It quickly became clear that the rider was on her way to becoming more confident of her abilities on horseback.

Andi Holland, executive director of the Savannah Station Therapeutic Riding Program, noticed that the young girl needed less help as she rode her new four-legged friend named Beauty. Only the day before, she’d needed the aid of an instructor and volunteers to keep herself upright as the horse carried her around the arena.

“We see little miracles in every class,” Holland said as she watched the pair.

Such signs of progress are par for the course — and the horse — at Savannah Station. The therapeutic riding program housed at 13420 Frisco Road offers free morning and evening classes to individuals with cognitive and physical special needs, beginning at age 4. The riding classes are offered from September to May through the traditional school year. A one-week summer camp is held each June primarily for about 45 people on the program’s waiting list.

“We wanted to be able to encourage them while they’re waiting,” Holland said.

On a recent day, she watched as summer campers played games or showed off their newly learned skills on horseback. They played a game with a premise similar to musical chairs. At another time, they each carried an egg on a spoon in one hand as their horses, Beauty, Van Gogh, Popcorn and Penny Annie took them from one side of the arena to the next.

“You see that progress as they come over time,” she said of the campers. “It’s amazing that progress that we see from Monday to Friday.”

This year’s campers also made suncatchers, all while riding a horse. It’s possible, Holland said.

“We did tie-dye T-shirts, played basketball and played corn hole, all while riding the horses,” she said.

Homestretch

Holland said Savannah Station was started in 2013 with a handful of parents with special needs children, three horses and a retired special education teacher. Holland became the organization’s executive director in 2017 and the nonprofit moved to its present location in 2021.

Holland said the nonprofit has riding instructors who are certified through the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship or the Certified Horsemanship Association. During summer camp, each camper started off with help from a group of three volunteers — one certified therapeutic riding instructor and two volunteers who walked alongside the horse and rider for support.

Holland said horses stand out among service animals because they have the ability to carry humans. Plus, they can be intuitive and the Savannah Station horses are chosen because they are particularly gentle and patient.

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“There’s just a healing connection — it’s been proven,” she said. “So much of our healing in our classes happens on the horse.”

She said the organization is a 501 (C)3 agency and not formally faith-based, but Holland said she would describe it as “Christ-centered.”

“We know this is God’s program. It’s the only way it could have survived,” Holland said.

Meanwhile, Savannah Station is not sitting still.

A spring and fall program for senior adults has begun, with a focus on balance, flexibility and memory retention. And Holland said the nonprofit is also hoping to start a program to help veterans with PTSD challenges.

How to help

Savannah Station Therapeutic Riding Program is free to clients. The program is operated through donations and grants. The nonprofit’s largest fundraiser, the Horseback Heroes Gala, will be 6 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Petroleum Club. Sponsorships are available. For more information or to make a donation, go to https://www.savannahstation.org/.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Savannah Station program offers therapy through horseback riding