Riding For Your Dreams
By Jessica CollierPVPHS class of 04
For Darren and Amanda Kipp, nothing is quite as exciting as having their weekly lessons with their friends Doc and Skye. Contrary to their outward appearance, Doc and Skye have proven to be wonderful therapists for these two children. Doc and Skye are two horses at Ride to Fly (RTF), a therapeutic riding stable which offers basic English riding lessons to children and adults with disabilities. However, to the people who ride here, RTF is so much more.
RTF is an adventure, a place where people normally grounded by some of life's unfair challenges are given the opportunity to "fly." It is here that a companionship between horse and rider is formed. The people who ride here grow physically and emotionally stronger, while doing something fun.
Ron Kipp, Darren and Amanda's dad, accompanies his two children to their lessons every Saturday.
"Being able to participate in recreational experiences in the community is great for their self-esteem and it's therapeutic," Kipp said. "It involves a multi-sensory approach to learning-visual, auditory, kinesthetic, balance, social interactions and being able to follow instructions."
He also mentioned that Darren and Amanda have both won many ribbons against other disabled riders in RTF's competitions, and they are proud to show these ribbons to guests who visit their home.
Instructors Stephanie Feuer and Kelly Dunphy usually have one to two students riding at a time. Each rider has a leader, who is responsible for controlling the horse, and one to two side-walkers, who are in charge of making sure the rider is safe at all times. Depending on each student's individual capabilities, Feuer and Dunphy revolve the lessons around a variety of exercises and games. These exercises performed on horseback encourage balance and suppleness that allow the students to follow the horse's movements at all paces.
"Being a volunteer at RTF has positively affected my life," Dunphy said. "I get enjoyment from watching the kids make progress. I feel like I get just as much out of it as they do."
RTF is located in Portuguese Bend in Palos Verdes, Calif. It was formed around 1994, and is primarily run by volunteers. These volunteers perform many different tasks around the barn, such as feeding the horses, mucking stalls, fixing up stalls, exercising the horses and assisting in actual lessons.
The use of riding for well-being is growing more popular, and many people agree that more emphasis should be placed on the research of the therapeutic aspects of riding. Although some people are skeptical of the idea of incorporating animals into therapy, the kids at RTF will take what they learn here with them for the rest of their lives. Darren and Amanda may never be Olympic track stars, but they are well on their way to learning how to fly.
For more information on lessons or volunteering at Ride To Fly, contact Susan Daigh, RTF volunteer coordinator, at (310) 377-3806.