Claremont horseback riding therapy ministry to help injured military

A local therapeutic ministry is taking a leap of faith and extending a stirrup to military, fire and police personnel injured in the line of duty.

Rising Hope Farms in Claremont is a nonprofit therapeutic horse riding facility for those, typically children, who have mental, developmental or physical limitations.

But the nonprofit is trying to get the word out that it is starting a Horses for Heroes branch that will provide therapeutic horseback riding for those who have served their country and community. The North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, based in Denver, Colo., started the program.

“We’re just trying to get one started here,” said Gail Wartner, owner of Rising Hope Farms on Bethany Church Road.

The program

People confined to a wheelchair don’t much get to use the muscles needed for walking. But if they get a chance to sit atop a horse, those muscles do get a workout, Wartner said. She explained that a horse walking mimics a human’s walk. She said when someone rides a horse all of their muscles get used.

Riding a horse also gives a sense of movement to those confined to a wheelchair and builds their self-esteem and confidence from being in charge of a 1,200-pound horse in an uncovered horse corral, Wartner said.

During a therapy session at Rising Hope Farms, three volunteers are assigned to the horse and rider. Two of the volunteers — called sidewalkers — flank the rider, keeping them balanced in the saddle and safe. Another volunteer — the horse leader — keeps the horse calm and leads them to wherever it needs to go, Wartner explained.

For the Horses for Heroes program, the sidewalkers and horse leader are military volunteers, say officials.

Therapeutic riding doesn’t mean the rider is just going around in circles. While riding, they play games, like tossing rings onto a pole, which also help strengthen muscles, coordination and balance, Wartner said.

Riders also get the chance to care for the horse after the ride, brushing it down and feeding it treats.

Last year, the farm served around 120 children, Wartner said. She said about 25 children are served weekly at the farm.

The farm, in addition to the therapeutic riding and Horses for Heroes, offers Hooves for Hospice, which helps children who have lost a parent. It also offers Hippo (the Greek word for horse) therapy, which means a person has to be under the care of a therapist, and Medicaid or Medicare will cover the cost, Wartner said.

There are about 30 therapy riding facilities in the state, Wartner said.

Riding for therapy

Bradley Tepper has been receiving therapy at Rising Hope Farms since 2009. Before Wartner opened the place, Bradley, 7, was taking riding therapy in Concord. The family lives in Conover, said his mother, Lisa Tepper.

Bradley has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which progressively weakens muscles, and his muscles get stiff. The riding therapy helps keep him flexible, said his mother, and helps maintain his core muscles. Lisa Tepper said Bradley has to be stretched every night to keep his muscles flexible.

The riding also has really helped with Bradley’s balance, she said.

Lisa Tepper said the therapy also is good for Bradley on a social level and has helped build his confidence.

While he can’t play most regular sports that his peers participate in, Bradley gets to do something most of them don’t.

“It’s much more fun than just being stretched,” said Lisa.

Bradley receives riding therapy for about 45 minutes once a week from April to October, she said.

“It’s just a wonderful program and a blessing to have one in this area,” she said.

Logan Johncock didn’t seem thrilled with the idea of brushing down the horse he rode during a recent therapy session at the farm. But he did give the horse a treat.

Logan has never been one to take up with animals. He’s never really been an “animal” person, said his mother Carol Johncock.

But Logan, 12, is taken with Rising Hope Farms.

“He loves the horses,” said his mother. He rides once a week for 45 minutes, she said.

Logan, who goes to Conover School, has Angelman Syndrome, said Carol Johncock. The neurological disorder causes a person with it to be developmentally delayed, which includes problems with walking and balance, according to information from the Angelman Syndrome Foundation.

Carol Johncock said Logan likes the motion of the horses and the affirmation he receives from the volunteers during his sessions.

Logan started therapy riding last year, and after a while his mother noticed a difference, she said.

The boy who has never been much for animals has warmed up to them. Carol Johncock said she noticed last year after being involved with therapy that he started to approach people with little dogs. He didn’t do that before, she said.

“When he gets here, he gets excited,” Carol Johncock said.

Giving to those who have served

Jerry Peeler is one of Rising Hope Farms’ military volunteers and will coordinate the program. Peeler recently retired from the Army Reserve 108th Training Brigade in Hickory after 32 years.

Peeler’s unit was mobilized to Fort Hunter Leggett in California when his sister told him about Rising Hope Farms and that he needed to meet Wartner when he got back home. Peeler said he wasn’t sure about the work going on at the farm until he met the children receiving therapy. After that, he was convinced it was something he wanted to do.

In starting up a Horses for Heroes program, Wartner realized that those injured while serving in the military or in the line of duty would respond better to others who had been through similar experiences.

The military, Peeler said, creates a brotherhood and sisterhood. Wartner said the motto “no man left behind” still applies even after they’re no longer active duty.

Offering therapy for injured military or fire and police officers is a way of paying them back for their service, Wartner said.

She said military volunteers have been trained and are ready to go.

“We just don’t’ have the riders yet,” Wartner said.

Wartner said the organization has put fliers in all local veterans offices and has talked to Veterans Affairs medical clinics in the area about bringing some of the men they help to the farm for riding therapy.

Wartner also explained to them what horse therapy is about and the fact it’s a ministry. Peeler said a prayer is said before each riding session. The therapy is free, Wartner said, and is supported by donations from individuals, organizations and businesses.

 A calling

Starting a therapy riding facility was just an extension of Wartner’s Christian calling.

Wartner, an ordained minister in the Lutheran Church, was serving as a director of Christian education and youth minister in a church when her husband was transferred for his job to Kentucky. After moving to Lexington, Ky., Wartner saw an ad in the local newpaper looking for volunteers for a riding therapy facility.

Wartner had grown up with a horse and always loved children so she decided to volunteer. It wasn’t long before she witnessed the benefits of the therapy and saw what she believed were miracles.

“I just saw such beautiful things,” Wartner said.

People at the facility where she was volunteering told her what it would take to become certified as a riding therapist. She didn’t waste time signing up for classes to become certified. Her certification is through the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, based in Denver, Colo. Rising Hope Farms is a member of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association and she is working to get it certified by the organization.

“I told my husband when we moved back here I wanted to do therapeutic riding,” Wartner said.

It took about a year and a half to get Rising Hope Farms built and inspected

But like everything for her, Wartner is putting it in God’s hands.

“Every obstacle we came to he would open doors,” Wartner said. “It has grown and blossomed more than I ever dreamed.”

She hopes to one day get the riding arena covered and get more people certified as riding therapists.

“We have to get more people certified so this ministry can keep on keeping on,” Wartner said.

How to help:

* If you know of someone who might benefit from Horses for Heroes, email gailwartner@risinghopefarms.com or call (828) 638-0879

* To make a donation, go to Rising Hope Farms’ website at http://risinghopefarms.com and click on “how to help.” Donations are tax deductible.

* To make a tax-deductible donation: visit Rising Hope Farms’ website at http://risinghopefarms.com and click on “how to help.”

Interested in finding out more:

* Visit www.risinghopefarms.com

* Email gailwartner@risinghopefarms.com

* Call 828 638-0879