On June 16th, the life skills class from Black River High School came to see our facilities and meet a curly horse. This field trip came into being because one of the students in the class attends the riding center over the summer months.

She is a young woman who is on the spectrum and riding has been wonderful for her. She has developed a connection with her horse, Sudie Bee, and is thrilled to be riding again this summer.

Last summer was her first experience with horseback riding and no one was quite sure if she would take to it. Well, she blossomed under the loving care of Sudie Bee. This young first time rider became more out spoken with each lesson, took her time to make sure she groomed and cared for Sudie at the beginning and end of her lessons and never forgot to bring 2 apples - one for her and one for Sudie -which they ate together at the end of each session.

When she returned to school in the fall, she was filled with stories about Sudie and her riding. She continued to share her excitement and experiences with her classmates throughout the year.

As the school year wound down and summer approached, anticipation mounted for this young rider, so eager was she to be coming back and riding Sudie again. Teachers and staff were thrilled that she had found a love and focus that also encouraged and aided her growth. They decided that at the end of the school year they would bring the class out to the center so that everyone could see the horses and meet Sudie Bee, the Curly mount- object of this young girl's tales.

At Dream On Curls Riding Center, we were quite impressed with the staff's motivation to take this to the next level and organize the school bus and field trip to the farm so one young girl could have her shining day, sharing her experiences with her fellow school mates in a 'real life show and tell' .

This was also a chance to encourage the growth of respect, responsibility and caring that was developed from the previous summer of riding.

Open House - May 2009

At the end of May, we hosted an open house at Dream On Curls Riding Center. We were blessed with beautiful breezy warm sunny weather and had a great turn out.

Caregivers, area agency staff and families took this opportunity to learn more about our services and how Therapeutic Riding can benefit loved ones with any type of disability.

We set up a table in the corner of the arena with coffee and snacks- lots of hand-outs describing our programs- including our annual well-attended Summer Autism Riding Camp group. One of our Wednesday riders had her lesson as usual, only this time with an audience. Zoe's daughter Rena also rode in a 'demo' lesson - she's great about serving as our "poster child rider".

Board of Directors President, Sandra Howell-Chaffee, drove up from Hampden MA to be present for the open house- helping out and answering questions as well. Sandy has lots of experience with horses as well as disabilities- so she makes a super Prez !

This year, we added a new activity - a Raffle - for the purpose of raising money for our Scholarship Fund for those riders who cannot afford the full lesson fee. Several area businesses donated prizes and volunteers and parents of riders helped to sell tickets. Since we became a Non-profit 501(c)3 organization, we have more opportunities to able to raise funds, making our services available to more riders.

This was a successful day and we plan to repeat the Open House again in the month of June for those who could not make the May event. The benefit and purpose of Therapeutic Riding is still a mystery to many-- There is still the general pervading notion that Therapeutic Riding is merely a recreational "pony ride". There are so many ways that Equine Assisted activities can help and improve the quality of life for participants and part of our goal is to educate the public of those benefits of Therapeutic Riding.

A reporter and photographer from the Rutland Herald attended the Open House and gave us some nice coverage :

Horse power Animals are therapy for disabled
JOSH O'GORMAN STAFF WRITER
SPRINGFIELD - On a sunny Thursday morning, Kim Becker rode an American Curly Horse named Keri around an indoor ring at Top O' The Hill Farm. At the end of her ride, Becker brushed the horse, fed her a carrot, gave her a hug and said "I love you." The developmentally disabled 26-year-old from Windsor is one of about 100 people who participate in the Dream On Curls Riding Center, a therapeutic riding facility certified through the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. For the past four years, the program's operator Zoe Lirakis has helped children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities through horse riding and grooming.
"The lessons are based on the needs of the rider," said Lirakis, who chooses from among seven horses to find the best match for the rider. For riders with physical disabilities, being in the saddle will increase core strength and flexibility, while putting on and taking off the horse's tack will test concentration and fine motor skills.
"I think there's still a perception that this is a pony ride and it's not," Lirakis said. A developmentally- disabled boy learned his left from his right while using different-colored reins to steer. A disabled woman in her 40s, after riding for a year, had the confidence to get a job busing tables at a local restaurant.
"We make a good couple," Becker said of Keri after her ride. "She makes me better when I feel down."
Lirakis started the program because her 11-year-old daughter Rena Lirakis has cerebral palsy. Rena moves with braces and a walker, but after riding more than half her life appears quite comfortable in the saddle.
Some people whose disabilities prevent them being able to ride can still participate in grooming and caring for the horses, which can help participants to develop empathy for the animals.
The American curly horse is rare breed, with about 4,000 of them worldwide. Lirakis' mother, Betsy Lirakis, owns Top O' the Hill Farm and breeds the horses, which are ideal for therapy work because of their patient demeanors, their medium size and the fact they are hypoallergenic, a plus because many disabled people also suffer from allergies.
Lirakis uses a team of volunteers to assist the program, including Jenni Batchelder of Chester, who has volunteered for the last year and half.
"I had a lot of spare time and I love horses and I love helping people," said Batchelder, who will guide the horse and help riders stay in the saddle. "I tell everyone I know to volunteer."
Lirakis said the program is always looking for volunteers, with training sessions the third Saturday of each month.
For more information about the Dream On Curls Riding Center, visit their Web site at www.dreamoncurls.com.
josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com
Copyright, 2009, Rutland Herald