Natasha Reule was born with spina bifida, a condition that affects her spine and spinal cord and can cause a range of physical and intellectual disabilities and has no cure.
“I’ve gone through a lot of mobility issues with it, and I started riding when I was a kid,” said Reule.
Natasha found the Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association, an equine therapy non-profit that offers individuals with special needs hands-on instruction in riding and horse care.
“Being disabled, you realize that you don’t belong as much, but here, horses don’t care,” said Reule.
Nearly 30 years of weekly riding sessions have helped strengthen her muscles and mental health.
“It’s somewhere where I’m happy,” said Reule. “There needs to be more places like this in the city where disabled people can go and feel like they’re welcome.”
Natasha gets on and off her horse Joe from a platform with the help of four volunteers.
Karen Deleonortega, people and program coordinator, explains how horses help improve fine and gross motor skills.
Get weekly health news
“The way they sit on the horse, they have to focus on controlling their legs.
“Some of our clients that have had difficulty walking before now can actually have a bit more control of their lower limbs and can actually walk a little bit better and also have less of a wider stance now,” said Deleonortega.
The LTRA does its best to keep participation costs low, but rising operational costs, like hay, have been a hurdle.
Last month, it hosted a fundraiser that Kale Hayes, executive director, said raised $35,000, doubling the initial goal.
“That support was overwhelming,” said Hayes. “That’s going to go a super long way in fixing some of the things we have to clean up around here, but most importantly, to make sure that we can continue to offer programming for individuals like Natasha.”
Comments