Darkstorm asked about Shatners Charities so I put together some rough information about 2 of Shatners Charities from PAST EVENTS...
Last years event was in Conjunction with the Hollywood Horse Show. http://www.horseshow.org/hchs/index.htm
Ahead With Horses
LA's Best
Last years event was in Conjunction with the Hollywood Horse Show. http://www.horseshow.org/hchs/index.htm
Ahead With Horses
Ahead With Horses is a therapeutic riding organization which works with children who are very badly disabled. Most cannot walk, some are blind, some have little chance of survival, but all benefit from the devotion of the AWH staff.
The child starts out learning on a wooden barrel to simulate the feel of a horse. Many of the children are terrified in the beginning, most have never been out of their wheelchair except to be carried... Eventually, however, they graduate to sitting on the horse with the trainer behind them and another one along side. Slowly trust builds and different techniques are added, each one specifically designed to help strengthen the child's weakest muscles. No saddle is used as the movement of the horse helps to stimulate certain muscles and nerve endings that could not be exercised were a saddle used and, as fear leaves, work quickly turns to pure joy.
How long before we begin to see improvement? For some, a few months. For others, a few years or longer. But we NEVER stop trying so long as the child keeps coming. We don't demand improvement. We only try to provide the means by which improvement can happen. And they all do improve. Perhaps it can't always be measured at the physical level but it is in their spirit, their joy and their smiles.
The child starts out learning on a wooden barrel to simulate the feel of a horse. Many of the children are terrified in the beginning, most have never been out of their wheelchair except to be carried... Eventually, however, they graduate to sitting on the horse with the trainer behind them and another one along side. Slowly trust builds and different techniques are added, each one specifically designed to help strengthen the child's weakest muscles. No saddle is used as the movement of the horse helps to stimulate certain muscles and nerve endings that could not be exercised were a saddle used and, as fear leaves, work quickly turns to pure joy.
How long before we begin to see improvement? For some, a few months. For others, a few years or longer. But we NEVER stop trying so long as the child keeps coming. We don't demand improvement. We only try to provide the means by which improvement can happen. And they all do improve. Perhaps it can't always be measured at the physical level but it is in their spirit, their joy and their smiles.
LA's Best
In September of 1988, the City of Los Angeles took a bold step outside of traditional city business to create an innovative after school program to address the alarming rise in street gangs, school dropouts and drug use in communities where children lacked adequate adult supervision during the critical hours between 3-6 p.m.