Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Foundation

About the Program

More than 30 years ago, Marianna Greene Henry asked her parents, Pat and Marilyn Greene, to host hippotherapy classes for AIDB students on the family farm. Her goal was a facility offering equine therapy for children with disabilities. She died at age 31 before it was built, and Pat, Marilyn and their son Tim founded the program in her memory.

Hippotherapy at MGH is a treatment strategy used by physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists as part of a student's wider treatment plan. In equine-facilitated learning, a PATH Intl. equine specialist works alongside an educator so a group of students can meet classroom goals with the horses. Children can also receive counseling with an equine partner through the Equine Facilitated Mental Health program.

The Riders Club is an after-school riding team for AIDB students that covers horse care, ground skills, riding and competition. Places are filled through an annual tryout; typically 50 to 60 students try out for a limited number of spots, and members must keep their grades up. Students from any AIDB campus can also apply for the barn's work experience program, which teaches work habits and accountability rather than riding.

The Horses and Staff

The herd has eight horses, including Paints, a Haflinger, a Rocky Mountain Horse, a Quarter Horse and several draft crosses. Donated horses must be 4 to 20 years old, 12 to 15.3 hands, sound at all three gaits and calm, and gaited horses are not accepted. New horses go through a trial of at least 30 days.

Kate Storjohann is the arena manager. She is a PATH Intl. Certified Instructor, a PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning and a CHA Registered Instructor. Katie Hickman, a PATH Intl. Certified Instructor, coordinates volunteers, Michelle Staeck is the equine specialist, and Rusty Newton handles pasture and facility maintenance.

Volunteering

Volunteers groom and tack horses, lead horses in lessons and work as side walkers, sometimes acting as sighted guides for riders who are blind or have low vision. No horse or child experience is needed, and new volunteers get in-depth training. Contact Katie Hickman at hickman.katie@aidb.org or (256) 761-3364 to get started.

Location

Lessons take place at the Marianna Greene Henry Arena, 29401 Alabama Highway 21 South, Talladega, AL 35160. AIDB's main campus address is 205 South Street East, Talladega.