Healing Hooves
We drive by them on our highways as they peacefully graze in the fields, never thinking anything more about their lives and how they may impact our world. We often tell people how beautiful they are and ask if they have ever heard of the Kentucky Derby. People smile at the mention of the greatest two minutes in sports, but they rarely think of the horse as a healer to those with disabilities.
Founded in 1997 by current executive director Paula Nieto, the Luci Center provides therapeutic horseback riding to children and adults with disabilities. Named after a beloved yellow Labrador retriever, Luci also stands for Love, Understanding, Care and Involvement.
The mission of the Center is:
To enrich the minds, the bodies and the spirits of children and adults with disabilities through horse-related activities.
Far beyond our memory, horses have provided food, transportation, entertainment, employment, pleasure, and now, healing for humans. Why does this majestic animal hold such a powerful place in our lives? That is a question that can only be answered in the heart of each human being. What we do know is that the horse provides a unique platform of movement that gently and rhythmically assists those with physical, mental and emotional challenges. The displacement of the horse’s center of gravity closely resembles our displacement; the number of footfalls is also closely aligned, 110-120 steps per minute. The overall process of riding provides the human body a total experience no matter what the area of challenge may be. When you ride a horse, every part of you is at work. Areas of improvement may include postural control, flexibility, cognition, speech and language, confidence, an increase in muscle tone and in attitude to achieve a goal and to face challenges head-on outside of the barn or arena setting. Being able to direct a thousand pound animal, asking it to walk on or whoa, is not a task to be taken lightly. Therapeutic riding is hard work, but it is fun. Individuals from age three and older with a variety of disabilities can benefit from participating in this non-clinical, sensory-rich environment. Some of the disabilities and challenges that we see are:
- Autism
- ADD/ADHD
- Cerebral palsy
- Developmental delay
- Down syndrome
- Spina bifida
- Learning disabilities
- Multiple sclerosis
- Traumatic brain injury
The task of providing this service to just one rider takes a team with many different parts. All of the horses at The Luci Center are donated and must be of sound mind and body. The volunteers must be trained as sidewalkers and leaders. The instructors must fully understand the challenges that the rider faces and create goals that are achievable and allow for the rider to grow in ability. The instructors at The Luci Center are nationally certified through the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).
These interesting statistics were last gathered in 2005: there are over 692 therapeutic riding centers in North America, serving 35,497 riders, caring for 5,911 horses and assisted by 26,474 volunteers. The total budgets for all centers in 2005 were $77,060,437.
The Luci Center is a place that offers a safe haven and second career for horses and offers volunteers that have dreamed of learning more and helping in their community the chance to connect and grow. The Luci Center provides donors with a chance to see first hand where their dollars go. The invitation to visit TLC has been open since the day a horse first offered a ride to the first participant.
Testimonials are always powerful illuminations of the work of charitable organizations. The impact that is made on the lives of the participants and their families and caregivers can never be underestimated, neither should the impact that helping others has on the volunteers and instructors. Therapeutic riding is the definition of a win-win situation. The horse has a loving, caring home and can continue to contribute; the volunteers have an opportunity to give and receive; the donors and supporters can see firsthand their contributions at work; and, the rider can experience a freedom and joy that might never have been made available to them except on the back of a horse.
To contact The Luci Center:
Mailing Address Physical Address
The Luci Center The Luci Center
PO Box 936 500 Hebron Rd.
Shelbyville, KY 40066-0936 Shelbyville, KY 40065
502-220-4308
