Riding For Flexibility And Confidence

November 19, 2007

I had a really nice chat with a good friend yesterday, a seminary student and ministry intern at my church who also happens to be affected by cerebral palsy. He has difficulty with his legs and a little with trunk control, but he also works harder to improve himself than anyone I know.

He was thrilled to learn I finally got plugged in to volunteering at Pegasus Farm as he had been a student there himself as a kid. It was great to talk to him and hear about the benefits of therapeutic riding from his perspective. I can see the difference it makes and I can see the riders improving, but it was just as exciting to hear about it “from the horses mouth.”

My friend said that riding was very helpful in improving the flexibility of his legs and also helped him to strengthen his muscles. He improved his trunk strength as so much of your balance comes from your core. He also said that while the positive effects of riding only lasted as long as he was consistently riding, it taught him how to work those muscles for a continued strengthening.

Beyond the physical benefits, he said that riding in classes was great for his confidence and social skills. He got to be around other kids who were “like him.” He rode in a more advanced class where students engaged in posting trot and canter. He said cantering was difficult because of the tremendous amount of leg strength required, but he was encouraged because he was not alone in his class in overcoming this obstacle.

I can talk all I want about therapeutic riding benefits from a teacher’s point of view, but it’s testimonies like these that really bring it to life.

Posted in Jackie's Thoughts, Making a Difference, Therapeutic Riding