Therapeutic Riding Association

I watched a class at the Therapeutic Riding Association last week. As an organization that offers riding classes to physically challenged children and adults, the work it does is deeply moving. We had gone there for an open house that was designed to raise awareness and funds. As such, the open house appeared not to be a success as there were only a few people there. I must say, however, that my own awareness was certainly raised as was my intention to help them with funding.

As I quietly disappeared into my camera I overheard, not only the the gentle, joyful, encouraging, affirming voices of the instructors - always three per rider - but also the most touching testimonies of people in casual conversation. Parents were talking aoout the significance of the riding in their children's lives, volunteers and guests were talking about specific incidents or specific riders and how well they had progressed. There was an elderly man sitting alone next to the arena who was telling anyone who would listen to him stories of his involvement with one of the kids.

I found myself seriously worked up over the poor funding and lack of awareness about this association. What an amazing, life- altering effort! I was stunned to learn that they have a long waiting list that they cannot accommodate and floored to learn that they can operate only during the summer because they don't have a place to keep the horses.

If I had sound to go with the picture above, you would hear the thin crowd gathered cheering madly for the young rider.