"Therapy Ponies" Help Heal Kids, Adults

Therapy Ponies Help Heal Kids Adults LIVESTOCK Horses/Mules There s nothing like seeing a child blossom on a horse says Linda Watson Davisburg Mich who turned a lifelong love of horses into a therapeutic riding program for children She and her husband did a lot of research before opening Pretty Pony Pastures five years ago on their 24-acre property At the center of the operation are Haflinger ponies one of three breeds typically used for similar riding therapy programs The breed has been in the U S for 50 years These horses are a large pony size Linda explains They range from 13 1 to 14 3 hands tall The smaller size makes it easier for helpers to support riders Plus the ponies are not as threatening to the kids They look like Teddy bears Linda adds Haflingers have gentle dispositions and can carry up to 200 pounds The Watsons purchased 12 ponies and Linda spends a lot of time training them mostly despooking them to not flinch at anything from crutches to wheelchairs to inhalers The ponies must also allow riders to mount from either side Linda works with up to four children at a time with several volunteers Some children require someone to lead plus sidewalkers on each side to support them Her many volunteers love working with horses and children Our goal is to teach each rider to become as skilled as possible Linda says That helps balance a big issue with many clients One 60-year-old rider had a stroke and came to Linda to improve her balance After weekly riding sessions she took first place in a lead line class at a local competition After a year of riding a 7-year-old client with cerebral palsy did something she thought she would never do û ride a bicycle Besides balance Linda creates games to improve motor skills and sensory skills particularly important for children with autism Sometimes a client s therapist comes along and suggests areas the child needs to work on Riders generally come once a week and spend an hour per session They groom the horse û which is especially helpful for children with autism û and prepare it to ride Sessions cost $15 each About 80 percent of Linda s riders are children The other 20 percent are adults with balance or fear issues In order to obtain reasonable insurance premiums through an equine insurance company Linda also has classes for able-bodied people She offers sessions for Scouts and beginning riders Anyone interested in starting a therapeutic riding business should volunteer first Linda suggests to understand all the challenges It s also important to have community support to ensure there will be volunteers Research it well she says Horses are a 24/7 job Setup is not cheap either The Watsons put up a building that includes a 100 by 60 ft arena They buy more than 2 000 bales of hay a year to feed their horses Currently good Haflinger ponies cost anywhere from $1 000 to $5 000 The Watsons average about 25 riders a year and have a goal of 40 clients per year Once children with disabilities start riding they usually don t want to quit Linda says For more information she suggests contacting The North American Riding for the Handicapped Association NARHA www narha org Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Pretty Pony Pastures P O Box 86 Davisburg Mich 48350 ph 248 634-7276; linda@prettyponypastures org; www prettyponypastures org

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