SIRE, Houston’s Therapeutic Riding Centers

By Lorraine Ostrowski, SIRE Spring Site Coordinator

Some of the earliest recorded artistic expressions were drawn on cave walls by Paleolithic painters. SIRESpring drew from this inspirational imagery by creating a “painted pony” for our site Show-Off.

On November 18, 2006, our riders, ages three to eighteen, showed-off their best equestrian talents for family and friends.

“Painting Pal” was the highlight of is year’s program, which is offered to all our riders who are too young, or can not, or do not attend the Top Hands Horse Show or Special Olympics Games. We saw demonstrations of developmental riding, posting and two-point drills, obstacle courses, musical horses, barrel and pole bending, and even a YMCA rendition on horseback.

Everyone participated in the annual blessing of the horse herd and shared in a pot luck feast provided by both parents and volunteers.

Clients were invited to paint, embellish, and imaginatively transform our real-live horse, Pal, with hand decorations and Indian symbols.

The horse was chosen as the “canvas” because it is through the spirit and movement of the horse that equestrian therapy benefits people with disabilities.

Medals and ribbons were awarded, along with fun and lasting memories with SIRESpring’s very own “Painted Pal”.