In my years of work with horses both as a riding instructor and therapeutic riding volunteer, I’ve been privileged to meet and work with children and adults suffering from cerebral palsy. Their brains don’t function well enough to entirely control their bodies, but they have big hearts, beautiful smiles, and caring personalities. They also have [...]

Posted in Therapeutic Riding 6 Comments »

Not only are horses friends, companions, and partners, they are also miracle workers. Just ask Abigail Hucker, a young dean’s list college student who wasn’t expected to live past the age of seven. Thank you to Roger and Vickie Hucker and Freedom Hills Therapeutic Riding Program for allowing me to share her story of [...]

Posted in Making a Difference, Therapeutic Riding 4 Comments »

If you missed ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition episode featuring the Luther family and their Freedom Hills therapeutic riding facility that aired last night, you can watch it online for free at ABC’s website.
I had a last minute night out with some friends, so the episode is waiting for me on the DVR. Hopefully I’ll [...]

Posted in Jackie's Thoughts, Making a Difference, Recommendations, Therapeutic Riding 3 Comments »

I’ve always known that standing still on a horse is a lot more work than moving, but I became even more acutely aware of this fact as I was volunteering at Pegasus Farm Monday night.
Monday kicked-off the start of the new year at Pegasus — and a new semester after horses, riders, volunteers, and instructors [...]

Posted in Jackie's Thoughts, Therapeutic Riding 1 Comment »

*Click for a link to the episode online (free) and for more information and resources regarding therapeutic riding benefits, organizations, instructors and facilities.*
On January 20, 2008, ABC will air a two-hour special of Extreme Makeover Home Edition in which a home and a therapeutic riding facility is rebuilt for the Luther family in Port Deposit, [...]

Posted in Jackie's Thoughts, Making a Difference, Recommendations, Therapeutic Riding 3 Comments »

With a different instructor, students riding different horses, our schedule completely thrown off, and a new working style to which to adjust, last night could have been really crazy at Pegasus Farm’s therapeutic riding program. Despite all of the last minute changes, one of our more difficult students was thriving.
Randy, the instructor I work under [...]

Posted in Jackie's Thoughts, Making a Difference, Therapeutic Riding No Comments »

After volunteering for several months at Pegasus Farm, a therapeutic riding center in northeast Ohio, I actually got to help teach a class on Monday night. This isn’t typical for volunteers, but I guess my years of experience teaching riding lessons and horse care has been showing, so Randy felt comfortable leaving me with a [...]

Posted in Jackie's Thoughts, Making a Difference, Riding and showing, Therapeutic Riding 2 Comments »