The
National Park Service National Capital Region, the United States
Park Police Horse Mounted Patrol Unit, and the Rock Creek Park
Horse Center have collaborated to develop a therapeutic riding
program for injured U.S. military veterans. This fledgling
program, the “RideWell” program, is dedicated on all fronts to
enhancing and facilitating traditional therapies offered to injured
soldiers.
|
|
 |
On Tuesday,
June 10th, the program completed its first class of lessons for
three injured soldiers from the Washington, DC, Veterans Administration
Medical Center Polytrauma Services. The goal is to expand
the program to offer future courses to soldiers. Therapeutic
riding is a carefully structured, regulated, precious opportunity
to heal all levels of injury; as well as emotional, sensorial,
spiritual, physical, and intellectual healing. It is useful
in tandem with psychotherapy, as well as physical, occupational,
and recreational therapy. Therapeutic riding has helped
patients meet their therapy goals and improve their functioning.
During the sessions, the soldiers participate in grooming, tacking,
lunging, learning about horse psychology, and riding along trails.
The initial sessions were underwritten by Rock Creek Riders,
Inc., a non-profit volunteer organization supporting the therapeutic
riding programs at the Rock Creek Park Horse Center.
|
The RideWell program
riding instructors are all certified by the North American Riding for
the Handicapped Association (NARHA). The
program also employs an occupational therapist and a physical therapist
who work
on the veterans’ physical balance, muscle strengthening, self-esteem,
confidence, and health of spirit.
United States Park Police Horse Mounted officers have volunteered
to facilitate the therapeutic riding sessions by side-walking with
the
riders and leading the horses. This is a challenging task
with an adult on a horse who may have impaired balance and difficulty
processing directions
quickly. It is reassuring to the staff and riders to have
these officers walk alongside, providing support to keep the rider
safe
as well as leading the horses during the sessions. The Rock
Creek Park Horse Center is well-established for public trail riding,
boarding horses, and riding lessons and is located
within
Rock Creek Park. The facilities are managed by Guest Services,
Inc., an authorized concessionaire of the National Park Service. The
entire RideWell Program was inspired by United States Park Police horse
mounted officer Barbara Blendy and facilitated by
Rock Creek
Park Horse Center facility manager Janet Counts. This article was written as a collaborative effort by all partners
involved in the RideWell Program. These partners believe the
RideWell Program is just one small opportunity to thank our American
heroes who have so
selflessly protected our country and our freedom.
|
