My Child can Ride a Horse

By Denice & David Solgat

My child is 20 years old…and she can not tie her shoes…she can not ride a bike…or go to her friends house…she has never been invited to a birthday party for a classmate outside of school…nor can she remember all the time to go potty before the dreaded potty accident, …but my child can ride a horse. For one hour a week, she is just like 5 other kiddos. She is a rider, atop a patient and impeccably trained horse. This is not a pony ride, but it is a developmentally appropriate and supportive once in a lifetime opportunity for my Rachel to be just like everyone else.

My child is 15 years old…and she does not trust animals….she was severely bitten by a dog and required reconstructive surgery….while other children were getting ready for the trauma of 8th grade in general…my daughter was overcoming a face disfiguring trauma…during 7th grade, she was overcoming a surgical reconstruction of her ear…during 6thgrade…she was overcoming the shock of multiple personalities in her instructional days. My Jessica simply does not make transitions well and for that very reason, she often chooses to NOT participate in any social activities outside of the immediate family. Her social/emotional developmental concerns cause her to not understand social cues, and limit her ability to make friends. She has not been invited to a birthday party since 1st grade…Her impulsivity turns off many people before they even get to know her….but not Susie and her crew. They immediately saw the diamond in the rough my Jessica was…and for one hour a week she is a shining star! She has a natural athleticism that through the riding program has moved her to the fore front of the group. She is making friends with the teen mentors working with her, and is always the first one in the car ready to go. Her self esteem has soared through the roof…and I see a level of confidence developing in her I never previously thought possible…CLEARLY a direct result of the Wiloth riding program…My child is 15 and she CAN ride a horse.

My child is 7 and she is often misunderstood…her language delays are significant. She can not interact with other children without adult assistance for interpretation…she is deaf, but has bilateral cochlear implants…her bionic ears can cause fit problems for helmets, and other safety concerns…She is 7, new to hearing….new to listening…impulsive…and fast as lightening. She is a spitfire who seldom pays attention in a group setting…she flits around like a butterfly and can be a real handful…but for one hour a week, she is just a rider. She sits atop the horse the same as the other children in her class…playing games and developing skills that she does not even know she is developing. She increases her ability to interact with a group in a socially appropriate manner…she waits her turn, and learns to care for a large animal. I am not an animal person, I could never give my children the experiences Susie Wiloth and her staff do. For one hour a week, my 7 year old can ride a horse and is just like everyone else….

At first I was hesitant to add yet another appointment to our busy hectic schedule…but my Regional Center worker convinced me to give it a try…can’t hurt he said. It simply amazes me at how my relationship with him had evolved to allow me to trust his instincts and add to my already over scheduled week. I think this is often a key development in relationships between RCRC case managers and family caregivers that is missed.

The ability for us to trust our case manager to look at our family dynamics and make recommendations does not come easy to me…or my children. This program makes a difference to my children. For one hour a week…my children CAN ride a horse!

Mr. Jones, in my day job, I am an assistant to the dean in a local community college. I work on the budget. I interact with the vendors, and business office folks. I do truly understand the difficulty faced by the Regional Centers in this budget crisis era…But I also know that after 15 years of interaction with Regional Center on behalf of my children, the Wiloth Riding Program is one service that was recommended to me by your staff that has clearly impacted my children in life changing ways.

I think we as a community MUST look to programs just like this to meet the developmental gaps challenging our children. We must think outside the box for creative solutions to include our special population in community development opportunities that CLEARLY promote self esteem. Not everyone fits into special Olympics or other group events…Nor, could my children benefit from just any riding lesson…It clearly MUST be one with specialized equipment, mentors, and animals…all this, in addition to developmentally appropriate flexibility for each child. This is a tall order…

Yet, Susie Wiloth has brought all of this to Lake County…Susie Wiloth can and does meet these needs and I implore you to look to other solutions to your budget deficit…The Wiloth Riding Program is changing my children’s lives…and for that I will be eternally grateful to her, and your staff for identifying us a s a family in need when we were simply too overwhelmed to see it for ourselves…