By Joe Sarnicola
Horse or equine therapy has a documented history dating back almost twenty-five hundred years. But its modern history as a rehabilitative practice may have begun in the 1950s.
In 1952, Liz Hartel won a silver medal in horseback riding at the Olympics, even though she was partially paralyzed from polio. Her interaction with her horse and her ability to overcome her disabilities caught the attention of medical professionals.
Therapeutic riding soon became a new tool to help people with a ride range of physical and mental disabilities, first in Europe and then in the United States.
In 1969 the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association was founded. It is now known as the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International or PATH, with more than 6,000 members.
Proof of the success of equine therapy can be found in the Central New York region at Healing H’Arts Equestrian Center in Union Springs, Gentle Hill Farms in Tully and ARISE at the Farm in Chittenango.
On a sunny day in May, a group from Unity House of Cayuga County visited Healing H’Arts. Unity House provides services and support for people who are in recovery, coping with a mental illness or diagnosed with a developmental disability.
They were met by Kirsta Malone, the CEO of the organization, and members of her staff and volunteers.
Mary Ellen Perry, the president of the Healing H’Arts board, was also on hand when the clients arrived.
“It’s so important to get these individuals out in the public and the community so they are not just stuck at home,” she said.
The group was led into the arena, a space inside a large barn for games and other activities. Many of the game pieces were oversized such as giant stackable checkers.
“We like to supersize all our games. My background is occupational therapy, which gave me a better grasp of the developmental stages people go through. My philosophy is play and this all-inclusive program encompasses any type of need. Mental health has been a strong focus lately,” Malone explained.
The barn was built in 2017 and the footing material (interior riding surface) is made of silica sand and synthetic fibers coated in a specialized wax which was purchased from IGK Equestrian in Auburn. This makes the product dust free and requires only minimal maintenance. Malone described it as her “$40,000 carpet.”
Among the volunteers are six Mennonite teen girls. “They wanted horse experience, which allows me to teach them that horses are valued members of our team, rather than just a means for transportation,” Malone said.
The animal team at Healing H’Arts is made of 11 horses, a donkey and two dogs. All the horses are accessible to the clients. Sassy, a 28-year-old pony, was the first therapy animal in the stable. Malone started by taking her on visits to schools. She recounted a story where she worked with a teen boy who had a traumatic brain injury.
“I was flabbergasted by the positive change in him. After he graduated, I was disappointed there were no programs available to him. Even so, he is now living independently,” she said.
That experience inspired her to create a horse therapy program that eventually became Healing H’Arts, a nonprofit organization that does not board any horses as a revenue source. All their money comes from donations. When they were deciding on a name for the organization, they wanted one that reflected their devotion to therapy, compassion and the arts. They are also seeking a PATH -certified therapist who would be a good fit for their mission.
• For more information about Healing H’Arts, 1131 Kings Corners Road, Union Springs, visit www.healingharts.com or call 315-730-4339.
ARISE at the Farm in Chittenango is a 77-acre working horse farm that serves individuals with disabilities in the Central New York region, ranging from therapeutic horse riding to school-break programming. They even have an accessible fishing pond and playground. They recently ran a series called the Memory Care Corral, which is an equine assisted program for individuals with memory loss and their caregivers. According to Rebecca Schafer, the inclusive recreation coordinator, “The program has been going well and we will offer it again in the fall. We also offer adaptive riding.”
• For more information about ARISE at the Farm, 1972 New Boston St, Chittenango, call 315-687-6727, visit www.ariseinc.org/services or email Rebecca.schafer@ariseinc.org
From the Ground Up, a service of Gentle Hill Farm, 1238 North Road, Tully, describes their equine therapy program as “holistic,” with the belief that equine assisted services can help individuals improve balance, coordination, focus, memory, impulse control and more.
• For more information about this program call 315-238-7014, visit www.ftguhorses.org, or email contactftgu@gmail.com