“Therapeutic Power”

Emilee Mae Struss – The Drug Coalition // Program Coordinator

We brought a group of teens to Swiftsure Ranch for groundwork and riding. The staff were very helpful and made the entire group feel comfortable and safe. They do a pledge at the beginning about keeping ourselves, each other and the horses safe. It really sets the tone for the entire day.
There is a lot of therapeutic power in working with these massively majestic animals. They mirror you and reflect what you’re feeling therefore you can better understand yourself just by spending time with the horses.

Pete Stephenson, Volunteer of the Year!

July 23, 2013

Wood River resident and retired fire fighter, Pete Stephenson, has  volunteered hundreds of hours at the Swiftsure Ranch Therapeutic Equestrian Center over the past five years.  His hard work has enabled many adults and children with disabilities to be able to ride horses at no charge.  Not only has he helped in lessons, but he has also helped build and fix fence, cut down trees, clear trails, clean up manure, and much more.  He is truly a blessing!  We recently nominated him and he was selected the Volunteer of the Year for the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.), and he was selected for Region 9!  Pete will be honored at the PATH Intl. Conference in Orlando, Florida in November 2014.  Thank you for all of your hard work, dedication, and love, Pete!

“They are very giving people”

Bill and Betty Grant

The day was March 19,1999. Bill Grant and his wife Betty were in Fairfield, Idaho to provide support as their friends grieved the loss of their beloved horse. On that Sunday morning Betty had decided to go skiing at Soldier Mountain while Bill returned to their home in Hailey to catch up on some work. Later that day, Bill made a fateful decision to ski Bald Mountain as Betty and her friend drove to Bellevue to look at horses at a ranch called Swiftsure. Hours later, Betty received an urgent call that Bill had been found unconscious and bleeding on the Limelight run on Baldy, a run they seldom skied. No one had witnessed the impact. Bill was only 66 years of age and due to the extent of his injuries he was not expected to live through the night. In May, Bill transferred to the Elks rehab center in Boise where he remained until July. He was then ordered to a nursing home, however Betty brought Bill home and has been his primary caregiver for the past 14 years. Due to the left frontal lobe injury Bill never regained use of his speech. He was blinded in his right eye.

At the age of 80, Bill is the senior (Betty jokingly refers to him as the “most experienced”) rider at Sagebrush Arena and has used the facility on and off for 12 years. For the past two years, Bill has ridden every week. According to Betty, there is a difference in his mood after each session. She says,

“Riding has given him a sense of achievement, helps him with his balance and gives him more self confidence. The physical tasks and movements Bill is not able to preform, he is able to do mentally thus stimulating his brain.”

Betty Grant never dreamed that she would one day return to the ranch she visited on the life altering day of Bill’s accident fourteen years earlier. On June 19, Betty Grant returned to Swiftsure Ranch for a far different reason: This time to deliver Bill to the weekly riding sessions he enjoys so much, an outing they both look forward to.

“It is good for both of us knowing that he has outside exposure in a world of other people who understand his needs. They are very giving people.”

~ Betty Grant

“Can do”

October 8, 2012

“When I was new to the Valley and seeking out activities in which I could participate due the physical challenges of multiple sclerosis, I was fortunate to find my way to Sagebrush.  As an adult with MS, I continually struggle with a sense of loss— specifically the loss of my ability to do things from which I once got much enjoyment and satisfaction. In shifting my focus from the things I can no longer do to the things I can do, adding horseback riding to my “can do” list was very exciting.

When people ask me about my experience with therapeutic riding, I tell them it’s good for the body and even better for the soul. The physical benefits one derives from riding are many:  better balance, improved core strength, and greater flexibility. But for me, the emotional benefit is important, too. The time I spend at the ranch leaves me with an acceptance of what is and the strength to face whatever challenges lie ahead.”

“I love the feeling”

“I love the feeling that I get when I come to the barn. The attitudes of the staff and volunteers are what set the mood. I appreciate how they make me feel; so very good at riding, so accomplished.

My success in riding helps to drive and motivate me to try hard and to be the best that I can be in everything in my life. I want so badly to be better, to be able to walk without a cane, and I know that I will be able to do just that someday.

Since I started riding a year ago, I feel smoother and more confident when I walk. My horse, Trigger, is a friend who will always do a good job no matter what kind of mood I’m in.”