By Stefan Yablonski
Horse play can be therapeutic.
“I know from my own personal experience, as a former caregiver for my mother who had Alzheimer’s disease, how stressful supporting someone with memory loss can be. This is especially true for those who are caring for their loved one at home,” said Sandra H. Martin, founder of the Athelda Fund.
Her mother had Alzheimer’s disease for 10 years and she died in 2003.
“There were many generous people who made donations in her memory. We were able to create a fund called the Athelda Fund. She had a very unusual name. Her mother, my grandmother, always said that she found the name in a newspaper out in Iowa. So I guess that is where that came from,” Martin said.
They had been trying to find programs that support individuals who are caregivers, especially for people with Alzheimer’s.
“About five years ago or so, I worked with some equine horse specialists in Virginia who had developed a program called Silver Saddles down in Williamsburg,” Martin said. “We helped support their program. Their program was geared toward people in an assisted living facilities and they were doing research on the effectiveness of equine therapy. It had shown to be effective in California and Ohio.”
Partnering with Sunshine Horses
Memory Care Corral became a spin-off of those programs, she said, adding, “It is a little bit different. It is focused on people with Alzheimer’s, but employing many of the same techniques.”
The Memory Care Corral program, developed in partnership with community organizations with expertise in eldercare and dementia, as well as therapeutic horsemanship professionals, is an innovative program based on research that has shown interaction with horses is beneficial for both the individual with memory loss and the caregiver, Martin said.
Guided sessions with horses have been shown to reduce stress, improve communication and enhance the quality of life for both participants. Individuals do not need to have had any experience with horses to benefit from this ground-based program.
“I have found this program to be a perfect tribute to my mother, whose charitable fund, the Athelda Fund, provides the resources to make this program possible,” Martin said.
The interaction with horses seems to be the major beneficial effect.
Horses reflect the emotions of the people they are interacting with. It gives the opportunity for the person with dementia to have a positive experience and also for the caregiver, too.
The 60- to 90-minute sessions enable both participants to better communicate and support each other. Research has shown that the human-horse connection helps participants feel relaxed, confident and happy, according to Martin.
It’s not only for the person that they are giving care to, but with the other caregivers; they come together and share experiences, she added.
The Memory Care Corral started up on May 3 at Sunshine Horses, 3721 Verplank Road in Clay.
“This year we have been working with Sunshine Horses in Clay and we are accessible to people in Oswego. I’m mostly the funding source. And I also helped create the program,” Martin said.
“It’s our first year at Sunshine. We used to be at a couple other horse sites over the last couple of years in Syracuse after [the program] left Virginia. I’m from Syracuse. I live in Cicero. So this is my home base. I brought the program here three years ago.
“We were working in Tully and out in Chittenango. But now we are in Clay and it is much more convenient. Sunshine Horses has been a great partner. They have a lot of volunteers that have worked with us and they are all trained by the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York chapter.”
They try to limit each session to eight people. But with Sunshine Horses, they have more and more volunteers, “so we are trying to be flexible. Usually it’s somewhere between four and eight,” she added.
This year they are doing it on Saturdays. That way caregivers who are working are able to participate.
“It’s at one in the afternoon. Oftentimes individuals who have dementia are slow getting their day going. So it’s better if it is later in the morning or early afternoon,” she explained. “All those things are taken into consideration in the program. It sounds like a small detail, but sometimes it makes a big difference. If you’ve ever been a caregiver for somebody with dementia thinking about what time of day would be best for them is one of the things you think about.”
For more information, visit www.memorycarecorral.org or send an email to memorycarecorral@gmail.com.
Dates of Upcoming Sessions
Sept. 6: 1-2:30 p.m.
Sept. 13: 1-2:30 p.m.
Oct. 4: 1-2:30 p.m.
Oct. 11: 1-2:30 p.m.
Oct. 18: 1-2:30 p.m.
Helping Horses and People for Over 20 Years
Sunshine Horses is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit adoption agency and rescue facility for horses in need located in Clay.
The motto of Sunshine Horses is “helping horses, helping people,” according to Lisa Trumble, Memory Care Corral coordinator at Sunshine Horses.
“We are committed to rescuing, rehabilitating, retraining and re-homing horses,” she said. “Horses are rescued from various situations including off the track, personal surrenders as a result of unforeseen circumstances, neglect, etc.
“We rehabilitate them and re-home them through an approval process so they are matched well with a new owner.”
Sunshine Horses specializes in the care and training of retired standardbred racehorses. However, its commitment extends to all horses in need, irrespective of industry or breed. They believe that every horse deserves a chance for a happy and fulfilling life — and they work tirelessly to make that belief a reality.
If a suitable home cannot be found, that horse lives out the rest of its days at Sunshine Horses. No horse is ever euthanized based on adoptability.
Once at Sunshine, all of the horses are rehabilitated or trained for different equestrian disciplines prior to being adopted. Many of the horses are used to being driven and adapt well to light carts and carriages. Others readily learn to accept a saddle and rider.
“Sunshine Horses is entirely volunteer-based. We have close to 300 dedicated volunteers who collectively work together to provide care to the horses in two shifts 365 days per year,” Trumble said. “Every volunteer will tell you how much they love spending time at the barn and working. It is definitely a labor of love.”
It is run 100% on donations, sponsorships and grants.
Sunshine works with many different community organizations and agencies within Central New York, offering youth and adult volunteer programs.
Its volunteer programs not only contribute to the well-being of the horses but also foster personal growth, enrichment and community connections among participants.
Founded in 2003, it has found loving homes for more than 300 horses and is one of the leading standardbred aftercare facilities in New York state.
They strive to give each horse the basics so that they may excel in any discipline or new career they might find.
“Bringing the Memory Care Corral program to Sunshine Horses is perfectly fitting in the vision of helping horses-helping people,” Trumble said. “It is heartwarming to see our gentle horses interact with people afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. We are so thankful to be given the opportunity to operate this program in our organization.”
For more information, call 315-456-9380 or visit sunshinehorsesinc@gmail.com