Ty Michael used to be nervous the first time he climbed into the saddle at Special Equestrians. Years later, he came home from the Special Olympics with a silver medal and a gold medal, crediting the therapeutic riding program in the Buckingham area of Fort Myers for giving him the confidence to get there.
Special Equestrians serves more than 100 participants through activities like riding and grooming, according to Gulf Coast News and Weather, which first reported on Ty's medals. The nonprofit has operated for nearly 40 years, helping people with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding and equine-assisted programs, the outlet reports. Ty's grandmother, Wendy Battles, said he is autistic and lives with learning disabilities and developmental delays.
Ty described the program in his own words: “It brings me joy, it keeps me preoccupied, and it helps me have fun.” He said what he loves most is making friends and riding, and he calls Special Equestrians his happy place, as WBBH (Gulf Coast News) reported.
From Nervous Beginner to Gold Medalist
Dana Hollenzer, the organization's executive director, said Ty was nervous when he first began riding. That changed as he competed at the World Equestrian Center for Special Olympics, where he came home a champion with a silver medal and a gold medal, Hollenzer said, per the same report from Gulf Coast News and Weather.
Battles said the program has given Ty the tools he needs for his social and emotional skills. She also praised the organization's volunteers and staff for bonding with and teaching the children in the program, the outlet notes.
Benefits That Extend Beyond the Saddle
Hollenzer said the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding can extend well beyond the riding sessions themselves, pointing to gains in confidence, communication, emotional regulation, and balance that research has associated with the practice. She said Ty specifically gained confidence at school and in social settings through his time riding, according to the report.
That framing lines up with broader findings on equine-assisted services. A page from the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison describes such services as an umbrella term covering therapy, learning, and horsemanship, and states they have been associated with benefits in coordination, strength, balance, posture, motor skills, communication, and social outcomes.
Waiting List Grows as Expansion Plans Take Shape
Demand for the Buckingham-area program has led to a waiting list, and Special Equestrians is working to expand its programs to accommodate more families, per the same account. The organization operates from its own 14.5-acre property in the Buckingham area of Fort Myers and is accredited by PATH International at the Premier level, according to Special Equestrians.
To support that growth, Special Equestrians has lined up a string of fundraising campaigns this fall and winter. The Horsepower for Healing campaign launched Oct. 1, and the Ride-a-thon campaign began Nov. 1, according to Gulf Coast News and Weather. A Taste of Love campaign is scheduled to open Dec. 1, as noted by WBBH (Gulf Coast News).
