BERNARDSTON — When Rob Hodgkins went to serve in Afghanistan a few years ago, he found himself patrolling atop a horse. Today, he’s riding another horse, but this time as part of a therapeutic riding program for veterans.
Hodgkins, who grew up in South Deerfield and graduated from Frontier Regional School, now lives in Spofford, N.H., but travels to Bernardston twice a week to be part of Courageous Strides, started by Joanne Brown and Sandy Sayers. Brown and Sayers offer special riding lessons to veterans at Val Deane’s Stony B Acres on Shaw Road.
Courageous Strides classes are designed for veterans and active-duty service members who want to engage with horses. Classes run from May through October.
“I rode a little when I was a kid,” said Hodgkins, a U.S. Army veteran. “Then, there were horses on one of the bases. When I got back, I started doing acupuncture with Karen Adams and she recommended this.”
Hodgkins said he just finished the first six-week class Courageous Strides offered and plans to take another six-week session.
“It really builds your confidence,” he said. “You meet the horse, groom him and get to know his anatomy. You watch the horse and learn about him. It’s really relaxing.”
Hodgkins said he is going to serve on the nonprofit’s board.
As he mounted Logan, a 16-year-old quarter horse, on Monday, he first put on an equestrian helmet donated by the Kiwanis Club of Greenfield. The club donated enough money to buy nine helmets, leaving some for scholarships for veterans who can’t afford to take the lessons.
“Joanne (a Kiwanis member) did a presentation for the club,” Lisa McKenna said. “It was unanimous that the club wanted to do something for this program.”
McKenna, who is past president of the club, a veteran and who used to ride horses when she was younger, said she thinks Courageous Strides is a wonderful idea.
“Just being around horses is relaxing,” she said. “You don’t have to ride. You can just watch and your blood pressure goes down.”
Brown said veterans face a number of challenges when they return home from war — some become socially isolated, while others suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Many struggle with demons imposed by both themselves and others. She said she and Sayers wanted to do something to help them.
Brown, an occupational therapist, and Sayers, who retired from the United Way of Franklin County as its executive director, have both been riding for many years and are both licensed to teach the special program. They said in therapeutic riding, the rider uses the movement of the horse to help with their physical, emotional, mental and social well-being.
“I saw a program like this in Ohio,” said Deane, who worked in 4-H for more than 40 years. “I talked to the owner of the farm, and it really opened my eyes to this wonderful path. I’ve always loved letting horses be part of people’s lives.”
Deane said horses know instinctively about a rider’s state of mind and his or her physical limitations, and seem to react accordingly.
“They’re sensitive to your emotions,” Brown added. “It’s so empowering to interact with a large animal.”
Sayers said one of the reasons riding horses is therapeutic is because as a rider or handler, you have to be completely present.
“They help you build confidence,” she said. “And, they help you focus. You have to focus. That’s what we want for these veterans.”
Brown said horses are used for other types of therapy, including for people with dyslexia, hearing problems and other physical, mental and emotional disabilities. There’s also been a lot of success using horses with autistic children.
“That’s why we wanted to reach out to veterans throughout the county and give back to them with a program like this,” Brown said. “They’ve done so much for us.”
Each lesson is tailored to an individual’s needs. Veterans can simply observe or groom the horse, but can also decide to do groundwork with it or ride it.
The two are offering six-week-long classes. Their first session just ended. They said they will eventually use about six of the 27 horses at the farm. They had three veterans in the session that just ended, and are already up to four for the next.
“We’re excited and pleased about the positive reaction of the participants,” Sayers said. “We’re very happy about how the first session went. Now, we will start focusing on fundraising to make the program even better.”
Brown and Sayers said they welcome donations of any types — money or riding items. Individuals, organizations and businesses can also sponsor a veteran or a horse.
For additional information and registration forms, contact Sandy Sayers at 413-627-9334 or email: ssayers@courageous-strides.org. All registration forms, including health information, are required prior to attendance. Proper footwear (closed-toe shoes with a heel) and helmets are required for all mounted activities. For more information, visit: courageous-strides.org.
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-0261, ext. 269 or afritz@recorder.com.