Therapeutic Horseback Riding Challenges In Communication

March 25, 2008

It’s hard enough teaching young, able-bodied and able-minded students to ride horses, and it’s a whole different ballgame altogether teaching disabled students to ride. Fortunately, I’m not necessarily responsible for teaching the students I assist when I volunteer at Pegasus Farms on Monday nights. But I am working with them one on one and am responsible for ensuring their safety.

There are two main roles for volunteers in a therapeutic riding class. You’re either a “leader” who leads the horse and helps control her movement. Or you’re a sidewalker who keeps a hand on a student who can’t balance well on his own. In addition, Randy will give the student a specific task such as an obstacle course or specific focus such as turning the horse. As volunteers, we sometimes help coach the students, reminding them how to turn, getting them into two-point, or getting verbal responses for go and whoa.

Some students have low comprehension, so it’s difficult to get the correct response. Some have difficulty physically with balance and position, but can comprehend the adjustments we ask them to make. Some are low on comprehension and balance, so they have a sidewalker.

Then there’s my buddy R, an incredibly sweet and happy young man with Down’s Syndrome.

He’s lost 80 percent of his hearing. And not only does he not hear very well, his comprehension isn’t very high. And characteristic of Down’s Syndrome, his arms and legs are on the short side, which contributes significantly to his poor balance.

R isn’t so unbalanced that he needs a sidewalker, but he’s just enough to make me nervous. I have to watch him like a hawk because he has a bad habit of sticking his legs out in front of him, sending his upper body backward.

R is incredibly enthusiastic and very eager to please. But most of the time he doesn’t seem to understand “sit up tall” or “lean forward” or “don’t lean back” whether I ask him verbally or by physically demonstrating the action. And I’m not sure if it’s because he can’t hear me, or he’s not sure what I’m asking of him,  or a combination of both.

First we had trouble getting his stirrups the right length. Then the saddle assigned to his horse was too small for him. Now, we’ve done everything we can to adjust the tack and try different horses, so the problem is trying to get R in a good position (and stay there). We need him to sit more towards the front of the saddle and sit up so his legs aren’t thrown forward and his upper body thrown back. We really need him to grip with his legs to get him to balance, but we’re not sure we’re ever going to be able to be successful in that endeavor.

So how do I help R to be a safe, balanced, happy rider when I can’t communicate very well with him?

I’m sure there’s some way to help him understand what we’re asking. I just have to find it.

Posted in Jackie's Thoughts, Therapeutic Riding