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Kansas Horse Council
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Flint Hills Therapeutic Riding CenterSoutheast corner of 143rd Street East and 13th Street North Flint Hills Therapeutic Riding Center, Inc. (FHTRC) is dedicated to improving the quality of life for anyone with a physical, mental or emotional disability through therapeutic riding and hippotherapy. Hippotherapy requires licensed and trained physical, occupational or speech therapists using the horse to influence the client’s movement, and combines therapeutic riding with formal therapy exercises that help clients improve confidence, strength, flexibility and balance. In five years the organization has grown from five riders and one instructor to over 50 clients, more than 50 volunteers, six specially trained horses, 3 physical therapists, 2 occupational therapists, and a speech therapist. Located at 143rd street east and 13th north, at Murfin Stables, Flint Hills is the only hippotherapy/therapeutic-riding program serving the Wichita and surrounding area. The facilities include a therapy room, indoor and outdoor arenas, viewing area, stables, and pasture areas for the horses. The efforts of 4 people are necessary to facilitate each therapy session; specifically, the therapist, a horse leader and 2 side-walkers are utilized for each client. Each week FHTRC serves 50 individuals with many different types of disabilities including: Spina Bifida, Autism, Down’s Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, CVA/stroke, and Rett Syndrome. Many of the program clients require countless hours of expensive traditional therapy, which can become monotonous and lead to burn out. Hippotherapy provides an alternative form of therapy that cannot be obtained through conventional methods of care. The warmth of the horse relaxes tight muscles and the rhythmic walking motion mimics the motion of the human gait, this helps stimulate the muscle and brain patterns necessary for improving balance, coordination, and language. Hippotherapy provides the motivation to continue with a cost effective treatment program that is extremely beneficial as well as fun, exciting and challenging. Kyle, 11- diagnosed with alternating hemiplegia. Kyle smiles the entire time he is working. Physically, Kyle seems to be more stable in sitting and walking. His ability to understand directional terms has greatly increased. This has been one of the greatest activities for Kyle’s overall development. -DeAnn McGinley Tabby, 6- diagnosed with sensory integration. My daughter is a different person! She never jumped, could barely run, and refused to climb. After her first 30-minute session, she came home and jumped OVER our German Shepherd! If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I wouldn’t have believed it! Because of the kindness of the volunteers and her love for horses, Tabby thrives in this form of therapy. I recommend hippotherapy to anyone who knows someone who utilizes PT/OT/SPL, and I am eternally grateful! -Beckie Anderson Jacob, 5- diagnosed with mitochondria disease. Hippotherapy has changed my son’s life. After the first few months Jake could sit up straight and tall, improved upper body strength & coordination, had straight “gait”, learned to dress himself, put on his shoes, ride a bicycle. The therapists are very qualified; it’s amazing what they can accomplish on a horse in 45 minutes. On Thursday, we tell Jacob he gets to ride, he yells “YES!” And, as we pull through the gates, Jake starts clapping and yelling, “BONNIE! BONNIE!” To me, that’s priceless. I still get choked up! I could go on & on. -Cynthia Suellentrop Thank you for the opportunity to share information about our program. We hope you are able to support us as we continue offering this unique form of therapy. I encourage any one to come visit Flint Hills Therapeutic Riding Center, once you see the smile on one of these handicapped riders and realize the improvement this program is making to their lives, you will forever be convinced of its importance. |
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