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June 20, 1999
Riding High program combines kids and horsesBy SARA SYVERSON Journal Staff Writer SLEEPY EYE -- For six weeks every summer for the past 12 years Gail and Lowell Heiderscheidt open the doors to their home and riding arena to give youngsters an experience of a lifetime, the chance to learn about riding horses and themselves. This year 24 children in two groups, each with their own developmental challenge in life, are taking part in the Riding High Program at the Heiderscheidt farm, each Thursday evening for six weeks. The program will finish this coming week. About 12 years ago Day Camp Courage in New Ulm called and came out to the farm to ride, Heiderscheidt said. "They just seemed to have fun," said Heiderscheidt. Heiderscheidt then connected with the Brown County Extension Service and 4-H program to help her coordinate a summer riding program for children with special needs. Brown County Extension mails out information to the families to notify them of the program. This year, the children came from places like Blue Earth, Madelia, Fairmont, and New Ulm. Every year is different because there is a different group of children who participate in the program. The program is open to any child with special needs age 5-18 years old and there are no boundaries placed on where a child is from. Heiderscheidt has a great deal of help from family, friends, local businesses and volunteers to make the program a success every year. "The volunteers are so wonderful," said Heiderscheidt, "The interaction has been very good. The kids have fun and realize how special they are." Deb Huhn of rural Sleepy Eye, has helped organize and teach children in the program for the past six years. "It's the mobility when the kids are riding that is good," said Huhn, "You move many muscles involuntarily when you're riding. They build their confidence and you can tell the difference in the kids from year to year." Huhn also said that it is just as good for the kids helping as it is for the kids riding. "It helps them (the helpers) to appreciate their own ability to do things naturally," said Huhn, "Anytime you can get a teen around a critter, they're non-judgmental." The first things the children learn about in the Riding High program are acquiring balance and gaining a level of comfort on the horses. In the later weeks of the camp, the children learn the importance of coordination, starting and stopping, and discipline. In the last week of the program, the children have a graduation ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments they have made during the program and every year the volunteers give awards take pictures of the children and volunteers. Karen Omori, a parent who has brought her son to the program for a number of years said, "The new experiences... he likes the socializing out here, and also the knowing that he can do something he was afraid of..." said Omori, "The first year I brought him he was scared at first, and towards the end of the first year he got right on the horse." Julie Huiras, of rural Sleepy Eye and volunteer for the past ten years said, "It's really nice of them (Heiderscheidts) to do this," said Huiras, "Some people bring their animals and it's big commitment for them to stick with it for six weeks. The kids love to ride. You see them from year to year and it's good for everybody to do this." For additional information on the Riding High program for next year, contact the Brown County Extension Service for an application.
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