Hope

Featured Rider

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Megan - Rising Rider

"Megan is a happy, smiling, beautiful, 8 year old girl with an abundance of personality even though she does not speak."

Megan was born with Hydroxyglutaric Aciduria, a very rare disorder that affects her central nervous system. Megan has been in the ROSL Hippotherapy program since the summer of 2002 and has made wonderful progress. Unlike other riders, Megan cried most of the time and had a lot of distress with wearing the helmet on her first day. Megan's core/trunk muscles were very weak and she has low tone throughout her body requiring lots of rests and support during the treatment. Megan also did not walk at this time and has neuromuscular scoliosis (a curvature of the spine).

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Adopt-a-Horse

Meet Beau

I am an Arabian horse, a breed known for our grace and beauty (hence the name Beau, short for beautiful). My main responsibility is to teach riders how to balance and to prepare them to ride other equines that are not as wise as myself. I have the perfect gait – a well-known fact among the therapists. The more treats I nibble at the end of each ride, the more humble I become.

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Make a Difference

The ROSL Wish List

Are you good with your hands? Do you yearn for a hard days work out in the fresh air? Or would you like to underwrite a special ROSL need? Check out our Wish List to find out how you can help ROSL better support our Riders and their families.

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Upcoming Events

2008 Spring Session

April 1 - May 22


Third Annual Jazz &
Blues Fest

June 21, 2008

Special Event!

Ride On St. Louis will be offering an Open Centered Riding Clinic from Friday, September 12th through Sunday, September 14th. The clinic is open to anyone who improving their riding skills.

Centered Riding Techniques impact all disciplines in riding; Western, Trail Riding, Dressage, Jumping and Therapeutic Riding. It will improve your horse's calmness, balance, and movement by increasing each rider's awareness and dynamic balance. It provides a new way to learn "how to" do something when your instructor tells you "what to do" using visual images and movement techniques including Alexander work, Tia Chi, and breathing exercises.

Judith Cross Strehlke has been teaching Centered Riding for over 20 years and has trained extensively with Sally Swift since 1980. She travels all over the US working with riders of many disciplines and levels. She rides Dressage and Western and specializes in Rider Imbalance, Therapeutic Riding, and in training young horses. Judy is an Advanced Instructor for the North American Riding for the Handicapped. She runs her own four seasons Equestrian Center in Central Maine with her husband Bob where they offer adventure challenges for youth and wilderness trail rides.

For more information, please contact the ROSL office at 636-464-3408 or by email at info@rideonstl.org.

Registration Form

What is Equine Assisted Therapy?

Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT) is based on the long-standing tradition of using a horse as the treatment tool in therapy. Also known as hippotherapy (from hippo which is Greek for horse), EAT provides riders with a positive emotional experience with both the horse and a licensed therapist that offers one-on-one attention to the rider.

Because the horse's gait produces a motion similar to human ambulation, hippotherapy strengthens and supports the spine and pelvis, and supplies neurological input to the brain. Riders with physical disabilities often show improvement in flexibility, balance and muscle strength while riders with mental or emotional disabilities often experience increased confidence, patience and self-esteem as a result of the unique bond formed with the horse. All riders experience a sense of freedom and a renewed sense of possibility that often spills over into other aspects of their lives.

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