SIRE, Houston’s Therapeutic Riding Centers

Nearly 400 people blazed into the Houstonian Hotel for this year’s SIRE Trailblazer Luncheon held last week. President of the SIRE Board of Directors Richard “Whitey” White and Executive Director Jimm Williams provided the audience with background on Houston’s Therapeutic Riding Centers and the positive impact of therapeutic riding on physical and cognitive abilities. Guests also heard testimonials from clients Steven Schultz, Derrick Perkins, Nathaniel Hunter and family members about how SIRE has enriched their lives. The luncheon was free to guests and serves as a fund raising event with no minimum donation requirement.

SIRE provides programs for individuals who have physical and cognitive disabilities, sensory impairments and psycho-social disorders. SIRE works with its clients to improve motor skills, balance and posture while stimulating the cardiovascular system and normalizing muscle tone. The client also experiences the three-dimensional movement of the horse, similar to a human’s gait, which is difficult to duplicate in a clinical setting.

SIRE, Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Centers, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit therapeutic horseback riding organization which uses the spirit and movement of the horse to benefit people with disabilities. SIRE has been active in the Houston area for 26 years and currently serves clients at sites in Hockley, Spring and Fort Bend County. SIRE is a premier accredited center with NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association). For more information about SIRE, call 281.356.7558 or visit www.sire-htec.org.

SIRE, Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Centers, has announced the addition of Wendy Cook to the Development Team.

“We are excited to have Wendy join our team at SIRE,” said Jimm Williams, Executive Director of SIRE. “Her passion for helping others along with her extensive knowledge and love of horses will certainly assist SIRE, the volunteers and the riders of our organization. She brings with her some invaluable contacts throughout the equestrian community, as well as relationships with many area corporations and individuals who share a philanthropic belief and a willingness to give back to the local community.” Cook brings a wealth of experience to SIRE after serving for seven years as the Executive Director of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show.

“I am thrilled to join SIRE and all of the people and horses that are a part of the organization,” says Cook. “SIRE has an honorable mission and provides many new concepts projected to catapult the benefits of therapeutic riding into the spotlight. I feel that I have much to offer, a great deal to learn as well as receive. I’ve been waiting a lifetime for this opportunity, and I look forward to the challenge!”

SIRE provides programs for individuals who have physical and cognitive disabilities, sensory impairments and psycho-social disorders. SIRE works with its clients to improve motor skills, balance and posture while stimulating the cardiovascular system and normalizing muscle tone. The client also experiences the three-dimensional movement of the horse, similar to a human’s gait, which is difficult to duplicate in a clinical setting.

SIRE, Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Centers, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit therapeutic horseback riding organization which uses the spirit and movement of the horse to benefit people with disabilities. SIRE has been active in the Houston area for 26 years and currently serves clients at sites in Hockley, Spring and Fort Bend County. SIRE is a premier accredited center with NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association). For more information about SIRE, call 281.356.7558 or visit www.sire-htec.org.

Anthony Busacca has joined SIRE as the Site Director and Instructor at the Hockley site. Anthony has worked in the horse industry his entire professional life. His experience includes equestrian center management, as well as training and showing dressage horses. He became involved in therapeutic riding in the 1980’s as a volunteer instructor at a small, local riding program in southern California. Now, as a NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) Master Level Instructor and Lead Evaluator he has trained and certified hundreds of instructors all across the United States and in Canada, Japan and Israel. Anthony served on the NARHA Instructor Certification Committee for five years and has presented numerous lectures at regional and national conferences. He has served as the Program Director/Head Instructor of Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center, located in the north San Francisco bay area for the past two years. Before that he was Program Director of the Fran Joswick/J. F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center in San Juan Capistrano, California for sixteen years.

From Anthony - “I am very excited about joining the SIRE team. In addition to anticipating the satisfaction derived from working with the program’s students and volunteers I am looking forward to expanding SIRE’s instructor training offerings. Inviting people from other neighborhoods to come to SIRE to receive their training and certification as Therapeutic Riding Instructors will have national and global impact as they return home to their local communities and implement what we have taught them.”

More information about all of our staff is found on our website.

It is time to start planning SIRE’s 2010 Shindig at the Houston Hilton Post Oak on May 1, 2010. We need help with invitations, decorations, entertainment, auction items, underwriters, and table sales. There will be an organizing meeting on Monday, January 11 at 7 pm. (Place to be determined based on the best location for the majority of volunteers). If you have always wanted to be in on the decision making, please contact Harla at development [at] sire-htec.org. We welcome your input on making the 2010 Shindig the best and most fun ever! Please respond by December 31, 2009.

“Becoming a More Natural Leader” is the topic of the volunteer enrichment on Saturday, Jan. 30th from 2-4 pm at the Hockley site. The enrichment will be conducted by Jeanie Gardner, Head Instructor at Hockley, and Parelli level 3 (ground) and level 2 (riding) instructor.

This enrichment is open to Horse Leaders from all sites. Please e-mail vc.hockley [at] sire-htec.org to let us know if you will attend this educational event.