It was a beautiful Friday morning when we drove out to the foothills of Oroville to visit Handi-Riders. Riding lessons there are different than other places. They provide equine therapy for people with physical, mental, and emotional challenges. Sid McBride was kind enough to show us around the arena, explain the details of what was happening, and let us watch the class that was starting. Each class consists of four riders, four horses, an instructor, and a half-dozen volunteers.
Joseph is a six-year-old boy who has cerebral palsy and has been taking classes with Handi-Riders for three years. As Joseph was being walked to the mounting block by his mother and a volunteer, Sid pointed out how Joseph had made an effort to move his feet and take steps, because that was something he had not been able to do before he started with the Handi-Riders equine therapy program. For children like Joseph, the movement of the horse simulates the natural movements his body would make when walking. It stretches and strengthens his muscles, and helps him move better both on and off the horse.
It took four adults to help Joseph onto his pony Pepe. The lead walker stood at Pepe’s nose, two side walkers helped balance him on either side, and then there was Chris the instructor for the class. All the effort was worth it to see the smile on little Joseph’s face as Pepe stepped away from the mounting block. For Joseph, being able to come out and ride Pepe is not just exercise. It is a chance to see the world from a different angle — to be above the adults and able to move about the world without being pushed in a chair or carried. We could tell that he was excited about the change.
Two other riders we were able to watch enjoy their ride were Brenna and Alexa, 18-year-old twins who have been riding with Handi-Riders for the last ten years. The girls were obviously delighted to be back visiting their four-legged friends. They smiled and giggled as they were brought up to pet the horses’ noses before they mounted.
Sid explained to us that the twins are non-verbal and have a hard time communicating. But when their instructor asked them to show the “walk on” command, each of the girls faithfully tapped the pommel of their saddle to show that they understood. Sid told us that many non-verbal children have said their first words sitting on a Handi-Riders horse.
The horses are some of the most patient, kind, and tolerant horses you will ever encounter. Only one in three horses passes the 90-day trial period to become a Handi-Riders horse, and the program only has seven to ten horses in the program at a time. Donated or leased from local owners, the horses are the gentle stars of the operation. Many of the horses are older horses living out their golden years by helping special children reach their full potential. These horses have to be able to remain calm while the child on their back laughs, shrieks, throws and catches objects, yanks on their halters, or flounders about unpredictably.
Each lesson consists of six parts: the mount, the warm-up, exercises, a skill, a game, and the dismount. After the children were mounted on their horses, they were led up to a corral where they played a matching game. Pictures had been clothes-pinned to their horses' manes, while horse-grooming objects in baskets were hung up around the corral. After they had matched the objects to the cards, they spent some time riding, stretching their arms above their heads, touching their toes, rotating their feet and ankles, and generally moving their bodies.
After that, they moved to another corral, where they got to play games, such as the bean-bag toss, throwing balls into baskets, and moving colored horseshoes from one end of the corral to the other. Joseph even spent some time riding backwards on the horse to exercise his hips and legs completely.
All too soon, it was time for the dismount. The students thanked their horses by giving them a bowl of carrots.
Then smiling children were loaded into cars as the volunteers unsaddled the horses, took them back to their pens, and readied the horses for the next class.
History of Handi-Riders
In 1981, a group of dedicated Northern Californians from decided to work together to provide a unique form of therapeutic activities for children and adults with special needs. These people included an attorney, a farrier, a veterinarian, along with people from the Butte County Schools Special Education Department. They called their equine school "Handi-Riders." Handi-Riders is a non-profit charitable organization where volunteers help people with special needs learn to ride, while at the same time providing therapy.
There are many ways to help Handi-Riders’ continue this beneficial program. You can donate time, equipment, or just money. For more information, please visit the Handi-Riders Web site at www.handi-riders.org, or call them at (530) 533-5333.
