fringe thing. It represents a mainstream
activity."
The program at Marian Joy ended a few years
ago when its partner, a nearby stable, closed.
Marni Cruthmeyer, supervisor of the hospi-
tal's physical therapy department, says the
horseback riding program was popular with the
pediatrics staff.
"There's been a lot in the PT (physical ther-
apy) literature about the benefits" of therapeutic
riding and hippo therapy, she adds.
One such study, appearing in the October
1988 Journal of Physical Therapy, measured
the postural changes in children with spastic
cerebral palsy after participation in a thera-
peutic riding program. Statistically significant
improvements were found, and improvements
were noted in muscle tone and balance.
Gal slowly makes his way to the pavilion, an
aide at his side. His sneakers kick up dust along
the worn path. Soon, he is joined by seven other
thick neck and mane.
The grin stays with him
for almost the entire ses-
sion.
The smiling faces of chil-
dren help Ms. Shkedi jus-
tify her reasons for making
aliyah from England in
1985. They also help her fill
a void in her heart.
An ardent Zionist, she
wanted to live in a country
among Jews and utilize her
love of horses and thera-
peutic riding knowledge to
help disabled Israelis.
"I didn't just want to take
from Israel, I wanted to
give something to the land,"
she says. "I knew all of my
life that I am capable of
helping people. I love the whole idea of working
Left: A last-minute munch
with animals. I'm still very emotional about the
before the ride.
disabled and to see them achieve."
Making aliyah with Ms. Shkedi was her son,
Above right: The children get
Jonathan,
from a previous marriage. In July of
ready for their riding session.
1993, Jonathan was killed while on patrol with
the Israel Defense Forces in southern Lebanon.
children from Eliya, a
The Shkedis are intent on making the
charity group for chil- Therapeutic Riding Center into a legacy to the
dren in Tel Aviv.
country, something that won't disappear when
All are under age 6. they're gone. But they're facing financial
All are blind. Gal is also challenges.
deaf
Except for the contract with the Ministry of
The sound of a snort- Defense, which pays 100 shekels (about $30)
ing horse, the hoofbeats a lesson for its soldiers, the rest of the partici-
from the nearby ring, pants are subsidized. Typically, the Shkedis
where a recent stroke receive 45 shekels (about $15) a session, with
victim smartly canters much of that coming from other charities. They
her mount with the assistance of an instructor, have to find the balance through donations.
generate anticipation in all of the children —
And they have been told they'll have to leave
except Gal. Soon, riding helmets are strapped Beit Yehoshua. The owners have other plans
into place and the first child, with colorless skin for the land.
and almost-white hair, is helped onto his horse.
"We have tried to keep this open for every-
Then, Roie and Avital, twin sisters who were one. We go out and look for sponsors," Anita
blind at birth, mount their horses. Yehoshua, Shkedi explains. "We're looking to buy land for
after devouring a pita sandwich, is next.
our own center. We'd like to have a training
Now, it's Gal's turn. As he is led to the horse, school, to show others how to do the job so that
he thrusts out his hand and feels the animal's this won't live and die with us."
One of the Shkedis' most ardent supporters
is Danny Siegel, chairman of the Ziv Tzedakah
Fund. Mr. Siegel is known internationally for
identifying and supporting mitzvah heroes and
the work they do.
This year, his fund bought another horse (its
second) and a tractor, making the Therapeutic
Riding Center the largest beneficiary among
the 75 projects Ziv financed.
For information:
The Therapeutic Riding Club of Israel
POB 3168 • Bet Yehoshua, Israel
Phone: 09 697-776.
Locally:
Banbury Cross Therapeutic
Equestrian Center, Metamora
(810) 678-3303
Tollgate 4-H Center, Novi
(810) 347-3860
Oakland County 4-H Center, Pontiac
(810) 858-0889
Most Of Hannah's Riders Suffer From Injuries
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65 of the 200 partici-
pants in the Therapeutic
Riding Club of Israel's pro-
am have brain injuries.
These injuries typically affect think-
ing, emotion, speech, sight, hearing
and the ability to feel and move.
After an initial period of treatment
and stabilization, physicians refer
patients to the riding club.
"We can teach them to use the
other side of their brain," Anita
Shkedi says.
Sinai Hospital's Department of
Physical Medicine and Rehabili-
tation offers this hypothetical
scenario for a patient who has a
'moderate traumatic brain injury:
Initial treatment: stabilize pa-
tient, perform appropriate tests of
the head.
Initial hospital stay: 1-6 weeks
of acute care.
Rehabilitation: 2-6 weeks of in-
patient treatment, working with
specialized rehabilitation nurses,
physical, occupational and speech
therapists, psychologists, social
workers, recreational therapists
and a physiatrist, who coordinates
the team.
Physical therapy: to regain con-
trol oflimbs, mobility and walking.
Occupational therapy: to im-
prove hand-eye coordination and
activities of daily living, such as
dressing and grooming
Speech therapy: to relearn lost
reading, writing or speaking abil-
ity and regain lost thinking and
memory functions.
Psychology and social work: to
reintegrate the patient into home
and community and work with the
affected family.
Nursing: to reinforce all of the
therapies, monitor and maintain
medical stability with the physi-
cians.
Recreational therapy: To explore
post-hospital recreation and com-
munity reintegration (trips to
grocery stores, sporting events,
etc.)
Often, a prolonged several-
month outpatient treatment pro-
gram is required, with particular
focus on thinking and emotional
control.
Most of the Therapeutic Riding
Club's patients with brain injuries
have been in the program at least
three years.
— Arthur Horwitz