Many hands help Stable Hands

Stable Hands client Robert Loftus, right, is one of the program's original riders. His mother Blair, left, says that he talks about his riding at home and is "so proud" of his accomplishments on horseback.

GAZELLE - What was actually the year's primary fundraiser for the non-profit therapeutic riding organization Stable Hands earlier this month had much more the air of a family celebration.

Even the encroaching smoke from wildfires burning to the north did little to affect the mood on the Edson Foulke Ranch lawns as friends, family, community members and clients gathered for dinner, live music and a silent auction.

All that was missing were the horses, but even they seemed there in spirit.

"I ride a nice horse. He's brown and white. His name is Hershey," Stable Hands client Robert Loftus said with a big smile.

Robert and his mother, Blair, were moving through the crowds gazing speculatively - or determinedly - at the silent auction items before dinner.

Blair said that Robert is one of the original Stable Hands clients. He began riding 11 years ago, and his mom has seen the program's positive effect on him ever since.

"Robert is so proud of what he can do with the horses. He talks about it at home and clearly enjoys the whole experience. It's a great program," she said.

Stable Hands was the brain child of occupational therapist Marcia Cushman in 1996.

According to the Summer 2007 Stable Hands newsletter, the first fundraiser "consisted of passing the hat at a board of directors meeting, to pay the liability insurance."

The program began with four riders and was based at Cushman's property from 1997 until it moved to the Montague Rodeo Grounds in 2005.

For the past five years, Terry Price has donated his grounds for one evening fundraiser a year at the Edson Foulke ranch, and the Stable Hands program has expanded to serving up to 40 riders per eight-week session.

Cushman's neighbor Kim Presley, who designed the non-profits's logo, said she "knew Marcia when she couldn't ride a horse."

"Now it's gown beyond their yard into something the community can sustain," she said, calling it a "proud moment" for both Cushman and the community.

Board member Kevin Sponsler talked after dinner about the "incredible privilege" it is to work with the horses and riders at Stable Hands riding sessions.

"You're all invited to come to the arena. To describe it is just not enough - to be in the ring with these riders is unbelievable," he said.

David and Colleen Nye were among the evening's guests.

"We were out of town and came back for this event," David said.

Colleen, a nurse, smiled radiantly as she talked about her volunteer work with Stable Hands.

"These clients light up on these horses. Volunteering here is the most rewarding thing I can do for someone who doesn't have what I have," she said.

Colleen looked around at the tables full of people finishing their dinners and keeping track of desired silent auction items.

"The clients and volunteers are like a little family. It has to do with horses and patients - how can I not be happy doing this, with people who need people and horses who need people," she said.

And there were the horses once again.

Stable Hands: 'A place to belong'

This is part II of the Stable Hands Gala fundraiser story

GAZELLE - Among the guests at the Stable Hands gala fundraiser earlier this month was a client who has ridden in the program since she was 9 years old.

Now 19, Joy Wilson attends the College of the Siskiyous and maintained a 3.3 grade point average during her first year there.

That may not seem remarkable unless her physical condition is factored in - Joy has cerebral palsy, a disease which, for her, has meant untold hours in a wheelchair and a lifetime of being "different."

As a spastic quadrapalegic, Joy's muscles and limbs are hypertonic. She was the "only kid in a wheelchair with special needs" from the time of her earliest memories.

"At Stable Hands, I didn't have to hide; I could be myself. The animals don't think you're weird because you have a physical challenge or disabilities," she said.

Joy was one of the first Stable Hands clients.

One of the program's founders, Marcia Cushman, was her occupational therapist. One day Cushman called Joy and said she was starting a program that "would be good for her."

"I don't have quick responses. When I started, I was frightened by anything that moved. the horses helped me conquer not only my fear of animals altogether, they also calmed me down emotionally and helped me not be so feaful of things that moved," Joy said.

Other changes came quickly as well.

"When I started riding in the Stable Hands program in fourth grade, I was at the bottom of my class academically. Within a month after starting the program I was at the top of my class, and I was the fastest math student," she said with a smile.

Her story, and the stories of other Stable Hands clients, keep the volunteers coming back, brings more and more community members to the summer fundraising gala at Edson Foulke Ranch, and keeps the program growing.

There are now 53 trained volunteers "on the ground" working with riders and horses who do something weekly during the year' program sessions, according to Stable Hands executive director Cathy [Fitzpatrick].

"Last year we recorded more than 3,200 hours of volunteer time on the ground in the ring," [Fitzpatrick] said. That figure did not include the time donated by administrative volunteers or the volunteer board of directors.

[Fitzpatrick] said that, at this year's fundraising gala 116 dinners were served, and close to 90 auction items were donated by individuals and businesses.

"The goodwill, the good feeling of the supporters, and the numbers increase every year," she reported.

Every year, as more people hear about the program and what it contributes to the community, [Fitzpatrick] said, there are more outside donations and more people involved - people who stay in the background.

Stable Hands serves a few families from outside Siskiyou County, but most of the clients are members of the county-wide community.

[Fitzpatrick] said that, currently, clients come from as far east as the Dorris area, as far south as Mount Shasta and Weed, and as far west as Scott Valley.

Bob and Tammy Steelman are from the Montague area. Their daughter Jessie is 34 years old and was left disabled by an accident in 1992.

"At Stable Hands she benefits from being around other people, and the riding is building up her stamina. Just to sit up is a challenge for her," Tammy said.

Physical changes in Joy have been evident in her experience at Stable hands as well.

Joy has always had trouble sitting up. The therapeutic riding program has increased her strength and endurance, and her balance and coordination.

Soon after beginning her therapeutic riding program, she is able to focus her newfound physical control on driving a power wheelchair, and, in time, she took on downhill skking and soccer.

Cushman and her husband, Jay Perkins, made it clear when they spoke at the Stable Hands fundraising gala that the program is not something they did by themselves.

"A lot of those who helped us are out here eating dinner right now," Cushman said. "We all thought, 'We can do it.'"

And they have. They've done it with the help of parents, community members, volunteers, and clients like Susan Nicoson - who has transitioned to the organization's board of directors, a move she described as having give her "something to do that I really believe in."

Many describe the Stable Hands clients, horses and volunteers as being "like a family."

Perhaps Joy said it best - "Stable Hands is a place to belong."

Dear Editor

You truly captured the spirit of the Stable Hands Gala Dinner and the program itself with your interviews of riders and volunteers. It would be remiss of me however, to let it be said that Stable Hands was my brainchild. It was Kim Sumner and Suzanne Pindell who organized a meeting of people interested in therapeutic riding in 1996. Out of that meeting grew not one, but two therapeutic riding programs. Today Siskiyou County has the benefit of Stable Hands which serves disabled children and adults and Heal Therapy's Horse Program which provides "equine facilitated counseling for children." As stated in your article, the development of Stable Hands has been a group effort with no one of us being more important than any other. That said, thank you for your very thorough article.

Marcia Cushman

P.S. The executive director's name is Cathy Fitzpatrick, not Fitzgerald.