Founded in 1974 by Cindy Lindh, the mission of SIRE is to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding and related activities. Since its humble beginnings, SIRE has grown into an established Therapeutic Equestrian Center with three locations in Texas.

Joelle: What really sets therapeutic riding apart from other therapeutic alternatives is that it is also a recreational sport that people with disabilities can excel in. The horse does not care if the rider comes from a wheelchair or if the rider can hear or speak. If the rider can learn body awareness and use his body to communicate with the horse in a way he can understand, the horse will respond honestly. Horseback riding offers the therapeutic benefits of the motion of the horse, which impacts tones, circulation, the entire central nervous system.

 

When our riders are on the horse they don’t have the disability. They’re not disabled they are mobile, they are free. They are looking down at us, instead of looking up from their wheelchair.

     For some of our riders it can take a year to learn to pull a rein. It involves motor planning, upper trunk and pelvic stability. It involves strength. If they can develop the strength to turn a horse, they can now open a door.  Maybe this was something they couldn’t do before. The horse is the greatest motivator in the world. To gain this same strength, you could take someone to a clinic to squeeze a ball or lift a weight, but that can get pretty dry and tedious. But if you can get them to hold the reins and turn a horse, they are going to try. They are going to work much harder.

 

 Disaboom: What type of disabilities do your students have?

 

Joelle:  We primarily work with cognitive and physical disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, Autism and Down’s Syndrome. Up to a point we can work with those who have MS and MD and we serve those with Spina Bifida, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. The thing is that the horse can impact this broad spectrum because riding a horse impacts the central nervous system. There is an article by a wonderful speech therapist that said if you put a rider on a horse,and put them in proper alignment so that their seat bones are in contact with the motion of the horse, and just walk with the horse a few laps in the arena you have stimulated the entire nervous system. That is a huge, huge accomplishment. That means our riders are at their peak to perform. That really is our job as instructors to tap our riders’ potential, to see what they can do. We don’t focus on what they can’t do. We focus on what they can do and build on that. The horse is preparing them to perform well beyond their anticipated level.

 

Disaboom:  We understand that you have a program for Veterans. What does that involve?

 

Joelle: We have a PATH International Horses for Heroes program for Veterans returning from  Iraq, Afghanistan and those who have served in past wars. We support their rehabilitation. 

 

Wendy: I have a great story about Derek, a Vet who suffered a spinal cord injury while serving in the air Force.  I came in one day to see him mounted and riding in the arena as cool as a cucumber. He was even having his horse step over some obstacles that Joelle had positioned. When the class was over, Derek got back into his wheelchair and slumped into the posture he lived his life. I was amazed because on the horse, he rode like an able-bodied rider. In his chair, his severe disability was evident.

     The thing is, we really don’t focus on the disability, we focus on empowerment.  The rider has the power not only to control themselves, but also the power that comes from controlling the horse.

 

Disaboom:  Does therapeutic riding have an effect on the family?

 

Joelle: What we have learned from research done several years ago is that divorce is much higher with families who have a child with a disability. But with those who have their children involved in therapeutic riding, the divorce rate was considerably lower. We believe it is because the parents can see their child perform as any other child would perform, and they have something to talk about with their peers, I think it makes a difference to the entire family when they are involved in something like this. So many of our riders can’t take part in a family vacation and do all the things their siblings and parents do. But if they learn to be fairly independent on the horse they can go to a dude ranch and the whole family can ride. It is a huge contributor to the quality of life.

 

Wendy:  We have a 12-year-old girl with a disability up in Spring that has been riding for at least four years. Her older sister finally met our age requirement to be a volunteer.  She immediately learned to be a side-walker and horse leader. So, now it is a family affair.

 

Disaboom:  You mentioned your volunteer program.  Tell us about it.

 

Wendy:  SIRE is made up of a great group of volunteers, In fact, we have over 250 volunteers, to help us ride the 160 students we have every week. The volunteers are something that is huge in making our organization successful.

 

Disaboom:  I know that you depend on donations to keep the price per student, per class at $55.   In addition to monetary donations and volunteer opportunities, are there any other ways people can help you?

 

Wendy:  We always take in-kind donations of feed, hay, riding clothes, printing materials and of course, good horses.

 

To learn more about therapeutic riding or information about SIRE, go to http:// www.SIRE-htec.org