Have you ever thought about getting on a horse and riding? It may sound impossible for someone with MS, but it’s not. In fact, equine therapy can help your body and your mind, and it’s fun.
Several years ago, in my early 60s and not having ridden a horse since I was a kid, I was back in the saddle with an instructor from the Great and Small therapeutic riding center outside of Washington, DC. I wrote about this experience, and how it helped my balance, legs and core muscles, a few years ago.
Now, Great and Small needs some help and I’m passing along their plea. The group is a non-profit. (Technically it’s a 501(c)(3) organization). It relies on donations for more than 40 of its operating budget and more than 80 percent of every dollar donated goes directly to providing services. Though the organization charges riders a fee, it subsidizes that fee for many who people are unable to afford it.
The horrible weather along the East Coast this past winter has taken a toll. Record rains combined with the cold and snow increased the cost of caring for the horses and also forced some fund raising evens to be cancelled.
Great and Small says it needs to raise $30,000 by mid-June to get it through a cash crunch. They’re asking for our help to keep the stable doors open. If you can afford a small donation you can use this link to make it. If you know of a business, an organization or a person who would like to be a sponsor of the Spring Horse Show or another event you can use this link to contact Great and Small with your information.
The riding program at Great and Small helps many people with many disabilities, not just people MS. Can you help keep everyone’s feet in the stirrups?
