FTEA Ride A Thon

This winter Sara embarked upon a new journey.  Truthfully I wasn't sure if I should even investigate local riding centers for her, becuase she is terrified half to death of animals.  When I decided to put a call in, one of the things they told me is that the riders must be wearing pants.  Now you might be thinking....of course she has to wear pants, but this is Sara and she has worn pants very few times in her life and barely ever gives up the tutu and tights.  But I decided that we would give it a try.  It was the therapuetic recreation specialist in me itching to make a come back, reminding me the wonderful things that can happen with rec therapy without the kids even knowing that therapy is occuring.

So I held my breath, we showed up, I prepared for the worse, and she fell in love.  If you are not familiar with therapuetic riding, it is great.  They use the horse in a purposeful but fun way to benefit children and adults with disabilities.  For Sara, it helps her with her core strength.  Having a brachial plexus injury, her overall alignment and strength has been affected.  The gait and the movement of the horse helps with rebuilding her strength as well as her balance.  When she holds the reigns she has to hold her hands in a half way supinated position, and supination is something that all kids with BPI's have difficulty with.  When she pulls the reigns to steer the horse she works on the motion of pulling the arm back in a bent elbow position, but when she hugs the horse and helps with the taking of the horse she works on elbow extension which is something she struggles with.  The Dr. felt that it would also be really good for her shoulder.  She continues to work on confidence and communication skills as she says in the cutest little voice "Walk On" to get her horse to move.  There is nothing she can't do at riding.  She is the most adorable little three year old on I swear the largest horse ever, and she has even added her own flair to the riding when she goes every week in leggings and a tutu....who said that leggings couldn't be considered pants??.....

On May 19th Sara is going to be participating in a ride a thon to benefit FTEA and it's riders.  This experiance has really been an empowering one for her.  For the last three years Sara has been in and out of therapy and Dr.'s appointments where she has had no control over being there or not and what was going to happen at them.  But for the hour she is at therapuetic riding she is not only in control of herself but also of a very large animal.  If this doesn't empower you, I don't know what does.I am so happy she is able to have this experiance at such a lovely place and as a family we look forward to participating in the Ride A Thon.  If you would like to make a pledge please let me know. 

~Betsy

http://www.ftea.org/