July 19, 2022 | Clients Build Strength, Confidence in Equine Therapy

Child on horse being buckled in

July 19, 2022 — GUYSVILLE, Ohio — School’s out for summer, but children with disabilities still need therapy. To meet their clients’ needs while maintaining the playful vibe of summer break, Easterseals Rehabilitation Center therapists have partnered with Dutch Pines Equine to offer their fourth year of Ride With Pride horse-assisted therapy.

Twenty children each received three hour-long riding sessions this summer. The grant-funded program provides individualized three-to-one physical and occupational therapy — four-to-one, counting the horse — and is free for enrolled families. Even gasoline is covered.

Easterseals therapists MaryLee Kelly of Guysville and Shawn Jones of Vienna created Ride With Pride to serve their school clients from Belpre, Wolf Creek and Jackson County, as well as their West Virginia Birth to Three clients.

Kelly herself has taken riding lessons at Dutch Pines from co-owner Jessie Quinlan and made a meaningful connection with the animals. Jones enjoyed having a horse as a child.

“It occurred to me that if this was good for my own physical, social and emotional well-being, then why not for the kids I work with in therapy?” Kelly said.

“Easterseals gave us the green light to create a plan and in less than a year we found funding, took our own training in equine-assisted therapy, prepared the horses for this special work, and welcomed our first group of riders in 2018,” she added. (This would be the fifth year for Ride With Pride, but it was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.)

 Utilizing her training and experience, Quinlan matches each child with a horse or pony based on size and temperament. During each hour-long session, Quinlan leads the horse around the indoor arena while Kelly, an occupational therapist, and Jones, a physical therapist, flank the horse. They support each child in the saddle and take them through various exercises, such as nabbing a 12-inch diameter plastic ring while on the move or shooting a water squirter at a small stationary target.

“We are able to help kids in this program in a variety of ways: speech and language, social-emotional skills, and just the physical part of it with the horse, which can help kids who have possibly cerebral palsy or some other physical disability who needs strength or balance,” Jones said.

The children also feed and water the horses, brush them, and say thank you when their session is finished.

“This promotes a sense of connection with the horse and encourages taking responsibility for their care,” Kelly said.

Resident goats and chickens add to the excitement of the experience. Often, siblings and grandparents will join in the fun as helpers or observers.

Kelly said Ride With Pride is a fitting name because it embodies her favorite part of the program: confidence-building.

“On their first visit to the arena, many of them are extremely anxious about being in a new place with new people, doing new things. Three therapy sessions later they storm into the arena, and all we see are buckets swinging, hay flying, and the dust as the mounting steps are dragged into place. They are empowered,” Kelly said.

Bryce Morehead, 3, of Parkersburg is a case in point. During his first session in late June, he balked at riding Tigger, arching his back while in the saddle. But soon, he was enjoying the ride. The following week, he was all smiles and giggles, his blond curls peeking out from under his helmet and blue eyes gleaming as he rode Tigger around the arena.

“Today he got on, he reached forward, he was able to move his trunk and twist and turn which really helps with his balance,” Jones said. Bryce’s older brother, Carter, 12, and sister, Ella, 7, helped out by holding rings for him to grab and allowing him to squirt water on their hands.

Crosby Moore, 7, of Belpre participated in Ride With Pride for the second year. Crosby, who has autism, was scared at first but now really looks forward to each session. Mom Jordan Moore said she has scheduled additional lessons at Dutch Pines for both Crosby and his sister.

 It’s really neat to watch him use his core and his arms and his hand-eye coordination,” Moore said.

This year’s program wrapped up Wednesday, July 20.

Ride With Pride is funded by Easterseals and the Donald Morris Charitable Trust. Gas cards were provided by John and Sue Wells of Avon, Ohio.

Founded in 1937 in Wheeling, Easterseals Rehabilitation Center also has offices in Parkersburg and Steubenville, Ohio. Its mission is to create solutions that change the lives of children and adults with disabilities and their families. For more information, visit www.easterseals.com/wv and follow Easterseals on Facebook.

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