At S.T.A.R.S., rehabilitation on the back of a horse
Denim & Dreams fund-raiser set for Saturday
Every day, a dedicated team of therapists rises and prepares for a day of helping patients reach new heights.
This dedicated team is not human, however, but of the equine variety. You can find them at S.T.A.R.S., which stands for Special Troopers Adaptive Riding School.
Nestled on 30-plus acres in the Loess Hills just north of Sioux City, S.T.A.R.S. has for more than three decades been providing therapeutic riding to patients of all ages. The organization, started by Sue and Dr. Mark Wheeler, is one of the oldest Equine Assisted programs in the nation.
On Feb. 28, the Denim & Dreams fund-raiser at Emma’s Event Center will feature a buffet dinner, and silent and live auctions. As a non-profit, annual fund-raisers are one of the few ways that the organization raises money to pay for services and hard costs such as animal feed and care.
“STARS has for 30 years been a source of relief for patients who require the special therapy that we provide,” said Stacy Pedersen, Executive Director of the organization. “With the support of the community we hope to carry on that mission for the next 30 years.”
If you travel to S.T.A.R.S., you will find a large red barn filled with a meeting room, horse stables and a riding arena. There also is an outdoor arena, and both are used year-round for therapeutic riding. Sixteen trained horses, two donkeys and 30 certified therapy dogs and handlers also call S.T.A.R.S. home.
To operate an effective therapeutic riding program, S.T.A.R.S. has one of the most experienced teams in the country. Three professional instructors are certified through the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH), which sets the standards for all therapeutic riding programs.
In its 30-year history, hundreds of clients have benefited from therapeutic riding and experienced significant physical, emotional, and cognitive breakthroughs.
Through structured activities on the horses and off, therapeutic riding helps clients stretch their physical boundaries, all while on the back of a horse.
Besides therapeutic riding, S.T.A.R.S. also offers through Western Iowa Techs Lifelong Learning Program a course titled Learning to Communicate with Horses, a non-riding horse clinic for adults 50-plus who always wanted to learn about horses.
The next course is the “Silver Saddles” program to build on that knowledge and help the student to learn how to bond with horses, feed them and eventually enjoy a gentle ride at the S.T.A.R.S. facility. Additional programs include riding lessons and Equine Assisted Learning Classes.
Other work by S.T.A.R.S. includes canine therapy, and includes hospital visits with the canine team visiting, and comforting, sick patients. Events like the Denim and Dreams fund-raiser make all of this possible, Pedersen said.
“This is a really big event for us, and we count on community support to make this great event a success.”
For more information or tickets to the Denim and Dreams event, call 712-239-5042.
About the Author
Thomas Ritchie I love food, cycling, family, music, social media and especially Sioux City. Got an idea for a story - shoot me a note at siouxcitynow1@gmail.com.
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