by Alex Gesheva
Creston-Kootenay Foundation
When her caregiver first suggested horseback riding, 18-year-old Hailey Marion was unsure. “I don’t have the core strength, I never thought I could do this,” she remembers thinking. “This riding program has given me confidence. I used to need four helpers to stay on, now I have two, and I want to be down to one.”
The Therapeutic Riding program offers riding lessons for all ages and abilities. Every rider is unique and every regimen is individually designed. “The more we work, the more we understand what can and can’t be done,” explains Christine Ross, Marion’s instructor.
For riders with cerebral palsy, a horse’s movement can relax tight muscles and create new impressions in muscles that have never been developed, including those needed to walk.
The program relies on donations, grants, and fundraising to keep fees low and lessons accessible. This year, another grant from the Creston- Kootenay Foundation, part of up to $85,000 available to non-profit groups in the Creston area annually, will support tack upgrades, including safety stirrups needed by riders like Marion.
Note: The Creston-Kootenay Foundation specializes in managing endowment funds and disburses annual grants from the proceeds to local non-profits, like the CDSCL Therapeutic Riding Program.