Therapeutic riding center helps individuals make ‘Small Steps and Giant Leaps’
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
A new therapeutic riding center in Highland County aims to make a difference in the lives of individuals with physical and mental disabilities, through the efforts of several unique horses, a team of volunteers and the passion of owner and instructor Shannon Wetherington.
Small Steps and Giant Leaps, which opened in March, is located at 1203 Redkey Road, Winchester, about 14 miles south of Hillsboro. The center’s mission is to “utilize interactions with our equine partners to facilitate physical, emotional and social well-being.”
Wetherington said she has dreamed about this venture for nearly two decades.
“This has been in the works for a long time,” Wetherington said. “I’ve wanted to do this for 18 years.”
Wetherington fell in love with equine therapy after doing an internship at Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship in Milford, which “serves children and adults with disabilities by providing equine-assisted activities and therapies including adaptive recreational horseback riding, hippotherapy, equine facilitated learning and WORTHSM (Warrior's Own Road to Horsemanship) programming for injured veterans,” according to the CTRH website (http://www.ctrh-online.org).
“Ever since I did an internship, I knew this is what I wanted to do,” Wetherington said. “I’m fulfilling my dreams.”
Wetherington also completed an internship at Bowling Green and has attended classes the Ohio University Southern Ohio Horse Park Center for Therapeutic Riding. She is currently working to complete her Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH) certificate.
Wetherington isn’t the only one who has undergone training for the new center, as one of her horses, Tank, went to Louisville for training. Wetherington said that Tank will be the “go-to” horse for therapy sessions, while another horse, Levi, can work with certain students. “Senior citizen” horse Dolly will be used for grooming and leading.
Wetherington said the center’s goal is to serve people with a wide range of physical and/or mental disabilities, including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or even behavioral issues. Anyone interested in therapeutic riding at the center is welcome to set up an appointment for an evaluation.
During each client’s evaluation, Wetherington will match them to a horse, as she said that the horses’ different personalities and body types will be beneficial for different clients.
“Tank, being short and squatty, has kind of a choppy gait, but he’s really good for clients with autism and Down syndrome where they need to focus more,” Wetherington said. “With Levi, he’s got a nice smooth and stretchy gait, so he’s good for clients with cerebral palsy.”
Once a client is evaluated and matched with a horse, Wetherington will work with the student on riding and possibly grooming or leading. At another similar center, Wetherington said students have to perform “chores” with the horses before they ride, but she said each student will have different levels of ability.
Since each student will have their own specific needs and goals, they will progress at different levels, making the center’s name appropriate. The name “Small Steps and Giant Leaps” comes from Neil Armstrong’s quote when he took his first steps on the moon: “That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”
“I thought it captured what we do here,” Wetherington said. “Some days we may only have small, baby steps of progress, but other days will be giant leaps – big breakthroughs.”
Wetherington said that their first month has gone smoothly, with the help of volunteers from nearby Whiteoak High School, including Faith Lane, Cole Pharo, Clay Risner and Makayla Risner of the Mowrystown FFA.
“I would like to give a special thanks to Brian DeAtley and the Mowrystown FFA,” Wetherington said. “We have really awesome volunteers.”
Wetherington is seeking new clients and said that occupational therapists in local schools are working to recruit students. She is accepting volunteer applications as well.
Small Steps and Giant Leaps is open Monday through Saturday by appointment. Small Steps and Giant Leaps is a 501(c)3 organization, so donations are tax-deductible. For information on applying, volunteering or donating, Wetherington can be reached at (937) 403-7400. Small Steps and Giant Leaps can also be found on Facebook.
Small Steps and Giant Leaps, which opened in March, is located at 1203 Redkey Road, Winchester, about 14 miles south of Hillsboro. The center’s mission is to “utilize interactions with our equine partners to facilitate physical, emotional and social well-being.”
Wetherington said she has dreamed about this venture for nearly two decades.
“This has been in the works for a long time,” Wetherington said. “I’ve wanted to do this for 18 years.”
Wetherington fell in love with equine therapy after doing an internship at Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship in Milford, which “serves children and adults with disabilities by providing equine-assisted activities and therapies including adaptive recreational horseback riding, hippotherapy, equine facilitated learning and WORTHSM (Warrior's Own Road to Horsemanship) programming for injured veterans,” according to the CTRH website (http://www.ctrh-online.org).
“Ever since I did an internship, I knew this is what I wanted to do,” Wetherington said. “I’m fulfilling my dreams.”
Wetherington also completed an internship at Bowling Green and has attended classes the Ohio University Southern Ohio Horse Park Center for Therapeutic Riding. She is currently working to complete her Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH) certificate.
Wetherington isn’t the only one who has undergone training for the new center, as one of her horses, Tank, went to Louisville for training. Wetherington said that Tank will be the “go-to” horse for therapy sessions, while another horse, Levi, can work with certain students. “Senior citizen” horse Dolly will be used for grooming and leading.
Wetherington said the center’s goal is to serve people with a wide range of physical and/or mental disabilities, including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or even behavioral issues. Anyone interested in therapeutic riding at the center is welcome to set up an appointment for an evaluation.
During each client’s evaluation, Wetherington will match them to a horse, as she said that the horses’ different personalities and body types will be beneficial for different clients.
“Tank, being short and squatty, has kind of a choppy gait, but he’s really good for clients with autism and Down syndrome where they need to focus more,” Wetherington said. “With Levi, he’s got a nice smooth and stretchy gait, so he’s good for clients with cerebral palsy.”
Once a client is evaluated and matched with a horse, Wetherington will work with the student on riding and possibly grooming or leading. At another similar center, Wetherington said students have to perform “chores” with the horses before they ride, but she said each student will have different levels of ability.
Since each student will have their own specific needs and goals, they will progress at different levels, making the center’s name appropriate. The name “Small Steps and Giant Leaps” comes from Neil Armstrong’s quote when he took his first steps on the moon: “That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”
“I thought it captured what we do here,” Wetherington said. “Some days we may only have small, baby steps of progress, but other days will be giant leaps – big breakthroughs.”
Wetherington said that their first month has gone smoothly, with the help of volunteers from nearby Whiteoak High School, including Faith Lane, Cole Pharo, Clay Risner and Makayla Risner of the Mowrystown FFA.
“I would like to give a special thanks to Brian DeAtley and the Mowrystown FFA,” Wetherington said. “We have really awesome volunteers.”
Wetherington is seeking new clients and said that occupational therapists in local schools are working to recruit students. She is accepting volunteer applications as well.
Small Steps and Giant Leaps is open Monday through Saturday by appointment. Small Steps and Giant Leaps is a 501(c)3 organization, so donations are tax-deductible. For information on applying, volunteering or donating, Wetherington can be reached at (937) 403-7400. Small Steps and Giant Leaps can also be found on Facebook.