Community Connection
Victory
Farm
Dory Pell’s love for children and horses are a recipe for success in the program.
Trainers strive to improve each rider’s quality of life through therapeutic horseback riding Story and photos by Jan Todd
A
bout five miles from Lake Wylie, just over the state line in Gaston County is Victory Farm, a therapeutic horseback riding center. Working with children and adults with muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, injuries or other special needs, the riding team and medical professionals at the farm design a plan for each rider, according to their abilities, goals and needs.
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www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2012
Dory Pell is the founder and program director at Victory Farm. She combines education and experience in physical therapy with a lifelong love of horses to provide this service to the community. “Horseback riding moves your body in a manner that mimics walking,” she explained. “You exercise and develop muscles all over your body as you ride a horse.” The farm provides much more than just
“pony rides.” Physical and occupational therapists lead students through exercises and challenging tasks designed to improve muscle tone, coordination, balance, motor skills and other rehabilitation benefits. Dory will never forget the first time she helped a 5-year-old boy named Braden ride Buddy, one of the four horses on the farm. Braden was confined to a wheelchair, but upon