Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Woodinville

Editor's Note: Each week the Seattle Post-Intelligencer profiles someone from a charitable organization seeking donations of materials, food, clothing or volunteer hours. This week we speak with Kathy Alm, executive director of Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Woodinville. Little Bit, one of the largest therapeutic riding programs in the United States, gives disabled riders of all ages an opportunity to learn riding skills. Alm, who has a background in non-profit management, including 10 years with Seattle Children's Theatre, did not ride before taking the reins at Little Bit, but has learned so much from watching the benefits to other riders that she now takes lessons herself.

Who does Little Bit serve?

"We benefit children and adults with disabilities, either physical or cognitive. Riders are grouped based on their abilities, both cognitive and riding ability, which gives them the opportunity to form friendships. We currently have 158 riders a week."

What is therapeutic riding and how does it help?

"There are very specific physical benefits to learning to ride, including improving balance, relaxing tight muscles, building muscles and improving hand-eye coordination. But there are incredible emotional benefits as well, including the bond between the horse and rider. It's very strong. We have horses who will stop and greet riders. If you're confined to a wheelchair and your view of the world is half as low as a walking person's, imagine all of sudden viewing (the world) from above, from the back of a horse, and you're in control! It's a huge boost to the self-esteem."

Do the horses have to have special training to work with disabled riders?

"They don't have to have special training, but they do have to be special horses. We need horses that don't spook easily -- who aren't spooked by balls, for example. (Riders sometimes play games with beach balls on horseback as part of therapy.) They have to be OK with unbalanced riders, or a sudden scream or the occasional accidental kick. Very few horses make the cut. And it's very hard work. On average, a therapy horse works two years before it has to retire. "

Can working with horses help with language skills as well as physical ones?

"We've found it can really help kids with autism and sensory integration issues. (One young rider spoke his first full sentence after his first time with the horse.) There's something about riding that can be very organizing (for the brain) and can help with speech."

Do riders get one-on-one help?

"We have a couple of different programs. One is a medical model, called hippotherapy, which is therapy through the use of the horse as a physical therapy tool. It's done one on one with a physical therapist and uses the movements of the horse to improve balance and muscle control. In addition, we have sport riding classes, which are more about learning to ride, but still offer the physical and emotional benefits of therapy."

What other benefits are there to therapeutic riding?

"The third huge benefit (besides physical and emotional) is social interaction. Riders make friends with volunteers, with their horses and with other riders. (The organization uses more than 200 volunteers per week for classes.) We've even had volunteers become godparents. They become like family."

HOW TO HELP

Little Bit needs volunteers to help with classes, especially between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. In-kind donations of equipment, such as tack, office supplies or toys to use in conjunction with therapy, are also welcomed. Little Bit is at 19802 N.E. 148th St. in Woodinville. The phone number is 425-882-1554.

-- Carol Smith

Do you work with a charitable organization that needs donations of materials, food, clothing or volunteer hours? If so, contact us and let us know about your specific needs. Send us the Web site of your organization so we can learn more about the work you're doing. You can reach us at giving@seattlepi.com.

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