Bringing hope

from Country Acres South - August 5, 2023

Schwab

RideAbility helps individuals with disabilities through horseback riding

BY AMY KYLLO | STAFF WRITER

PINE ISLAND – What started as a few families’ 4-H project over 25 years ago has turned into a non-proﬁt organization that helps at least 100 children and adults with disabilities every year.

RideAbility, which provides horse riding therapy, is managed by executive director Jeanie Michelizzi and is housed on the farm she operates with her husband Jim near Pine Island.

The Michelizzis have a heart to help the guests and families who come to RideAbility ﬁnd increased happiness and hope.

“The reason we’re doing this is so that the children that we sit on the horse will have healing in their lives and their family,” Jeanie Michelizzi said.

RideAbility was founded in 1997 by two mothers, Ellen Newman and Mary Lubahn, as a 4-H project after Lubahn found out her baby Kathryn had spina biﬁda. They started in Newman’s yard and then moved to the Island Riders Saddle Club. In the summer of 1998, Michelizzi was approached to house RideAbility on her farm, which became its home after the 1998 season.

Michelizzi loves to see parents and caretakers leave RideAbility with hope that their child can do more than they expected and that the experience will give them opportunities to do more things together.

“Hope, joy, love, growth, life,” she said. “That we can give to the parents often.” s the i said. t as

The beneﬁt of horse therapy lies in the patterns of movement experienced while riding a horse which is similar to the input received by healthy walking. This movement provides stimulation to strengthen the trunk and spine and beneﬁts those who use a wheel chair, a cane or have a limp.

“The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a human,” Michelizzi said.

Those with autism beneﬁt as well, she said.

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“You’ll see a tight walking, or a sporadic movement, or anxiety, attitude,” she said. “Even people who have emotional disabilities are not walking the way that they would if they were more healed.”

Horseback riding can provide relaxation for individuals with autism. Michelizzi said she has seen many people, who were at ﬁrst struggling and showing unregulated behaviors, relax and quiet within one lap around the arena after their caregiver placed them on a horse.