WPSU’s TV and digital series, Keystone Stories, explores the people, places and culture that make Central Pennsylvania unique. The next episode looks at service organizations in Central Pennsylvania. Here’s a snippet of that show, featuring Horses of Hope in Clinton County. Laurie Flanagan established the organization in 2009 to help people with special needs. You’ll mostly hear from Kim Roush, a certified therapeutic riding instructor, and Amy Kowatch, the group's outreach coordinator.
Here's the transcript of the excerpt. We suggest listening to the story for a better experience:
Amy Kowatch
It started with about three riders, one horse, and then it expanded to what it is today.
Kim Roush
We have three different programs. The therapeutic riding program works with special needs. We also have an in-hand connection program, and the in-hand program lets people get that physical contact, the touch on the horses and start to build a connection without the involvement of the riding. So they do a lot of grooming and a lot of ground work with them. And then we have the veterans program, Heroes and Horses. Equine Assisted Services is a very broad spectrum therapeutic environment. Physically, when we ride, the movement of the horse moves different parts of our body than any other activity. So it can really help muscles. It can help with stretching.
Narrator Alex Rabb
Sierra is one of the riders.
Sierra Shady
My favorite part is trotting. I had to sit up nice in the saddle, like properly, in order to get to trot.
Kim Roush
And then there's the mental aspect of it. Getting in tune with the horse, getting in tune with yourself.
Amy Kowatch
I'm not saying that there's another animal that's not as intuitive as a horse, but there's not a doubt in my mind that a horse knows when you're happy, sad, mad, excited, anxious. They know what's going on.
Kim Kowatch
The bond that can develop is... there aren't any words for it. We have one young girl who has definitely developed a bond with the horse that she'll be working with. He changes as soon as she's here. And you just... you can see the two of them reassure each other. You can see her shine more when she's around him. You can see him relax and lean into her. It's very difficult to put into words.
Haidyn Wall
I'm Haidyn, and this is Hot Rod. He's very funny and wild, but he listens very well.
Amy Kowatch
You have individuals that will come out here that they're super, super quiet. They don't say anything. They're not really socially active. Once they get on that horse and even after they get off the horse, you can just see a complete change sometimes. Lizzie was a perfect example today. You could just see how she was super quiet when she got here. You know, her mom saying that she didn't speak very much and now she just opens up. It is equine therapy, but it is also therapy for your soul.
Kim Roush
Horses of Hope is very much a volunteer run organization.
Amy Kowatch
I would say we have about 40+ volunteers. We have volunteer coordinators. We have outreach coordinators. We have a board of directors. We have people that help with finance. We have horse handlers, caregivers — which are the feeders, markers of stalls, things like that. Mucking stalls [laughter] I think we talked about that earlier. Cleaning up manure.
Kim Roush
Programs like Horses of Hope, programs that are volunteer-based and community service are very important. They help meet a need that many people otherwise wouldn't have met.
Narrator Alex Rabb
Fawn Shaffer brings her son Dusty to ride the horses.
Fawn Shaffer
You know, there's not a lot for these kids around here. And for something like this to be in our area is really awesome. And he enjoys it. You can tell how excited he gets about it.
Dusty Shaffer
Oh, yeah.
Fawn Shaffer
And but just physically seeing him change ,as far as how much more flexible he is, how his balance has changed.
So it helps him physically and makes him pretty darn happy, huh? Oh, yeah. You did a great job.
Dusty Shaffer
Yes!!
Narrator Alex Rabb
Horses of Hope in Clinton County is one of the service organizations featured on the next episode of Keystone Stories, “State of Service.” Watch the full episode Monday, Oct. 9, at 9 p.m. on WPSU-TV.