Raising Hope Through Horses

| PAGE LABEL EVEN | in support of the community INSIDE OOD WORKS TELL WILLIE Obituaries B3 GLifestyle Editor: Stephanie Jadrnicek | [email protected] | (864) 973-6686 Comics B4 Submit community news, calendar events, celebrations and obituaries to [email protected] Somebody dropped the ball. B6 Puzzles B5 Wednesday, April 26, 2017 The Journal B1 Haste and waste Raising hope t’s been 20 years since I’ve been so careless. Sure, I’ve had an ac- Icident within that span of time, but I was never the one at fault. I’d been rushing around — my usual weekend mode of operation — trying to get prepared for the upcoming week. The house was through horses finally clean, and it was time to restock inventory. So on Sunday morning at approx- imately 11:30 a.m., I packed my car for an errand run. I grabbed my canvas grocery bags, the family’s weekly list of necessities and wants and a few items that didn’t make the final cut and needed to return to the store. I turned the ignition, checked my mirrors and threw the car in COMMON reverse — but I GROUND | didn’t make it very far. STEPHANIE In my rear-view JADRNICEK mirror, I could plainly see the usual obstacles: my daughter’s Honda Civic and my husband’s truck. But what I didn’t consider was that my daughter’s friend had spent the night after prom and her tiny Chevy Spark was still parked in our driveway, inconspicuously hidden by the breadth of the truck. So once I’d cleared the Civic and the truck, I habitually shifted my REX BROWN | THE JOURNAL eyes to a side-view mirror and kept Volunteer Bryan Hawkins, left, trainer Jessica Fry and volunteer Michael Stevenson guide Dylan Holcombe around the arena on cruising. on Scout. There’s nothing quite like the sound of metal crushing metal to make your heart drop into your stomach. At the moment of impact, BY STEPHANIE JADRNICEK | IF YOU GO ... | belt around Dylan’s waist to it occurred to me that we had an THE JOURNAL help him support himself on extra car in the driveway. What: Hope Through Horses horseback. I jumped out of the car to assess SENECA — Dylan Hol- When: May 6; 6-10 p.m. Besides his improvements the damage. The left end of my combe had never sat on Where: Brews on the Alley in speech, core strength back bumper had scraped the a horse before. But when Cost: Free admission and learning the value of re- Chevy’s right front corner. Dam- the 4-year-old climbed into For more information, call (864) 991-9163 or visit wildheartse- sponsibility, Dylan has also age to my vehicle was minimal. the saddle at Wild Hearts quinetherapy.org found refuge in the peaceful A bit of paint had been scraped Equine Therapy Center, it tranquility at Wild Hearts. off the bumper — no big deal. But was if he’d been riding all “I think it’s calming for the other car didn’t look so good. his life. Holcombe said. “I try to stay sion is free, and the event him. Last week I got pic- The small white Spark now wore Dylan has nonverbal open-minded because I want will feature live music by tures of him rubbing the several bright red stripes. autism — he understands the best for Dylan. I want Left Lane, a bluegrass band. horse’s chest,” Holcombe Realizing I had added another speech, but can’t verbally him to have every opportu- Vangeli’s Bistro will serve said. “Just being out here huge task to my plate, I did what express himself. nity.” dinner available for pur- where it’s so beautiful. And any reasonable person would do — “He can direct you to what Dylan goes to Wild Hearts chase, and numerous silent the way they work with I sobbed. After the initial emotion- he wants, but he can’t ver- once a week and looks for- auction and raffle prizes Dylan, they’ll ride and then al response, I sucked it up and got bally say what he wants,” ward to every session. Wild from local businesses will they’ll let him go chase to work fixing what I had broken. Dylan’s mother, Sara Hearts works with people benefit the center. chickens and then they’ll First, I notified the parents. They Holcombe, said. “He babbles with physical disabilities, Every dollar raised is come back and ride a little were unbelievably understand- like a little child babbles be- emotional trauma and worth it when Fry sees her bit more — they just go with ing, and I assured them that our fore they start talking, but it behavioral or social issues, clients’ progress. She said the flow.” insurance company would handle isn’t clear. This can change, such as at-risk youth. The when Dylan first came to Holcombe recommends everything and apologized pro- though, and his babbling is center also welcomes veter- Wild Hearts he was very this type of therapy for fusely. a good sign. He’s talking, ans with physical disabil- flaccid on the horse — he many people, not only those On the bright side, both cars just not to the point where ities, PTSD and traumatic had no balance. on the spectrum. could be driven and no one was we can understand him.” brain injuries. “He is almost able to sit “It’d be great for some- hurt. In my experience, it’s much Dylan had attended As a professional horse up straight by himself on body who has PTSD or easier to fix cars than people. So speech therapy sessions trainer and riding instruc- the horse now,” she said. depression,” she said. “It’s on the car accident spectrum, this every week since he was 2 tor, Jessica Fry has had a “And since he’s nonverbal, great therapy to be out here incident ranked fairly low. years old, but he hated it. lifelong hope of providing any type of communication on the farm. It doesn’t feel The insurance companies have Sitting inside a room and therapy through horses. is impressive. When he like therapy — it’s fun and already sorted out the affair — it following commands frus- She’s pioneered a therapy wants to make the horse go relaxing.” didn’t take my provider long to trated him. And when every approach that gives her now, he’ll grunt or make a Whether it’s a child with fess up to liability considering no session started ending in clients the opportunity to movement. It’s awesome to autism, ADHD or limited one was driving the other car. And tears, Holcombe knew it was train rescued horses. watch.” mobility, or a combat veter- appraisals are already in motion nonproductive. Fry said Wild Hearts now Holcombe said the pri- an with PTSD, Fry said each for repairs. That’s when she heard has 14 clients. The pro- mary reason for bringing person benefits from their After I’d handled the phone calls, about equine therapy. Her ceeds from last year’s Hope Dylan to Wild Hearts was to connection with a horse. I went on with my day to gather friend’s daughter had been Through Horses benefit help him develop his speech. “Horses do this amazing food for the family. However, I pro- visiting Wild Hearts as a helped the center expand, And his instructor, Karen thing for people — they give ceeded at a much slower pace. member of a Special Olym- adding another instructor, Buccino, told Holcombe that immediate feedback,” Fry Merging onto Interstate 85, I pics equestrian team and an arena and a pony named Dylan has told the horse to said. “You have to be com- used every bit of care and caution I was thriving. Inspired, Cinnamon. The pony was “go,” which makes Hol- pletely in the moment when could summon, feeling grateful my Holcombe decided to try donated, but the vet and combe proud. you’re with a horse.” hasty pace had been slowed before a different approach to farrier care require funds. She also brought Dylan to For more information, I even left the driveway. Dylan’s therapy. Wild Hearts will host the center to build his core call (864) 991-9163 or visit “He took to it immedi- its second annual Hope strength — he sometimes wildheartsequinetherapy. STEPHANIE JADRNICEK is an award-win- ately. He wasn’t scared of Through Horses benefit has a hard time climb- org. ning columnist and feature writer. She may anything — he sat up on from 6-10 p.m. May 6 at ing stairs. And Tuesday, be reached at [email protected]. the horse like a little man,” Brews on the Alley. Admis- Buccino fastened a large [email protected] | (864) 973-6686 CELEBRATE COMMUNITY PLEASE REMEMBER TO THANK THESE PARTNERS.

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