Riding for Rehabilitation

For a person who can’t walk, one way to feel the exhilaration of movement is through horseback riding. And for those with other disabilities, riding can be a road to rehabilitation, say the leaders of Equest, a therapeutic horsemanship center in Dallas.

Founded in 1981, Equest gives riding classes to more than 450 children and adults with disabilities each year.

“Once they get on the horse, many of the physical manifestations of the disabilities can dissipate,” says Mary Whittington, executive director of Equest. “Many times observers are surprised to see the extent of a disability once a rider dismounts.”

The horse rhythmically and naturally moves the body in a manner similar to the human gait, says Ms. Whittington. That improves a person’s posture, balance, and muscle control. Riding also increases concentration, improves sequential thought processing, and increases the rider’s ability to articulate emotions.

One little girl laughed for the first time in eight years after seeing her horse sneeze. And an autistic child, who had never uttered more than guttural sounds, spoke her first words — “Walk on,” an instruction to her horse — after three years of participating in the program.

Equest runs on a $460,000 annual operating budget, and tries to raise money so it can offer free rides to as many people as possible. Last year, the organization was able to allow 40 per cent of its riders to participate at no charge.