By Mary Beth Marino

“Giddy-up! Whoa! Hi-yo Silver!”

These are the happy sounds that can be heard at the Crawford Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship located at Chastain Park in Atlanta.

Over 100 children and adults participate in a therapeutic training program that benefits them mentally and physically, and helps develop their social skills through the use of horsemanship.

Handicapped groups that participate in the program include: Easter Seals, Sexton Woods, N. Fulton Training Center, Cerebral Palsy Center of Atlanta, C.W. Hill School, and Shepherd Spinal Center. The Georgia Retardation Center and The Southern Christian Children’s Home are both on a waiting list for the next session starting in January.

The program is under the direction of Shirley Crawford. Mrs. Crawford’s husband, Robert, is the manager of Chastain stables. Shirley holds degrees in psychology and physiology.

“We decided to merge our two loves, (people and horses) and develop this program that benefits the handicapped,” Shirley explained.

“We offer a therapeutic program using horses that go beyond the sterile hospital therapy,” Shirley said.

The handicapped practices balance, coordination and posture while riding a horse. Mentally, the children develop pride in their accomplishment and experience the feeling of being like “everyone else” when mounted on a horse.

“Physically, the training helps to develop the trunk muscles and strengthens the spine which is constantly abused from sitting in the same position in a wheelchair,” Shirley said.

“Apparently, there is a mental respite for the handicapped who is always looking ‘up from their wheelchair,’ to ‘looking down from the saddle,’” Shirley explained further.

The spirited Mrs. Crawford proudly described the benefits of therapeutic training for the autistic child.

“As you probably know, autistic children do not like to ‘touch’ or be touched by other people,” Shirley said. “Yesterday, we had a group of severely autistic children come in. We found if we put two children on a horse together, the autistic child must touch (by holding onto the other child) and they think more about holding on, (so they won’t fall) rather then, ‘touching’ the other child,” Shirley beamed cleverly, proud of the apparent success of the technique.

This is no small operation, however. Approximately 50 volunteers are trained to work with the handicapped. Even the horses themselves are trained.

“If a handicapped child cannot mount a horse from the right side due to poor coordination, the horses must be trained to accommodate their mounting on the left side,” Shirley said.

There are eight horses used on a rotating basis to facilitate the program.

Through the affiliated membership of the North American Riding Association for the Handicapped, (NARHA) the center obtains guidelines, regulations and insurance coverage. The program is free of charge and the only fee is $15 to cover insurance.

“Our national affiliates conduct workshops and seminars, and instruct us on the use of safety features, such as hard hats or safety belts,” Mrs. Crawford said.

The Crawford Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship is supported by the Junior League of Atlanta. They recently awarded the program a grant of $4160 plus a commitment of volunteer support. The Metropolitan Atlanta community Foundation has also awarded a grant in the amount of $2500. The non-profit organization relies on such contributions to keep the program operating.

“We are always looking for volunteers,” Mrs. Crawford said. “The Marist High School students volunteer twice a week after school and they really enjoy it.”

Right now, the Crawford Center is getting ready for their Annual Horse Show to be held on Nov. 3 and 4. Admission is free and the center is looking for people to sponsor a class.

The cost is $100 and the sponsor would be seated in the Blue Ribbon section, receive an invitation to a V.I.P. reception and be listed in the Horse Show program.

All proceeds from the show will benefit the Atlanta Humane Society and the Crawford Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship.

For more information regarding this therapeutic program that benefits the handicapped, call 257-1470 or 955-1880.

A visit to Chastain Park stables alone is worth the trip just to see the faces on the handicapped children as they happily yell, “Giddy-up!”