LONGMONT, Colo. — Following the pandemic, the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center (CTRC) has not been able to put on its annual horse show. This weekend, however, riders of all ages will be able to strut their skills again.
At the start of COVID-19, the center was forced to adapt quickly.
"Knowing that when our riders are not consistently in the saddle week after week, it does affect them in physical, mental, emotional ways where the longer the gap is in riding, the greatest we see changes in where they're at in the writing skills and physical and mental-emotional states," said Michele Bruhm, CTRC executive director.
As the oldest therapeutic riding center in the state of Colorado, Brunh said CTRC has served nearly 500 clients a year with mental or physical disability from up and down the Front Range.
"Horses move bilaterally, and so when someone does have a disability and they're on a horse, just by walking on the horse, you are stimulating all the muscles you use for walking," said Bruhn. "You're improving core strength, you're improving balance, posture, organ function, all of those wonderful things that help support someone."
Seeing children and adults guide their horses and build confidence in the saddle brings immense joy to Bruhn, who first started working with the nonprofit as an intern before eventually becoming executive director.
"When we are able to serve clients and serve people that come to us with different needs, whether that's physical, psychological, social, emotional, and you start to see changes within them as humans developing, it's incredible to see these changes and to watch them grow and to watch that, to see them empowered and to see them light up," said Bruhn.
The center is not only spreading smiles to the riders and staff but also to family members who see the direct impact this therapy has on their loved ones.
Emily Haines loves watching her 7-year-old son, Jaeden, guide his horse around the riding ring. The two have been coming to the center for the past three years.
"Well because he's been here for so long, he's actually crossed a lot of barriers," said Haines. "When he first started coming here, he actually did not speak."
Jaeden's main form of communication was sign language. However, since he had to hold onto the reigns to guide the horse, he needed to use his voice.
"So it's kind of cool to see that transition. I do believe there's some correlation between nonverbal communication with horses and actual communication and that actually kind of like submerges from that and comes out from that," Haines said.
Coming out of the pandemic, CTRC has not been able to host its annual horse show, but on Oct. 19, riders of all ages and skill levels will be in the spotlight again, including Jaeden.
"For the first time in many years now since through the pandemic, we are bringing back our horse show for our participants. So when someone prepares for a horse show, there's a lot that goes into it," said Bruhn.
The center is currently fundraising for the event, hoping to raise $8,000 through corporate sponsorships or donor funding. Bruhn said the support of the community is crucial.
"Our riders only pay a very small fee to ride with us, about one-third of the actual cost for us to provide these services. And so we look at our entire budget, [and] one-third of it is rider fees. Two-thirds of our entire budget is through fundraising efforts, grant support, donors, corporations, all of those pieces and our supporters that make this all possible and help change lives here at the Colorado Therapeutic Ride Center."
At the core of this nonprofit is a group of dedicated individuals and friendly horses that are changing the lives of the people whose paths they cross.
"If anyone's looking to get involved, whether that support is financially and donate to help change life in the community, someone wants to volunteer or someone might be seeking out our services, come check us out," said Bruhn.
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