PATH Horses
Edie
Our sweet bay mare Edie is 25 now but that hasn’t slowed her down a bit. Her
coat may be a little whiter these days but she has the heart, spirit and
energy of a much younger mare and is always ready and willing for whatever
PATH has to offer. You know that when you work with Edie you will be treated
kindly and with respect. There’s nothing of the diva about her. As an
instructor you know that she’s trustworthy with a reliably steady
temperament. As a rider you know that Edie will take you wherever you want
to go with enthusiasm and that special spark that makes for a fun ride!
December 2006
It is difficult to say goodbye to someone who has had such a profound
impact on so many people. When we understood that Edie’s time with us was
coming to an end it was almost impossible to master our sorrow at losing
such a wonderful teacher and friend. Edie had developed debilitating
arthritis and was in considerable pain. While her activity level was already
low, she now found it painful to walk and even to stand. The very difficult
decision was made to end her pain humanely, and to make her last days as
filled with love and treats as possible. Over the years of Edie’s
involvement with the PATH program, her generosity and kindness helped to
develop the horsemanship skills of many disabled riders in the Palouse area.
Riders were able to focus on learning and having fun because Edie made sure
they felt safe and comfortable in every lesson. Edie was an extremely
special horse whose contribution to the PATH program will never be
forgotten.
Robin Rilette,
NARHA Certified Instructor
Striker
Striker is an 20-year-old Quarter Horse gelding with an extensive training
background in Western Pleasure. His gentle, easygoing nature makes him a
valuable therapeutic riding horse; he can always be counted on to keep his
riders safe. New riders find relaxation and security in Striker’s slow,
steady gaits, while more seasoned riders enjoy his responsiveness and
training background for more advanced riding skills. One of Striker’s most
valuable qualities, however, is his extreme patience. One of his riders is a
5-year-old girl who is unable to remain standing or walk without assistance.
She enjoys grooming Striker, but to do so, she must groom from the mounting
block to reach his neck and shoulders. He stands quietly and allows her to
lean on him for as long as she wishes while she carefully grooms him.
Striker’s good nature, patience, and skills make him a prized equine member
of the WSU PATH program.
Sheri Babb
NARHA Certified Instructor
Blue
Blue is our 14-year old Palomino mare and is quite a character in her own
right. Her papered name is “Bluegrass Sunsation” – hence, the nickname
“Blue”. She is a registered quarter horse and has been thoroughly trained to
compete in Western Pleasure. Her career was cut short, however, when she
developed a condition called “exertional rhabdomyolysis” or tying-up. This
is a muscle disease of performance horses in which the horse becomes stiff
or reluctant to move, has hugely painful muscle cramps, profuse sweating,
increased heart rate and increased respiratory rate. Blue’s bouts of
tying-up became so frequent that it prevented her from continuing in a
career of competition and even started to endanger her life. Her owner
donated her to PATH, and our program for riders with handicaps gained a
wonderful horse who just happened to have a handicap herself. With a special
diet and moderate regular exercise, Blue has been able to rebound and become
an integral part of the program. She’s a very much-loved favorite among the
PATH riders. She is all business when it comes to PATH classes and she
provides a steady, safe and secure ride for any of PATH’s special riders
when they’re on-board. Because of her training and wonderfully smooth gaits,
she is able to accommodate the needs and abilities of all our riders – from
very basic riding skills to those more advanced skills of our more
independent riders. She makes whoever is riding her safe, have fun, and look
good in the process. She is a wonderful part of what makes a great PATH team
– rider, horse and volunteers – which all add up to helping the riders
achieve all that they possibly can. The PATH Program focuses on “abilities”
rather than “disabilities”. Blue has been given a second chance and, in
turn, she is giving others a second chance. After all, there’s something
“magical” about the human-animal bond and very special things can and often
do happen!
Bea O’Neill
NARHA Certified Instructor
Indy
Indy is a 23 year-old half-Arabian
chestnut tobiano pinto. Her striking color pattern, and long mane and
tail make her a very attractive horse and a favorite amongst the riders.
She was donated to PATH in the fall of 2003 and, as such, is the newest
member of the program. Before joining us, Indy was shown in English,
Western and Halter for several years by a young girl. After a successful
showing career — as a team, they took high point for King County, WA and
took Reserve Grand Champion in bareback — the girl eventually outgrew
Indy. This mare is 14.2 hands tall, which allows for easier mounting of
our riders and is also easier on the arms of our side-walker volunteers
with riders who need support. Indy has adjusted well to the PATH program
and has shown wonderful tolerance in her first class when her rider
reached back and pulled her tail! Indy is very people-oriented and her
favorite activity is to be groomed by the riders. She loves all this
personal attention! Indy has also found an equine friend at the barn and
has bonded with our bay mare, Edie.
Leslie Elberson
NARHA Certified Instructor
Last Edited: Feb 20, 2007 11:54 AM
