How Equine Therapy Changed a Family’s Life Forever
When a family’s dream felt out of reach, equine therapy opened a new path forward. The McMains had always dreamed of hiking through America’s national parks together. But when their daughter was born with physical and cognitive disabilities, they wondered if they would ever get to share that experience with her.
“We hiked through Yosemite National Park with our daughter in a carrier when she was six months old,” says Rebecca McMains, mother and primary caregiver. “During that trip, my husband and I mourned the fact that she would never be able to explore these beautiful parks with us in the future.”
Rebecca’s daughter uses both a walker and wheelchair and has had to learn to move through the world carefully. Doctor visits, therapy appointments and public spaces required planning, advocacy and the constant presence from her mother.
“I was always hovering in the background,” says Rebecca. “At physical therapy, speech therapy and in medical offices I would navigate with her, and all too often for her as if she didn’t have her own voice.”
This constant presence caused Rebecca to worry about her daughter’s future beyond therapy goals and medical milestones. She wondered what would spark joy and independence, and what would become the thing her daughter loved most.
“I was worried that she hadn’t found her passion in life, or the thing that would motivate and excite her,” says Rebecca. “I wondered what was going to be her weekly highlight?” That question was answered when the McMains were referred to The Saddle Light Center, a nonprofit organization that provides professional equine therapy and is part of the Warm Springs Foundation Circle of Care. Despite their optimism towards this new approach, Rebecca had familiar concerns as they approached their first session. She wondered how her daughter would communicate with her new instructors.
“I was nervous that the therapists wouldn’t understand my daughter’s needs or fears,” says Rebecca. “I feared she wouldn’t be able to communicate with strangers.”
Rebecca’s fears subsided immediately following her daughter’s first few sessions. For the first time in her life, Rebecca’s daughter had found her independence.
“Her demeanor was so beautiful and peaceful,” says Rebecca. “She was independent during her riding sessions and she had no fear. She was so confident and able to communicate and follow instructions independently.”
From that moment on, equine therapy became her daughter’s space, not another appointment Rebecca had to manage.
“Riding is her thing,” says Rebecca. “There is nothing for me to manage besides getting her there each week. It is freeing for me while being a huge passion and growth opportunity for her.”
That growing passion led the McMains to something they had never considered. While planning a family trip, they came across a horseback riding opportunity through Zion National Park, one that extended beyond paved paths and overlooks.
“I remember thinking, ‘Could we?’” says Rebecca. “Before equine therapy, we wouldn’t have even considered this as a possibility.”
Thanks to the helpful guidance from Kerstin Fosdick, licensed physical therapist at The Saddle Light Center, Rebecca was able to get answers to all the questions she asked the Zion National Park horseback riding outfitter, including saddle considerations, terrain conditions and elevation changes. Later that year, the McMains rode through Zion National Park.
“Honestly, it made me want to cry,” says Rebecca. “It was a dream come true to be visiting a national park with our child. We were breaking free of the paved paths that previously defined our limitations.”
The experience at Zion National Park reshaped how Rebecca views her daughter’s future, shifting her perspective toward independence, possibility and informed risk.
“Our doubts can be traitors and cause us to close doors on amazing opportunities,” says Rebecca. “Supporting my daughter’s right to make her own choices has risk, but also big payoffs.”
While each rider’s progress at The Saddle Light Center looks different, the program’s impact is reflected in the steady growth that extends beyond and into everyday life. For families like the McMains, that growth has opened their eyes to new possibilities. “The Saddle Light Center represents opportunities for independence, strength, passion and adventure,” says Rebecca. “It has changed what we believed was possible for our daughter and for our family.”
Key Takeaways:
- Founded in 1991, The Saddle Light Center provides equine therapy for individuals with disabilities, focusing on physical, emotional and social growth. Learn more about their mission and the services they provide for here.
- At Warm Springs Foundation, we proudly support The Saddle Light Center along with others in our Circle of Care who provide life-altering possibilities for those living with disabilities.