WARSAW — Horseback riding is a sport that requires coordination, stamina and strength, both on the part of the horse and the rider.

With this in mind, therapeutic horseback riding stables seek to use the horse’s natural movements to work with those experiencing a variety of needs.

“The movement of a horse is actually how we move, so when the rider is on that horse, it is making their muscles work in the fashion that they’re supposed to,” Tammy Stackhouse, founder of Magical Meadows Therapeutic Horseback Riding, Warsaw, said. “As it moves, it will help to increase their muscle tone and make their bodies engage. That’s where there really is true benefit. It’s not just a pony ride.”

As far as those with autism and sensory issues, the tactile aspects of caring for the horse can go a long way.

“You groom the horse, you touch the horse, you make a connection with the horse,” Stackhouse said.

Stackhouse gave two examples of success stories she has seen at Magical Meadows. The first was Anna, a 3-year-old girl with Down syndrome. When Anna first started riding, she was unable to walk but could crawl. Anna, Stackhouse went on, befriended a volunteer nicknamed, “Cowboy Carl.”

“One evening after she got off of her horse, she took care of her horse and fed her horse and Carl said, ‘Well, Anna, where’s my kiss,’ and her dad put her down on the ground,” Stackhouse said. “Instead of crawling, she walked to Carl and the tears flowed from the family.”

She told of a young man in his 20s, Michael, who had a traumatic brain injury from a vehicle accident.

“He is in a wheelchair presently but is working on maintaining his stamina and his strength. Michael is now beginning to do some walking with assistance and the parallel bars,” Stackhouse said.

Certain horses also seem to be a good match for those with autism.

“Autistic kids, a lot of times, they see things through a different eye,” Stackhouse said. “Sometimes they’re very disconnected to people, but to watch them go out and be excited and brush their horse and stand and look into the horse’s eyes and be excited to get on. As they ride, it’s helping them develop their listening skills. It makes them more aware of following directions and the biggest part of it is building their self-esteem and letting them know what their worth is.”

Therapeutic riding can also be beneficial to military veterans experiencing physical disabilities or conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder.

“We’re finding great success with PTSD,” Stackhouse said.

 There is no age limit for therapeutic horseback riding. Magical Meadows has riders ranging in age from 2 to 88. The organization has also partnered with Cardinal Services and several Cardinal clients come out to ride.

“I’ve not found any disabilities that we weren’t willing or able to work with,” Stackhouse said. “We’ve had quadriplegics on the horses and kids with ADHD. A lot of times, parents are very cautious when they bring their children here because they’re very protective of their kids and they don’t want us to feel they’re not living up to our expectations, but Magical Meadows is here to serve them and we treat all of our families with the utmost respect.”