little help. At the end of class, I said, “You did that all by yourself. You’re a real cowgirl now!” She beamed and gave me a timid high-five.

For the last few Saturdays, I have been getting up at the crack of dawn to feed the menagerie before I head off to volunteer at the morning classes offered by Stirrups ‘n’ Strides. The organization provides therapeutic horseback riding to people with physical, mental, or emotional challenges and aims to “improve the quality of life for these individuals with the opportunity for emotional, educational, and physical growth through horsemanship, competition, and the healing power of the horse.”

When I arrive at the barn each week, I chat with other volunteers and check the clipboard to see which horses and riders are assigned to me. Most weeks, I’ve worked with the same two students and the same two horses, Lilly and Jasper. I’ve enjoyed getting to know them all.

We groom and tack the horses, and then bring them out one at a time as the students arrive. Most students use a mounting block, but the facility also has a wonderful ramp and hoist for moving people from their wheelchairs on to the horses. We all head in to the main arena at the start of the class. Once the whole group is ready, some students stay in the main arena and others ride a short distance to the trail course arena. Halfway through the class, the two groups switch.

In the main arena, students walk and trot their horses, practice steering around barrels or through a row of poles, and receive instruction to build their riding skills. In the trail course arena, riders tackle obstacles that build physical strength and balance, offer cognitive challenges, and teach horse handling skills. For example, one obstacle simulates opening a gate while on horseback. That requires riding up to the gate, positioning the horse, reaching down to remove a rope looped over the pole, backing up then moving forward through the gate, and hooking the rope on another pole. Another obstacle features an archway with dangling pool noodles. In my early days here, I just led the horse under the noodles, but the instructor encouraged me to challenge my student a bit more. Now I ask questions such as, “How many noodles are there? What color is the biggest noodle? Can you reach up and touch the green noodle?”

Initially, I thought the whole goal was to teach horseback riding, but now I realize there’s so much more going on, as evidenced by one of today’s activities. Students balanced a plastic egg on a spoon while walking around the arena, which required them to sit up straight and concentrate to keep their spoon balanced while steering their horse. I’m not sure I could do that!

This was only my fourth week of volunteering, but I have already learned so much. I feel more confident saddling and bridling the horses with a variety of western and English tack, and I understand better how to interact with the riders to keep them engaged and challenged during the lessons.

I fully appreciate the therapeutic effects that horses are having on my body and spirit during this time out of the classroom. It’s rewarding to be part of an organization that spreads the love!

This video offers a great overview (ignore the promotion for last year’s fundraiser).

This article has some editing errors (sigh…), but it tells the backstory of how Betty Gray started the organization after her 3-year-old daughter, Kathy, was kicked in the head by a horse. Today, Kathy is an accomplished 46-year-old horsewoman who has clearly benefited enormously from therapeutic riding and her leadership role at Stirrups ‘n’ Strides. She always has a smile and story for everyone at the barn.

Here’s the promotional flyer for this year’s fundraiser, coming up soon. If you are in this neck of the woods or know someone who is, please spread the word!