| Testimonials |
| Our son is almost 7 and has been riding at the Right Path for about 4 years now. He has Prader-Willi syndrome which causes very low muscle tone. When he began riding he used a gait trainer to walk to the mounting ramp, now he walks independently to the ramp. We see a vast improvement in his walking after he dismounts . It amazes us to see the changes that occur from riding -- none of the years of physical and occupational therapy have ever shown the immediate changes like riding has. He has developed not only muscle tone & gait improvement but also has developed a wonderful social aspect from riding. His friends are amazed at his stories about riding and "his" horse. In fact, we have had many adults show amazement when we tell them about his equestrian skills. Riding at the Right Path is the highlight of his week. He looks forward to his next ride the minute he leaves and often comments about his horse missing him while he's gone. The relationship that he has developed with horses is quite remarkable. He is concerned about their care and enjoys helping out with any task related to their care; brushing for example which is also very good for hand strength. To him it's fun and something special, very different than the physical therapies that he has received since an infant. It is effortless therapy! The staff and volunteers at Right Path are an inspiration. They are patient and caring. When he began riding he had a very hard time tolerating staying on his horse the entire ride. The volunteers worked with him patiently and creatively and taught him the riding skills that he has today. As his parents we have such pride seeing him ride and watching the incredible progress he has made. The horse seems to be a great 'equalizer', eliminating the focus of the weakness in his legs and his limitations. I can only imagine what it must be like for him to struggle with something as simple as walking and the freedom he feels when riding his horse. |
| Jodi is a volunteer at the Right Path and her son Keith is one of our special needs riders. "The Right Path has been too big for me to put into words. I get too weepy. I’m sorry, this is all I can come up with for now." Jodi The Right Path A place for me To serve and receive To learn and teach To rejoice and grieve To grow and reach Through laughter and tears Hard work and play I’ve seen the light Along the way A Place where I see hope and can be a part of that hope. The fruit on the Spirit dwells here. My horse Gus served the last two years of his life here as a lesson horse. I couldn’t be more proud of him. He was buried out back somewhere and one day I will go see where. I have so many happy memories of this place! I have been blessed in so many ways. My son Keith started coming here before he was born. Sometimes he helps mom clean stalls and sweeps floors and grooms horses. He is an extraordinary boy. He also rides a horse named Dennis and says “Walk On!” |
| Trudy, mother of Kayla writes… To Whom It May Concern: My 11 ½ year old daughter has been riding horses at the Right Path Riding Academy since she was about 3 ½ years old. I cannot say enough good things about this program. When my daughter was in the process of being diagnosed with autism, her pre-school teacher recommended the Right Path…. The Right Path Riding Academy is the best therapy that we have had for my daughter. I appreciate everything they have done and will do in the future for Kayla. In visiting with other parents while our kids ride, I don’t think I am the only one who feels this way. We all do! |
FROM ONE OF OUR INSTRUCTORS
In the summer of 2002, my daughter and I went to the Bristow Heritage Days Rodeo. During the intermission, we watched a demonstration of
handicapped riding given by the Right Path Riding Academy. During that demonstration I knew right then and there, “That’s what I want to do, help
the kids”. A short time later I saw an advertisement in the Bristow Newspaper that the Right Path was doing volunteer classes for training, and I’ve
been here ever since.
Since I grew up riding horses, I thought that being a leader at the Right Path would be the right place for me. As I gained “Right Path” skills, Leslie
gave me the more difficult horses to handle, like Cocoa, who was always in a hurry to go in a circle. Or Rio- “I just want to stop at every gate and
pin my ears.” Every semester when the call went out for volunteers and we held training classes, I was there. I was always trying to learn more.
Eventually, I was asked to mount the bigger kids onto the horses and also sidewalk when needed. Sometimes those tall horses and big kids would
be very exhausting for vertically challenged side walkers.
One day last year, after a class, it was mentioned to me that I should think of being an instructor. I had never really put much thought into being
an instructor before. For days all I could think of was “being An Instructor”, I prayed over the thought and was given my answer. I then started
down the path for my certification.
Leslie and Jeanine are two of the best mentors a person can be blessed with. It’s easy to take for granted what they both do at the Right Path.
Every day my eyes get opened wider to abilities that they both have, I only hope that I can learn half of what they know. It is very humbling. My
path to certification started with online class work through NARHA. To pass both Standards & Accreditation and certified instructor portions of the
online course was not easy. They both required a minimum of 95% to pass. You have to learn the material and study. From there you have to
have 20 hours of instructing classes while being instructed yourself. That’s why I count my lucky stars because of Leslie and Jeanine. During that
time you need to be certified in Adult and Child CPR and also First Aid classes. Now that’s just the beginning, I’m not done yet! Next you have to
travel to facility that has an on-site workshop and testing. To prepare for the testing you have to be proficient in preparing and instructing a class
and riding a horse in a simple dressage pattern. Leslie and Jeanine challenged me every time to sit down and prepare my classes for the Right
Path. They would evaluate my work before, during, and after my class. I was nervous to give a class in front of strangers and critics, but I felt I
was ready to give it a go. To start, they introduce you to the children, their medical and disability diagnosis. You then design a class around the
child’s needs. You teach the class and have a time limit you then either pass or fail. The next phase of the testing was the horse riding. You must
ride a dressage pattern at the walk, trot and canter and must be on the correct diagonals and leads. Though I've rode horses all my life, I was
never told that there was a proper way to ride. All I knew was: there’s the tack, the horse, get back on if you fall off and, never run the horse to the
barn. Yikes, I have to learn to “ride” a horse at the age of 50, good luck. Fortunately I’m like the old wood on the side of a barn. Throw enough
mud at me and eventually it’ll stick! It was a team effort. Jeanine, Lori and Leslie kept throwing that mud at me. When the time came I passed my
riding portion of the test. I had never realized that your knees could knock together while you have a horse between them, but they did! That
weekend was as stressful as going to jump school in the Army and staring out of an airplane at 2,500 feet and knowing there was only one way
out.
As a registered instructor my requirements are keeping current my CPR and First aid class and 20 hours of continuing education every year.
Every time I lead a class I learn from Leslie and Jeanine, but I also learn from our teams in the arena. Our leaders and side walkers really have it
together. They are very valuable to the running of the Right Path. They interact with the horses and the children. They often times have great
advice, insight and suggestions that assist the instructors to continually give “our” children better rides. I may be the one in the center of the
arena but it’s the teams of volunteers that help make us successful. I am truly blessed with the family we have at the Right Path, and the Right
Path is a blessed thing for the children.
In the summer of 2002, my daughter and I went to the Bristow Heritage Days Rodeo. During the intermission, we watched a demonstration of
handicapped riding given by the Right Path Riding Academy. During that demonstration I knew right then and there, “That’s what I want to do, help
the kids”. A short time later I saw an advertisement in the Bristow Newspaper that the Right Path was doing volunteer classes for training, and I’ve
been here ever since.
Since I grew up riding horses, I thought that being a leader at the Right Path would be the right place for me. As I gained “Right Path” skills, Leslie
gave me the more difficult horses to handle, like Cocoa, who was always in a hurry to go in a circle. Or Rio- “I just want to stop at every gate and
pin my ears.” Every semester when the call went out for volunteers and we held training classes, I was there. I was always trying to learn more.
Eventually, I was asked to mount the bigger kids onto the horses and also sidewalk when needed. Sometimes those tall horses and big kids would
be very exhausting for vertically challenged side walkers.
One day last year, after a class, it was mentioned to me that I should think of being an instructor. I had never really put much thought into being
an instructor before. For days all I could think of was “being An Instructor”, I prayed over the thought and was given my answer. I then started
down the path for my certification.
Leslie and Jeanine are two of the best mentors a person can be blessed with. It’s easy to take for granted what they both do at the Right Path.
Every day my eyes get opened wider to abilities that they both have, I only hope that I can learn half of what they know. It is very humbling. My
path to certification started with online class work through NARHA. To pass both Standards & Accreditation and certified instructor portions of the
online course was not easy. They both required a minimum of 95% to pass. You have to learn the material and study. From there you have to
have 20 hours of instructing classes while being instructed yourself. That’s why I count my lucky stars because of Leslie and Jeanine. During that
time you need to be certified in Adult and Child CPR and also First Aid classes. Now that’s just the beginning, I’m not done yet! Next you have to
travel to facility that has an on-site workshop and testing. To prepare for the testing you have to be proficient in preparing and instructing a class
and riding a horse in a simple dressage pattern. Leslie and Jeanine challenged me every time to sit down and prepare my classes for the Right
Path. They would evaluate my work before, during, and after my class. I was nervous to give a class in front of strangers and critics, but I felt I
was ready to give it a go. To start, they introduce you to the children, their medical and disability diagnosis. You then design a class around the
child’s needs. You teach the class and have a time limit you then either pass or fail. The next phase of the testing was the horse riding. You must
ride a dressage pattern at the walk, trot and canter and must be on the correct diagonals and leads. Though I've rode horses all my life, I was
never told that there was a proper way to ride. All I knew was: there’s the tack, the horse, get back on if you fall off and, never run the horse to the
barn. Yikes, I have to learn to “ride” a horse at the age of 50, good luck. Fortunately I’m like the old wood on the side of a barn. Throw enough
mud at me and eventually it’ll stick! It was a team effort. Jeanine, Lori and Leslie kept throwing that mud at me. When the time came I passed my
riding portion of the test. I had never realized that your knees could knock together while you have a horse between them, but they did! That
weekend was as stressful as going to jump school in the Army and staring out of an airplane at 2,500 feet and knowing there was only one way
out.
As a registered instructor my requirements are keeping current my CPR and First aid class and 20 hours of continuing education every year.
Every time I lead a class I learn from Leslie and Jeanine, but I also learn from our teams in the arena. Our leaders and side walkers really have it
together. They are very valuable to the running of the Right Path. They interact with the horses and the children. They often times have great
advice, insight and suggestions that assist the instructors to continually give “our” children better rides. I may be the one in the center of the
arena but it’s the teams of volunteers that help make us successful. I am truly blessed with the family we have at the Right Path, and the Right
Path is a blessed thing for the children.
Enter a cute, bubbly, non-stop, energetic 6 yr. old girl. Zoey has been riding here for 1-
1/2 yrs. She does not have words presently, but can express herself quite effectively
through signs and body language. Zoey is a willing helper with anything that you ask
her to do, both on and off the horse. Activities on the horse are designed to teach
Zoey left from right and to help her remain focused on a task. The magic of the horse’s
rhythmical movement creates a calming effect; therefore, Zoey’s attention span and
ability to accomplish a task is improving.
1/2 yrs. She does not have words presently, but can express herself quite effectively
through signs and body language. Zoey is a willing helper with anything that you ask
her to do, both on and off the horse. Activities on the horse are designed to teach
Zoey left from right and to help her remain focused on a task. The magic of the horse’s
rhythmical movement creates a calming effect; therefore, Zoey’s attention span and
ability to accomplish a task is improving.
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| The Right Path Riding Academy has been instrumental toward Mercy's walking on her own. The therapist, volunteers, & everyone has been a blessing with the love, care, and concern that they show for Mercy. |
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Our Internet Service Provider may collect information from your computer to the extent necessary to enable you to view our website.
Any email correspondence that the Right Path Riding Academy receives is not distributed or sold to third parties for marketing purposes.
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