Sudbury Therapeutic Riding Program is looking for help

Being a part of the Sudbury Therapeutic Riding Program (STRP -- pronounced stirrup) is not just a trip out of the house or the chance to pet a horse. For some, it’s liberating and a taste of freedom.

"Just the freedom I feel on top of a horse," said Amy Adair, who has been a program participant for five years.

"The confidence it gives me to know I’m telling this beautiful majestic animal where to go and how fast to get there and the constant learning about the horses and how best to ride them is my favourite."

For three and a half decades, STRP has given its clients with physical or developmental disabilities a chance to connect, help care for and ride horses.

"The horse does so much for those riders," said Rachelle Poirier, the program's president.

"As well as for some, that’s the only normalcy they have. Their siblings could play hockey or soccer, but for them, they can’t. So this is their time to shine."

Adair said her time at the barn is always something she looks forward to.

"Time with horses, time for my mind to just settle and focus on one thing instead of like 10," she said. "As well as just confidence in the saddle and the fun times because they’re always fun when you’re on the back of your favourite horse."

Over the last two years, the program has been scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants haven’t been able to ride but were still able to get out to the barn and see their favourite horses.

"There’s nothing more powerful or meaningful than a bond between a horse and a rider," Adair said.

Now, as the organization prepares to get everyone back in the saddle in just a few days, at least 20 volunteers are needed.

"We require three volunteers per horse," Poirier said.

"We have a volunteer that leads the horse and then we have two side walkers. And what we try to do is we try to establish a team concept, so we try to keep the rider with the same three at all times. This way they get to know the individual."

However, getting volunteers is a bit of a challenge this year.

"It’s difficult because of the cost of the gas," Poirier said.

"So volunteers, we don’t get paid. So none of us in the program get paid, we’re all volunteers and even to go out to the barn costs money. So, therefore, it’s difficult to find volunteers."

Right now STRP has 16 participants and three horses and plans to operate two nights a week – on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.

Poirier said the organization held a volunteer day Sunday and 10 people came out. She said she now has 14 volunteers signed up for the summer so far and if people want to get involved, they can message the Sudbury Therapeutic Riding Program Facebook page or website.

"This program couldn’t run without volunteers," Adair said.

"I would do it because it’s a lot of fun. You’re constantly learning and there’s a lot of great people that either work there or volunteer."

Organizers said the goal is to give everyone the chance to experience what Adair does when she gets on the back of her favourite therapy horse.