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October 2011 Healing Hoof Beats: High on a Horse
Serving Danville By Jody Morgan
High on a horse, children who have never walked experience the empowerment and freedom of motion. The repetitive rhythm of hoof beats allays anxiety. Therapeutic riding makes miraculous moments happen for children and adults suffering from a variety of psychological, emotional and physical problems including ADHD/ADD, Asperger’s Syndrome, Autism, Bi-Polar Disorder, Blindness, Brain Injury, Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Cystic Fibrosis, Depression, Developmental Delays, Down’s Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Scoliosis, Spinal Bifida, and Stroke. Hoisting a student with limited muscle control into the saddle and providing a safe experience takes at least four trained caregivers. In addition to the instructor who is responsible for determining the goals and plan of the lesson and the tack and horse to be used, a handler is required to lead the horse, and two side walkers are needed to stabilize the rider. As strength improves, students graduate to managing their horses with less assistance. Games, toys, songs, and pounds of positive reinforcement elicit giggles from children who seldom smile in other situations. Eliana works on words with Instructor Karena Reaching to put a ring over a pole is a Smith far right and Volunteer Amber Decorano. demanding exercise for some. For others following a series of commands or verbalizing is the challenge. Some children utter their first words to encourage their horse to move. Peggy James, co-founder of ENN Reins in Motion, explains there is a muscle in the groin stimulated by riding that acts as a building block for improving core strength, which in turn permits the diaphragm to be raised. Without core strength, the rest of the body can’t function adequately. In place of a saddle, many students use a bareback pad permitting the heat of the horse to work on the rider’s muscles. Stir- At SonRise, Danielle Coburn praises Charlie's ascent into the rups of any length can saddle. Program Director at Xenophon, Danielle still volunteers be added and adjusted at the center that introduced her to therapeutic riding. to properly distribute the rider’s weight on the horse’s back. Therapy horses have to endure the jouncing of unbalanced riders and require regular chiropractic care. Suffering from spina bifida, Gary needed six people to hold him in place at first,
See Horse continued on page 16 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 263 Alamo CA
Danville Fall Crafts Festival
A visit to the Danville Fall Crafts Festival from 10am to 5pm October 22nd and 23rd is the perfect way to herald the fall season and feather your nest for the holidays. Unique craft items, Avenue of the Giants sculpture garden, Halloween costume parade, music, and dance are all part of the family fun. The Danville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Danville mark their 20th year hosting the festival on Hartz Avenue, between Diablo Road and Hartz Way, with a new expansion of local artists at work, make-and-take workshops, and other merchant activities along both East and West Prospect Avenues. More than 200 artists from across the U.S. and California gather to show paintings, photography, jewelry, ceramics, wood, metal, leather, glass, fiber, and mixed media. See Festival continued on page 21
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
By Fran Miller
Patty Guinto, age 31, is a busy woman. Her job is demanding, she has a crazy commute, she plays sports, and she enjoys time with friends and family. She lives an active life typical of most Bay Area residents – yet, she always finds time to spend with her “little sister” Sarah, age 15. “I'm not going to lie,” laughs Guinto, a volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Bay Area (BBBS), “but on more than one occasion, Sarah and I have simply done laundry together because it was the only time I had the whole week to do it. Some- Sarah with “big sister” Patty Guinto times that's just how life is. But if you make it a priority, there is always time for BBBS. I Volume II - Number 12 think volunteers are surprised at how 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Alamo, CA 94507 easy and rewarding BBBS is.” Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 The mission of BBBS is to Fax (925) 406-0547 provide children facing adversity Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher with strong and enduring, profeseditor@yourmonthlypaper.com sionally supported one-to-one The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do relationships that change their not necessarily reflect that of Danville Today News. Danville
See BBBS cont. on pg. 18
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