Horse therapy: Long Branch riding center offers four-legged help

By Laetitia Clayton -- lclayton@nvdaily.com

MILLWOOD -- On a wet and chilly October afternoon, the barn at Historic Long Branch in Clarke County offers a dry refuge.

Though it's not much warmer inside, there is hot apple cider, which a small group of volunteers for the new Therapeutic Riding Center sip out of white foam cups.

The smells of hay and horses mix with the spicy aroma of the cider as the group waits for "the boys" to arrive for their weekly lesson.

The boys are Daniel Hurd, 8, and Matthew Hurd, 10, brothers from Front Royal who have been part of Long Branch's Therapeutic Riding Center since its August beginning. The center offers horse-riding therapy for people with varying disabilities -- from autism and Asperger's syndrome to cerebral palsy and Down syndrome.

The boys' mother, Linda Hurd, learned about the program through a support group for mothers of children with Asperger's and autism, both of which are developmental disorders that affect social and communication skills.

Riding therapy helps those with physical, cognitive or emotional disabilities, says program coordinator Laura Smith. On the physical side, it helps improve balance and coordination and aids in motor development, while on the psychological and emotional side, riding lengthens attention span, enhances the rider's ability to focus on tasks and improves sensory integration. The lessons also can improve self-esteem and self-confidence.

"It's been extraordinary to watch [the boys]," Smith says, "particularly Daniel, who wouldn't even get on the horse at first. And now he's trotting."

On this day, however, the weather isn't permitting outdoor riding. Lessons will be held inside the barn and will include grooming the horses, among other things.

Allie and Cupcake, the two mares that are part of the program, stand patiently in their stalls. When the boys arrive, the first thing they do is put on helmets.

"Safety is our priority around here," says Smith, and she points out some handwritten rules posted on the barn wall for the children. No. 1 is "Always wear a helmet." Others include "Always have an adult with you in the barn" and "Don't get too close to the back of the horse."

Daniel and Matthew seem excited to see the horses, even though they won't get to ride today.

"We're gonna take care of little miss Cupcake," says Christie Rankin, a certified therapeutic riding instructor and the equine coordinator at Long Branch. "She's dusty and dirty."

As Cupcake stands in the middle of the barn -- tethered to the walls on either side of her -- Rankin and Daniel begin the grooming process. They pick up Cupcake's hooves one at a time and Daniel cleans them out with a small tool. Meanwhile, over in Allie's stall, Matthew gets to muck, or clean out the stall, as his mother smiles and takes pictures.

"That didn't take very long," he says, coming out with a half-full wheelbarrow.

"It's been great for both of them," Hurd says of her sons' experience in the program. "Asperger's is part of autism, and this is a great program for children with autism." She adds that the therapy helps them with "sensory issues."

"They learn something different each time they come," Hurd says. "This is their 'weekend out.' They ask me, 'Is today horse day?'"

The program was started as part of Long Branch's efforts to keep the historic property going and "to make a difference locally," says Long Branch Executive Director Mary Rodriguez.

Harry Z. Isaacs, the last owner of Long Branch, established a private nonprofit foundation to manage the estate before he died in 1990. A strategic planning session a year and a half ago produced a list of things to focus on that are "synonymous with who we are," Rodriguez says, such as horticulture, antiques and architecture, "and then obviously the horses."

In addition to various educational lectures and symposiums, the riding center fits in nicely with the purpose and history of Long Branch. Horse paintings and other equine-related art can been seen throughout the manor house, and Isaacs kept thoroughbreds at the farm.

"[Long Branch] was always a horse farm," Rodriguez says.

The riding center is a member of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, which was formed in 1969 and has about 800 member centers throughout the United States and Canada.

Volunteers are an integral part of any riding program, Smith says, and although anyone at least 14 years old can volunteer, they must complete a training process. There also is a "stringent procedure for training the horses," she says. "We are a member center so we have a core group of requirements that we adhere to."

Volunteers for the lessons assist with the horses and students before, during and after the sessions -- including leading, side-walking, tacking and grooming.

"We've had a good volunteer response, but we always need more," Smith says. "But, really, we're ready to take in students."

The 10-week pilot program ended in October, but lessons will begin again in the spring, Smith says. And even though the TRC is in its infancy, it's well on its way and already planning for the future.

"We hope to initiate a veteran's program next year, mostly for PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] and traumatic brain injury," Smith says, adding that that program is in research and development now.

As Daniel finishes brushing Cupcake, putting her saddle on and then removing it, it's now his turn to muck.

"We've never done this part before," Rankin says as she leads Daniel into Cupcake's stall with a shovel and wheelbarrow.

Although the boys say they prefer riding, they seem to enjoy the grooming and cleaning as well, and put all of their effort into it.

"Well, it's pretty fun being able to ride the horses in the field -- to walk and trot in the field," Matthew says. "You get to feel the breeze in your face, and it's just really fun. And that's all I can say about that."

The Therapeutic Riding Center at Long Branch offers eight-week sessions in the spring, summer and fall. The cost is $240. Need-based scholarships are available. To register a rider, volunteer or make a donation, call 837-2208 or visit historiclongbranch.com.