ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / June 14, 2000

The first thing a person observes when entering the Greater New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center is all the different animals wandering around.

Besides the horses in the riding ring and the stables, one notices the many cats and dogs lounging under the trees. Ducks, goats and sheep wanderaround oblivious to the humans. Behind the stables is a pen with several pot-bellied pigs oinking contentedly.

Set in a large meadow on the east side of LaPlace, the riding center is an idyllic oasis from the busy modern world. It is a quiet place, the only soundsbeing the slow clopping of horses’ hooves and gentle words of encouragement from the volunteers as they escort the horses around the ring.

The pastoral setting is perfect for the center’s purpose – to use horses as a form of physical therapy for children with disabilities.

Anita Hartzell, executive director of the riding center, said they treat children with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, spina bifida and head injuries.

They also treat adult patients with who have suffered strokes and head injuries.

“The kids really enjoy the horses,” said Hartzell. “At first it takes themawhile to get used to the animals, but once they do they take to it wonderfully.”Mary Cureau, the mother of 4-year old David who has spina bifida, agrees.

“The first time he wasn’t too sure about getting on,” said Cureau. “Now hewants to do it all the time. He loves it. It is something different, and he getsto tell all his friends about it.”Therapeutically, Cureau has also noticed a change in David.

“He is sitting up better now. He sees it as fun.” said Cureau.That is obvious from the big smile on David’s face as he rides around the ring on the back of Turn on the Gas, a 35-year-old former race horse.

“He fusses at his regular physical therapist, ” said Cureau, “but this he really likes.”Denise Bertrand, an occupational therapist and volunteer at the riding center, said riding horses has several benefits for the young patients.

“The constant movement of the horse keeps the kids attention,” said Bertrand, “and it improves their posture. Just touching the horse is goodtherapy for them. It makes them open their fingers and move their hands.”The volunteers do several horse-related activities. There is an egg pick-up todevelop coordination. They have the horse gently weave in and out of aobstacle course in order to build up a patient’s balance.

The riding center has been helping out patients in an eight-parish area since 1993. The people who walk along with the horses and patients are allvolunteers.

Each horse takes three volunteers. One person leads the horse around thering, and two side walkers make sure the patient stays on the horse. Theyalso talk to the kids.

It is such a popular program there is a waiting list of volunteers, according to Hartzell.

The volunteers enjoy the horses as much as the patients.

“I like being around the kids and the animals,” said Annette Bak, a volunteer from New Orleans. “I think it is very rewarding.”There is also a very long waiting list of patients waiting to saddle up.

The center does charge for its lessons but depends mostly on donations for its survival.

“If a patient’s family cannot pay, we will not turn them away,” said Hartzell.

The center depends on the generous donations from the United Way and private donors like the Tomah Chemical Co., which donated the riding ring.Even the horses have been donated. Most are retired race horses.Right now, the center can only hold classes when the weather is good, but that will soon change. Because of donations there will be a covered riding ringconstructed soon at the riding center.

“We are very weather-dependent,” said Hartzell, “but with the covered ring that won’t be a problem.”Right now, the riding center has two sessions on Tuesdays, two sessions of Wednesdays and sessions from 9 a.m to noon on Saturdays. Even though there is a long line for volunteers, Hartzell said they are always looking for people to help out.

“There is always something to do out here,” said Hartzell.

For more information , call 651-LADY or 550-0168.

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