Contributed by Hayley Barrett
“Goodnight, Finn… Goodnight, Bucky… Goodnight, Sky…”
Every evening after she puts on her pajamas and brushes her teeth, and right before she dozes off, Heather Wilde says goodnight, one by one, to the horses of Windrush Farm.
Heather began therapeutic riding at age five and started riding at Windrush two years ago, when she was seven. Many of her early lessons were on reliable, easy-to-steer Bucky. As Heather progressed, she needed a horse that offered fresh challenges.
Finn, the handsome Connemara newcomer to both Windrush and therapeutic riding, is her current partner. “She’s a very calm and gentle rider, perfect for a horse that is learning,” states her instructor, Vanessa. “Finn’s good for Heather, and Heather’s good for Finn.”
“A common characteristic of Down Syndrome is a lack of muscle tone. Riding and working with the horses does a lot to strengthen Heather’s core and improve her tone,” explains her mother, Brenda. “For example, when she leads Finn back to the barn after her lesson, she has to practice walking heel-to-toe and taking big, strong steps to keep up with him. It’s good for her confidence, too. She knows she’s in charge.”
