SPECIAL FOCUS
BY MARJORIE J. MALKIN, Ed. D., CTRS
The Student Recreation Center at
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
(SIUC) oners a very successful horseback
riding program for adults with disabilities.
The program began five years ago with
federal support from the U.S. Department of Education was jointly administered by the Office of Disability Support
Services and the Intramural Student
Recreation Center's Disabled Student
Recreation program. Faculty from
sociology, physical education, and therapeutic recreation were initially involved in
conducting research and delivering
programs.
The horseback riding program provides
a riding experience in a community
setting. SIUC students as well as other
adults from the community participate in
this program. Individuals who require
physical assistance or who have very
limited vision participate in a group lesson
once a week, assisted by volunteers.
Individuals who require less physical
support take private lessons. In these
private lessons participants of all abilities
learn to ride together.
A local riding stable provides horses,
tack, and instructor, Mark O'Donoghue,
who has 20 years experience teaching
individuals with disabilities. The second
instructor, Marjorie Malkin, is an SIUC
faculty member in therapeutic recreation,
who has 25 years experience teaching
horseback riding, and is also a nationally
rated horse show official.
The riding program at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
benefits individuals with special needs and students in the field of
recreation and therapeutic recreation.
A large number of
volunteers are required to
staff the program.
Primarily, these volunteers
have been recreation and
therapeutic recreation
students who volunteer or
choose this as part of a
required field experience.
Thus, this program has
proven to be an ideal
training and professional
development experience
for SIUC students.
A benefit of this
program is the opportunity for hands-on training,
since all recreation
students must log contact
hours with individuals
with disabilities. For this
requirement, many of the
students select the adapted
horseback riding program.
Students are first oriented in the classroom by the use of an
11-minute training video of an actual
session, which demonstrates some of the
equipment used, mounting techniques,
instruction methods and exercises as well
as the role of volunteers.
The program emphasizes safety and
comfort. It's held in an indoor facility, and
activities are curtailed during very cold or
very hot months. A mounting ramp sturdy
enough for electric chairs is available, along
with a smaller mounting block.
An important safety aspect of such a
program is that all horses be oriented to
the use of the wheelchair ramp, be
accustomed to wheelchairs, crutches, etc.,
and be extremely dependable. The horses
used in this program are experienced
July/August 1999 / 39
SPECIAL FOCUS
schooling horses and are accustomed to
many hours of weekly lessons.
Student volunteers assist riders in fitting
approved safety helmets, safety stirrups,
hand holds, back and wrist supports, safety
belts and straps, as needed. English (hunt
seat) rather than western saddles are used.
Students are reminded to check with
participants during riding sessions about
preferred equipment and methods of
assistance to provide the greatest comfort
and security. Participants can even choose
which horse to ride, and many have
developed a distinct favorite or two.
Volunteers also attend an orientation at
the stable. They are instructed in the
various mounting techniques and on the
methods for safe transfer from wheelchairs
or crutches to the horse.
Students who are familiar with horses
are taught the proper way to lead the horse
to allow the rider as much independent
control as possible. Other students learn to
be side-walkers, holding safety belts. These
students have to be alert to assist when a
rider loses his or her balance suddenly.
A third group of students (usually in
their second semester with the horseback
riding program or with previous equestrian
experience) serve as "Junior Instructors."
They work one-on-one with riders on
steering, posture, balance, and flexibility
exercises, all under the supervision of the
program instructors. With three to four
riders mounted at any one time, this
method assures that each rider is assisted
by an instructor at all times.
Students generally work with the same
two or three riders each week, so they
develop a real rapport and appreciation for
the individual assistance required by each
participant. A rider with a significant
visual impairment, for example, requires
the student to become her "eyes," orienting her to her position in the arena, and
the positions of other horses and people.
Another rider may need more physical
help as she mounts to stretch and cope
with muscle spasms.
The experience is more than just
"professional" development, as riders and
students have gotten to know each other
personally. When riders and volunteers are
not actively involved with the horses, they
sit in the middle of the ring and socialize.
The last session of each semester includes a
cider and donut party with awards
(sometimes humorous) to participants, and
certificates for volunteers.
This program provides ah enjoyable and
enriching experience for SIUC recreation
students and for the riders. It gives
exposure to students unfamiliar with
horseback riding to an activity rich in its
recreational and therapeutic benefits.
Students work closely with adults who
have a wide variety of physical and sensory
impairments.
Most importantly, they learn the vast
abilities possessed by these riders, as they
progress to greater levels of independent
control of the horse. Some riders advance
to trotting, cantering, and even jumping.
Research conducted by an SIU graduate
student (Isbell, 1996) indicated that these
horseback riding program participants
perceived individual gains in the areas of
flexibility, balance, ability to walk,
strength, posture, and aerobic capacity.
Leisure and social satisfaction increased,
and participants felt they had increased the
awareness of others and their abilities.
Riders reported greater feelings of
independence, confidence, and power.
And the human-animal bond was reported
as significant to their enjoyment. One
rider summed up these benefits by stating
that riding was "a very freeing experience"
(Isbell, 1996).
The essentials to creating a successful
experience for riders and recreation
students are qualified instructors, a safe
facility and equipment, and experienced,
well-schooled horses. There are resources
available to help CTRS's and other
recreation professionals evaluate riding
opportunities at their agency. Two
national programs offer training and
certification of instructors and facilities:
the Cheff Center in Michigan, and North
American Riding for the Handicapped.
Equipment can be ordered from State Line
Tack in New Hampshire, and from
Professional's Choice. Texts are available,
for example by B. T. Engel. (See reference
and resource lists at end of article).
SIUC has had more than five years of
experience with this program and the
riders report that the continuity provided
semester to semester has been an important part of their progress. While designed
to be primarily recreational, the program
by nature has been educational and
therapeutic for all concerned.
Since the Federal Grant ended December 31, 1996, local support for this
horseback riding program has been
assumed by a local riding club, whose
community advisory board includes riding
participants. Club members sell horse
show sponsorships to underwrite the
programs expenses. Equestrian supply
companies have donated equipment and a
grant was received in 1998 to provide a
mechanical lift to assist riders in mounting. Additional grant moneys will be
sought.
All concerned, including SIUC recreation students, have realized the benefits of
this program and will work together to
ensure that it continues.
MARJORIE J. MALKIN. Ed.D, CTRS
REGINA B. GLOVER, Ph.D., CLP
40 / Illinois Parks and RecreationBringing the Classroom to the Stable
At Southern Illinois University, recreation majors learn firsthand
how to help people with disabilities ride horses
AND REGINA B. GLOVER, Ph.D., CLP
is an associate professor of therapeutic recreation al Southern
Illinois University at Carbondale. She has had more than 25 years
experience reaching horseback riding as well as fudging and
officiating at horse shows throughout the United States.
is chair of the Deportment of Health Education and Recreation and
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.