Dusty Riders Case Study

More than 20 years ago, an ordinary middle-aged man working in the insurance industry, getting ready to retire from his job, was shopping at his local grocery store. In the grocery store parking lot, an unlikely encounter with a girl named Stacy changed his life. Stacy had cerebral palsy, making her unable to talk or hear. That's when Swimmer got the idea, "what might happen if I put her on a horse?" Stacey soon later visited Swimmer at his farm in outside Charlotte, North Carolina, where Stacy was able to ride a pony for the first time. "She lit up like a candle," said Swimmer, and that's when I knew what I wanted to do. Today Swimmer has helped over 800 kids with disabilities through his equine-assisted therapy program from his organization

On June 2013 SPC Montes’ unfailing dedication to his community volunteered 5,000 hours at the Therapeutic Horsemanship of El Paso (THEP). This nonprofit organization provides therapeutic riding sessions, serving children and adults with a wide range of special needs. These therapeutic riding sessions work toward building independence, self-confidence, strength, relaxation and social skills in children and adults. His involvement was prominent to the overall mission of the organization.

Shoestring City Ranch has a mission that states, “Shoestring City Ranch provides free & low cost rural experiences to city kids while teaching teamwork, respect, and leadership skills in an ecologically friendly green-space working with rescued animals.” The ranch is a place that was made to not only help people, but to also help animals side by side to those who are also in need. While volunteering at the ranch I realized that how they saw the problem was different from other people who interact with the disabled on a daily basis. They did not see these kids disabilities as giant disadvantages, but rather as obstacles that can be overcome by simple practices, tools, and resources that cannot be found anywhere else.

Walking into the sunlit barn hallway, the musky scent of hay and horse fur overwhelms my senses. I see a chestnut-colored horse stick his head over the wooden stall door to greet me. As I look around, I notice other volunteers getting horses saddled up and ready for the next lesson. Turning around I smile at a young student entering with her mom, ecstatic at the prospect of being able to ride a horse despite being in a wheelchair. Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy, located in Gretna, makes dreams possible. People of all ages have the opportunity to learn how to ride a horse despite their physical or mental disabilities. After volunteering at HETRA for five years, the organization has made significant impacts on my personality, interests, and maturity.

This documentary focuses around the life of a young teenager who strives to become a professional horse rider. Despite growing up in a typical asian family, comprising of classic parents who wanted her to do the generic-type of job, such as an manager or a businesswoman, her unwithering passion for a set of beautiful mammals makes it so that she is prepared to throw away anything in order to reach her goal.

There is a trail down the road in Delaware where I enjoy taking my dog for a walk. It is a beautiful, five-mile loop traversing cornfields, thick patches of forest, steep hills and flowing streams; a wonderful place to escape the hustle and bustle of the suburban lifestyle and spend some time amongst the peacefulness of nature. It is not a complete escape, however, for I am not the only person that knows of the trail- it seems to also be a favorite of horseback riders. Often times I will encounter a rider or two at some point during my walk and, without fail, I will be in awe of the size and majesty of the horse. What an incredible, gentle beast it is. Standing next to a horse, you cannot help but gawk at the bulging, toned muscles and long, agile legs. It is truly an athlete with a rare combination of strength and speed. Yet, they are gentle and kind and have therefore been joined at the hip with humans; today, nearly all horses have been domesticated. So I find myself

In the space of two years, Kristine Hewlett was thrown from her mare, Cher and broker her back both times. The accidents occurred while Hewlett was at her riding lesson on her mare, Cher when the horse suddenly spooked. After having such bad luck with her horse and both of her injuries Hewlett still vows to ride again. “She said, ‘I have thought long and hard about my future but I love horses and I want to carry on taking lessons.’”(Evans) Kristine Hewlett is so passionate about her love for horses that even after suffering not one but two broken back injuries she still vows to ride again. “But despite her second scare she has vowed to carry on riding.”(Evans) For most people one broken back would be enough to stop them from living their dreams but not Kristine Hewlett. Hewlett’s second broken back injury has made her even more determined to get back on and be successful. “Kristine Hewlett was flung from nine-year-old mare Cher in November and suffered a spinal fracture but she has vowed to ride again.”(Evans) Kristine Hewlett is very confident in her own ability to have a solid recovery and get back on. Though Kristine Hewlett has had her fair share of injustice she has overcome this injustice through passion, determination, and

Hurston’s Dust Tracks on a Road depicts the struggle and journey of growing up in a predominately African American society. She displays how African Americans were curtailed to nothing after the Civil War and how it was quite difficult to commence a town on their own of there own race. Her autobiography entails the very candid moments of the Harlem Renaissance.

Horseback riding refers to an individual sitting on the back of a horse and controlling its movements. Also, horseback riding is used for working purposes, transportation, recreational activities, artistic or cultural exercises, and competitive sport. With Therapeutic Recreation (TR) horseback riding could be very beneficial to all populations, ranging from young children to older adults. Additionally, this activity could serve those with physical, psychiatric, intellectual, and emotional disabilities, to name a few.

Throughout high school, I volunteered at a reputable childrens therapy facility called Equi-kids. Equi-kids is a nonprofit organization that teaches disabled children how to interact with animals and build core strength on horseback. I have volunteered as a horse-walker and side-walker for thousands of lessons and watched each student gain remarkable confidence. Even some of the most severely disabled riders have found comfort alongside the helpful staff and loving animals at the farm.

As of 2011, it has been reported that there are 650 million disabled people in the world (“Disabilities”). Though this number is high, it is greatly underestimated because disabled people are commonly isolated and stigmatized by their community (“Disabilities”). After hearing of this extremely high number of disabled people, I then ultimately decided I would write my research paper on ways to help the disabled. Therapeutic riding has been actively helping individuals with disabilities for decades, and can benefit these unfortunate people physically, mentally, and emotionally. “Therapeutic riding, which originated in Europe, has been actively helping individuals with disabilities since the 1950's” (Shepard). Through equine-orientated

A.W.A.R.E. - Always Wanted a Riding Experience, or A.W.A.R.E., provides therapeutic horseback riding experiences to individuals with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities in an effort to improve strength, coordination, self-confidence, and other vital needs. You don't need to have any experience with horses to volunteer. If you love horses and have a heart for disabilities, this should be an exceptionally fun way to spend your time volunteering.

Thank you for showing interest in wanting to participate as a leader at Cowboy Camp. All the positions for Rowdy Riders have been fill, but the logistics team is still looking for workers. As a logistics worker, you will be one of the people who will be first in line to step into a Rowdy Rider position if one does not show up on that day. Working with logistics is just as important as working as a Rowdy Rider.

I began horseback riding at age four, and my equestrian pursuits have not only shaped who I am as an individual, but have kept me grounded. Working as a groom to afford riding lessons instilled a work ethic within me that has contributed tremendously to my academic successes. Rescuing a horse at a young age, and caring for him no matter the circumstance, has given me a strong sense of commitment that translates to all avenues of my life. Besides shaping my character, being entirely responsible for my horse throughout college urged me to find a productive balance in my life. Learning to make time for hobbies and other activities outside of academics has greatly improved my overall well-being, and is a lesson that will be invaluable as I pursue

The organisation accommodates both beginers and well experienced customers for this magnify ride. The club horse is ideally situated between the grey mountain and the lovely white sanded beach. Each horses has their own history.