Greetings from the Lamando residence. Snow this morning, wet, rainy, snowy, slushy day with a heavy mist peering through naked leafless trees. Mystical. I rarely follow a route I have ridden, generally I am doing huge circles. This portion of my route from Fort Edward, New York to Wells, Maine is like rediscovering friends I had met on the westward trek to Maine and I must say it has been great fun. I met the Lamandos while having dinner at the Fort Edward Diner in September. They heard me talking about Granville – the next town I was to ride thru. Cathy and David came over, introduced themselves, and as so many times happens invited me and my girls in for the night. Now here I am once again retracing the same route back to Fort Edward and the Lamando’s have been kind enough to take “the girls in.” Essie and Spirit have comfortable dry stalls with all the fixings.
In my years of equestrian travel I have come across several riding therapy programs and I thought this would be a good opportunity to share these remarkable programs with those who follow my rides.
Cathy owns NIPPER KNOLLS – Therapeutic Riding Program – Hippotherapy Services HPCS (certified clinical specialists there are only 108 registered in the United States) – nipperknolls.com
Cathy Lamando has a Masters of Science in Physical Therapy MSPT and is a PATH Intl. registered Instructor. ( Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) this is from her website page…
… Our program emphasizes the abilities not disabilities of each participant. In a safe and friendly environment, we encourage people to strive towards their individual goals, whether it’s to increase confidence, socialization, muscular coordination and strength or to become an independent rider.
PATH International www.pathintl.org came together in 1969 and was formally called North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. “ensuring excellence and changing lives through equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) which promotes health, fitness and socialization for people with special needs.
When I asked Cathy “How do horses help those with physical disabilities, developmental challenges or mental health disorders?” She replied, “The multidimensional movement of the horse is widely recognized by physical and occupational therapist to aid postural control and motor skills. The predictability of the horses rhythm promotes self organization which may lead to normalized patterns of moment. Participants learn to trust through a large gentle animal and builds confidence which carries over into everyday life. The horse gives the experience of walking to a person who is non ambulatory. I have seen amazing changes on children who have found success no where else. The intimate one on one interaction between horse and rider can work miracles.”
NIPPER KNOLLS – CATHY LAMANDO – nipperknolls.com
PATH INTERNATIONAL – www.pathintl.org
