Equestrian therapy students display skills at Westmoreland Fairgrounds show

Saddling up has given Matthew Mitchell a new approach for tackling some of his personal challenges.

The newly minted Southmoreland High School graduate claimed a prize on Saturday for the way he handled therapy horse Sid during the second annual horse show organized by Penn Township nonprofit, Making Strides.

Mitchell, 18, is on the autism spectrum and has an intellectual disability as well as Tourette’s syndrome — a condition that causes the afflicted person to make involuntary sounds and movements.

“He’s very introverted, but when he gets on that horse, he gets the freedom to express himself through it,” said his mother, Michelle. “When they’re galloping, I see him smile so much. He’s in control for once.

“I get excited,” he said. “It helps me.”

For about four years, Matthew Mitchell has been taking riding classes adapted to his special needs. He’s been participating in the classes weekly for the past year with Making Strides.

Saturday was the second year that occupational therapist and Making Strides founder Jillian Masciantonio brought the program’s students to the Westmoreland Fairgrounds, showcasing what they’ve achieved in front of an audience.

About 20 students participated this year, maneuvering their mounts around the site’s outdoor horse arena with the help of program assistants and volunteers.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Michelle Mitchell said of the show. “It gives the kids a chance to go out and show all the hard work they put into learning to ride. Everybody gets to see how dedicated they are.”

Though her son didn’t gallop during the show, he successfully put Sid through his paces.

“Confidence-wise he has come so far,” she said. “He loves animals but was very timid with even our dogs and cats. Now that he’s with the horses, he’s gotten more comfortable and come out of his shell with our animals.”

Lauren Diethorn of Murrysville was on hand for Saturday’s show along with her son, Landon, 12. He is enrolled in Making Strides’ more intensive equine-assisted therapy — or hippotherapy — program.

While adaptive riding aims to build the students’ equestrian skills, Masciantonio explained therapist-led hippotherapy is focused on boosting their functional skills and their quality of life. That can include speech therapy sessions conducted while the student interacts with a horse.

“They may be more apt to talk to horses than to their therapist,” Masciantonio said.

Lauren Deithorn said her son, who is on the autism spectrum, sometimes may become agitated and start screeching. But the sessions on horseback provide the therapist a strategy for curbing that behavior.

Said Deithorn, “She’ll nip it in the bud and tell him to get down off the horse. You don’t want to scare the horse.”

Export resident Amanda Shaw said her son’s participation in adaptive riding has helped him improve his communication skills and learn to acknowledge the perspectives of others as he copes with being on the autism spectrum.

“He’s giving his horse commands and slight taps, and she’s reacting to him,” Shaw said. “That’s helping him when he’s dealing with people.”

The student show was included in a two-day open class horse show for all ages at the fairgrounds, held as a fundraiser for Making Strides.

The show, which is free to spectators, is set to continue at 8 a.m. Sunday.

The proceeds help cover the costs of maintaining the nonprofit’s nine therapy horses, at a yearly average of $4,500 each.

“We raised $20,000 last year, and we’re on track to do the same this year,” Masciantonio said.