Students aid ailing therapeutic horses
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/18/2009
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Purdue students have found a fun way to “horse around” and help children with disabilities build connections, but the horses are in need of help.
When it comes to horses, injuries cost a lot of money, and Purdue Equine Assisted Programs has stepped up to help a local center out.
Program President Katie Houin enjoys helping out local riding facilities for children with disabilities to develop their fine motor skills and to provide an opportunity for these children to have a connection with something that is living. Houin says the children get very excited to brush the horses or even to grab the reins of the horse.
“This gives them reason to work their muscles,” Houin said.
The main facility that PEAPs works with is Therapeion Therapeutic Riding Center in Brookston, Ind., located at Sheppard Stable.
“The volunteers are very supportive,” said director of Therapeion, Libby Marks-Sheppard.
Two of the nine horses have become injured and one has become sick this previous year.
“Tina Turner,” a miniature horse, was found to have dental issues that weren’t caught by a previous dentist. She had lost a lot of weight and dislocated a leg before this problem was fixed. “Tina Turner” is working with a massage therapist and physical therapist to treat these muscles.
“Popeye,” the horse of the year last year at the center, took a chunk out of his leg, costing thousands of dollars in medical bills in the first week of June. He has recovered and will be out in the next couple of weeks.
The treatment these horses needs has drained money out of the center’s veterinary budget and the program’s facilitators have had to take money out of their winter budget to feed the horses.
Marks-Sheppard says this has been a very unlikely year for them with needing veterinary help.
“We need to pump the budget back up to support the center,” she said.
Purdue Equine Assisted Programs recently had a bake sale in front of CL50 and donated $200 from their own funds to help the center, and are hoping to have another bake sale the week before Dead Week to donate more money.
Fast Fact:
To donate or volunteer with Therapeion Therapeutic Riding Center visit the Web site, www.therapeiontrc.org, or send information to 11030 South 200 West Brookston, Ind. 47923, and make the check out to “Horse Care.”