Anna Tarkov/Special to the Tribune
Disabled children who participate in a equine therapy program in Mundelein got a special visit Monday from jockeys from Arlington Park racetrack in Arlington Heights.
Founded in Lake Geneva, Wisc., 15 years ago, Partners for Progress has been operating for more than a decade in Lake County, Director of Development Linda Liss said. The current Mundelein location serves families who come from as far as southern Wisconsin and downtown Chicago.
Most of the riders who participate are children who have physical, development or mental disabilities. Some of the most common conditions are autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis.
Training children as young as 18 months, the therapy involves a child being on horseback while a volunteer leads the horse and another walks alongside it. Each child’s unique condition and abilities dictate the route the therapy takes from there. The goals of each rider vary, but frequently the end results are greater muscular coordination, increased strength and flexibility and improved social skills and self-esteem.
Though the organization often brings special visitors in for clients, Monday was the first time professional jockeys have come to interact with the children.
Liss said it was a thrill to bring these two horse-loving groups together. “It’s nice for the kids to feel validated by professional riders like these,” she said.
Monday is traditionally one of the Arlington jockeys’ few days off, and some even brought family members with them to enjoy what little free time the riders have. The jockeys said they were delighted to spend time with the Partners for Progress kids.
Jockey Jesus Castanon said he was enjoying himself immensely and was glad to have the opportunity to interact with the children. He said he would “definitely” return.
Many of the jockeys brought gifts for the both the children and the program organizers, from office supplies for the staff to riding helmets and goggles for the children. The jockeys then took turns filling in for volunteers who lead and walk alongside the horses while children ride them. The jockey also participated in riding exercises like riding backwards or clapping while riding.
Because it’s a nonprofit group, Partners for Progress relies on volunteers and donations. Liss said equine therapy generally costs about $45 an hour.
According to staff physical therapist Sue Lutz, the investment is well worth it.
Lutz explained how the act of riding a horse benefits a disabled child.
“A horse’s movements mirror those of a human being” she said. In the case of children whose bodies don’t move normally, riding helps them improve those movements while developing strength and balance. Lutz added that this therapy “strengthens the (torso) like no other therapy I’ve ever done.”
Lutz has been a physical therapist for 40 years and said that Partners for Progress was now the only place she worked because it was so rewarding and the therapy so successful.
One parent who would probably agree is Sandy Neary of Vernon Hills. Her daughter Sydney, 13, had been riding at Partners of Progress for eight years. Born with a rare chromosome disorder which caused various physical and mental disabilities, Sydney came in “walking like an old lady” but is now able to walk quite well, Neary said.
The family tried equine therapy because a clinic setting was not working, Neary said. It felt like work to Sydney, and she didn’t cooperate. The equine therapy was fun and turned out to be a much better fit.
“It’s a home here,” said Neary, whose 17-year-old daughter volunteers at the facility while another daughter, 9, can’t wait until she’d old enough to start. Other than riding, Sydney also helps with taking care of the horses especially her favorite, Nemo.
