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ChandlerHagen BiancaIrlbeck LeviShield SarahSteffen Ms.Boes 19November2013 ReiningintheResourceRoom Introduction(SarahSteffen): Pauseforamomentandimaginethatyousuddenlylosecontrolofyourlegs.Theonlywayfor youtoevenhaveachancetoliveanormallifeagainistogothroughmonthsofintensivetherapy treatments,andthedoctorstellyouthatitwouldtakeamiracletoeverbeabletowalkagain.Butthere couldbeawayforyoutoshortenthattime.How?Bygoingthroughhippotherapyortherapeuticriding. AtTimberCreekTherapies,locatedinGuthrieCenter,miraclescanhappen.Peoplewhoneed therapycangotherefortherapeuticridingorintegratedphysicaltherapy,occupationaltherapy,or speechpathologyintheformofhippotherapy.Theyusethehorsesasameanstostimulatethedesired effects.Thehorsehasaverysimilarwalktothewalkofahuman,soevenifthepersoncannotwalkon theirown,theycansimulatebeingabletowalkbyridingonahorse.Therapeuticridingand hippotherapyareverysimilar.Themaindifferencebetweenthetwoisthathippotherapyhasatherapist supervisingthesessionorhasplannedoneforthedayforthepeopledirectingthesession,while therapeuticridingismoreofanadaptedversionofhorsebackridinginstructiontofittheneedsofthe

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person.Soforinstance,ifthepersonweretohavehadastrokeandneededtoworkontheirabilityto walk,theywouldprobablyusehippotherapy.Butifthepersonweretobeparalyzed,theycoulduse therapeuticridingtotrytogetsomemovementtopartsofthebodythatnormallycannotfunctiondueto thelackofcontrolofcertainmusclemovements. Peoplewhoarephysicallyormentallydisabledcanbenefitgreatlyfromtherapeuticriding.Some ofthephysicalbenefitsincludeimprovedmusclestrength,anincreasedrangeinmotion,andimproved posture.Thementalbenefitscanincludeaboostinconfidenceandselfesteem,workonsocial relationships,andotheressentialsocialskills.Withallthesegreatbenefits,wewanttobeabletoreach outtothecommunityandmakeadifferencewithourpeers,butnottheoneseveryonethinksabout.The oneswhosadlyareoftenpushedbackintotheshadows,thehandicapped.Butthesepeopleareno differentfromus.Weasagroupwanttostartthechangeofredefiningnormal.Itstartsnowasafield trip,aneverydaypleasuretakenforgranted. Problem(ChandlerHagen): Kidswiththespecialeducationprogramdonthavetheprivilegeoflivinganormallife.Manyof thesekidshavementalorphysicaldeficienciesthatmakesitdifficultforthemtodoanythingbutfunction inthebasicsofsociety.Theyspendsomuchtimeonhowtoactlikeeveryoneelse,theydonthavethe opportunitiesthateveryoneelsemayhave.InourmeetingwithMr.Raymond,itwasexplainedthatwe basethelevelofdisabilityonascaleofonetothree.Oneisthemilderdisabilitiesthatarentquiteas noticeableaswiththoseofthetwosandthrees. Oneoftheotherreasonsforthesekidsnotbeingabletodomanyoflifessubtlepleasuresis

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thattheextraexpensesoftheparents,monetarily,physically,andemotionally.Theseparentshaveto worklongerthantheymighthavetoreceiveenoughmoneytotakecareofachild.Itisphysically challengingbecauseofthesimpletasksthataredifficultforhandicappedpeople,inwhichtherestofus takeforgranted.Theemotionalchallengesarearesultoftheeffortsthatthecaretakersofthese individualsgothrougheachandeverydaywiththemanystressesthatcomeswithraisingachild,with theadditionofthechildneedingmorehelponthebasicfunctioninginsociety.Withallofthesefactors contributing,itisextremelyhardforadultstofigureouttimesfortheirchildtoexperiencethemany thingsthatnormalchildrenexperience. Someofthemanyhurdleswehadwhiletryingtoarrangeourfieldtripwereseeingifthetrip wasevenconsideredfeasiblebytheadministrationandifwewouldbeallowedtotakethesekidsoutof theirregularlyscheduledfieldtrip.Anotherhurdlethatwehadtogetoverwaswhatthecostwouldbe, howwouldwepayforit,andmakingsurethattherewasnothingthatcouldhappenthatwouldmake thetripmoreexpensivethanwehadoriginallythought.Thelasthurdlewassettingallofthetimesupfor everyone,soitwouldworkoutineveryonesschedule. Solution(BiancaIrlbeck): SummaryoftheProblem Ourproblemstemsfromthefactthatstudentswithspecialneedsdonotalwayshavethesame opportunitiesthatotherstudentstakeforgranted.Hurdleslikehavingahandicapaccessiblebusand makingsurethattheplacewearevisitingishandicapaccessiblewillimpedethefieldtrip.TimberCreek Therapyhasasolutiontoalltheseproblems,whilecreatingamemorableexperience.

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StepstoSolvingtheProblem Mr.Raymondbelievesthattheschoolwillfundthisprojectsincethesechildrenareapartofthe CarrollCommunitySchoolDistrict.Ifthedistrictwillnotfundthisfieldtrip,wehavesetupabakesale attheCarrollvs.KuempergameonDecember3.Thetotalcostwillbearound$200iftheschooldoes notfundthisfieldtrip.Atfirst,wehadtheideaofrafflingoffhighinterestitemslikeiPadsduringthis highlyanticipatedbasketballgame.Thiswasnotawaytoprovidefundingforthistripbecauserafflingis notallowedunlessaschoolacquiresagamblinglicense,sowedecidedonthebakesale.Withour problemandoursolutiondecided,weneededtostartimplementingthisideaintothedistrict. ThefirststeptothisproblemwastocontactCindyatTimberCreekTherapiesdowninGuthrie Center.CindywaswillingtohostthisfieldtriponaFridayduringtheyearforhalfaday.Thiswillallow thechildrentocreatethisamazingmemorytorememberthroughouttheirlives.Cindygaveusthe estimateof$5(McCarty)perstudent.Knowingthatestimate,wecontactedMr.Raymondfora meetingabouttakingthisfieldtrip. Mr.Raymondunderstoodtheidea,butcameupwithsomequestionsweneededtoconsider. Thesequestionsmadeusconsiderhowthisisgoingtohelpthechildren,andwhyweshouldbeallowed totakethechildrenoutoftheclassroomtotakethisfieldtrip.Wecreatedthisfieldtripknowingthat thiswillhelpthestudentsintheresourceroomtomakeexperiencesthateachandeverystudenthashad throughouttheschoolyears,buthaveneverfullyappreciatedtheexperience.Mr.Raymondthentoldus thatwewouldhavetocontactMrs.Brincksatthemiddleschool. MeetingwithMrs.Brinckswastrulyhelpfulinourendeavor.Mrs.Brincksclarifiedthata

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handicapaccessiblebuswouldnotbenecessary.Parentsareusuallythetoughesttoconvinceofafield tripbecausenoparentwantstheirchildtobehurt,sothiswouldbeourbiggesthurdle.Otherthanthat, wehaveemailedbackandforthwithMrs.Brinckstogetthepaperworktothechildrentomakethis fieldtriphappen.Ourbakesalewilloccuratoneoftheboysbasketballgameswiththedateyettobe determined. Conclusion(LeviShield): Acommonproblemintodayssocietyisthatspecialeducationstudentsandadultsdontgetthe sameopportunitiesaseveryoneelse.Duetotheirhandicap,theyaresegregatedfromotherpeople. Theyaresegregatedinclassrooms,intheworld,andintheworkforce.Theyhavetogotoseparate classrooms.Istillfeelforthemandsodoeseveryoneinmygroup.Theyalwaysgettreatedlikelessthan us.Theyhadnocontrolthattheywouldbehandicappedwhentheywereborn.Theyaresegregatedin theworldbybeingjudgedinpublic.Iftheygointoapublicplacetheywillsometimesnotgettreated withrespect.Peoplewillattempttoripthemoffwhenbuyingorsellingthings.Whengoingtorestaurants afewjerkscouldrefusethemservice.Intheworkforcetheyarerefusedworkbecausetheyre handicapped.Theyalreadycantworksomejobsbecauseoftheirdisability.Thenthejobsthattheycan do,theyaresegregatedanddontgetthejobjustbecausetheyarehandicapped.OurgroupLevi Shield,ChandlerHagen,SarahSteffen,andBiancaIrlbeckwouldliketochangethatandgivethese studentsanopportunity. Wewouldliketogivethehandicappedkidsachancetogetoutandhaveagoodday.We wouldliketogivethemachancetointeractwiththerestofus.Wewanttogivethemanopportunityto

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notbesegregated.WewouldliketobeabletobringthemtoTimberCreekTherapieswheretheycan ridehorsesandhaveafunfieldtrip.Weregivingthemachancetogetoutonafieldtripwiththeir peers.Also,theywillbewithus,andwehopewecanmakeitfun.Ourplanistomakeitagreatdayfor them. Wehavealotofplanningtomakethiswork.TimberCreekTherapiesisinGuthrieCenter,so weregoingtoneedbuses.WehavebeentoldbyMr.Raymondthattheschoolmightcoverthecost anditmightnot.Thebusingwouldbeabout$150(Raymond).ThecostofparticipatingatTimber CreekTherapieswouldbeonlyfivedollarsakid(TimberCreekTherapies).Itssocheapbecausethere isaalreadyafundraiserforthistypeofthing.Mr.Raymondsaidtheschoolshouldcoverthat.Ifthe schoolcantcoveranyofthisweplanonholdingabakesaleandcollectingfundraisermoney.Itshould cometogetherwell,withverylittleobstacles. Specialeducationstudentsdontgetthesameprivilegesastherestofus.MygroupandIwould liketogivethemagreatprivilege.WewouldliketobeabletobringthemtoTimberCreekTherapies, wheretheycanridehorsesandhaveahalfadayoffun.Wehopethisbrightenstheirdayandthey rememberitforever.

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Bibliography "Hippotherapyvs.TherapeuticRiding."Children'sTherAplay.TheChildren'sTherAplayFoundation Inc.,2013.Web.07Nov.2013. <http://www.childrenstheraplay.org/hippotherapyvstherapeuticriding>. "HorseRiding(AKAEquestrian)."AdaptiveSportsforAnyonewithaDisabilityDisabledSports USAHorseRidingAKAEquestrianComments.DisabledSportsUSA,n.d.Web.07Nov. 2013.<http://www.disabledsportsusa.org/adaptivehorseridingequestrian/>. McCarty,Cindy.TelephoneInterview.28October2013. "TimberCreekTherapies."TimberCreekTherapies.N.p.,10Apr.2012.Web.07Nov.2013. <http://timbercreektherapies.tripod.com/index.html>. Raymond,Jerry.PersonalInterview.1November2013. Brinks,Jennifer.EmailInterview.November2013.