Free Horse Therapy Program in Southern Indiana Seeking Volunteers

Horses Are More Than Transportation

Throughout history, horses have been used by humans for transportation and recreation, but they aren’t just inanimate objects getting us from point A to point B. If you spend any time with them, you know they have complex emotions, strong communication skills, and an ability to sense things in people that even other humans sometimes miss.

Ancient Roots of Hippotherapy

One of the earliest recorded mentions of equine-assisted therapy appears in writings attributed to Hippocrates around 500 BC, the ancient Greek physician often called the “Father of Western Medicine.” He wrote about horseback riding, or “hippotherapy,” a term derived from the Greek word for horse, “hippos.” He documented various mental and physical benefits of riding.

There is evidence that horses have been used therapeutically for centuries, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that they were formally introduced into more clinical settings to help individuals with neurological diseases or disorders such as cerebral palsy, movement disorders, and balance challenges.

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How Riding Hope Equine Therapy Began

Beth Tromley was working with First Steps in the early 2000s as a physical therapist. She helped families through early intervention for children with developmental delays. As the mother of a child with special needs herself, she shared that the families she worked with became very near and dear to her, and she wanted to make a bigger impact.

She met Mandy Ritzert, another mom of a special needs child who was a speech therapist, and they started chatting about other ways to help not only their own children but others in the special needs community. When she read a local newspaper article about an equine-assisted therapy program in Kentucky, she wanted to learn more. The moms understood the powerful role horses could play in therapy programs and spent a lot of time researching hippotherapy and visiting the Kentucky program they had read about.

The Beginning of Riding Hope

When Beth Tromley started her hippotherapy program, she said it was very small at first. She founded the nonprofit Riding Hope in 2004, Bernie Riedford, a friend from church, offered to let them start the program in a small round pen in his backyard. When it rained, classes had to be canceled.

She hoped for a roof over the round pen and applied for assistance from GE. When volunteers came out to help build it, they saw the impact of the program and wanted to expand it. She needed a little more space and in 2007 found it on Tim and Barbara Martin's land in Posey County. With help from GE and the fundraising efforts by volunteers, they were able to build a more suitable barn for lessons.

Since then, she says the program has expanded several times, and she has met many incredible people who have joined along the way.

How the Program Works Today

The organization keeps costs low by using only volunteers and volunteer horses. They meet each week and operate on two teams, one covering the first and third weeks, and the other covering the second and fourth weeks. Students attend therapy lessons twice a month.

During a lesson, one person leads the horse, a volunteer walks beside the rider on one side, and a volunteer therapist walks on the other. The therapist works on each student’s individual goals in a fun and engaging way.

She explained they may focus on communication, fine motor skills, strengthening, balance, and socialization. But just as importantly, she emphasized the joy of it all. “These kids are already in therapy, so we want this to be something fun and enjoyable that they look forward to.”

Free Therapy With Growing Demand

The classes are free for participants, and there is often a waiting list for new students, though Beth does her best to get families in as quickly as possible. They currently only serve minors 18 years and younger.

How to Volunteer or Help

The program needs more volunteers to come out and walk next to riders. No horse experience is required. They also need another quiet, calm lesson horse to add to the program. Those who are interested in volunteering or applying to add a new student to their roster can do so by emailing her at bartromley@gmail.com.

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