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Lives are being quietly transformed on secluded acreage west of Kearney at the Northland Therapeutic Riding Center, which serves children and adults with a wide range of disabilities.

In operation since 2001, the program has been able to give clients more independence and confidence, developing gross and fine motor skills, improving balance and strengthening muscles.

Rick and Ann Cates founded the center.

“It is their place, their dream,” said Mary Jill Webber, a co-director at the center with Elizabeth Thompson.

Using specially trained-horses, therapists and close to 100 volunteers work with almost 50 clients a week every Tuesday and Thursday, individually and in small groups.

Linda Hope of Holt has two children in the program and has seen significant improvement in both, with one almost ready to ride independently.

“They look forward to this each week,” she said.

Terri Acord of Parkville also has a child who looks forward to going to the center each week.

“He loves it. Whenever I say we’re going to go riding, he gets so excited,” she said. “It’s just like he can relate to the horse.”

The center has gone from two clients when it opened in 2001 to having a short waiting list at this point. It is open from mid-March to mid-November.

Webber said the children and adults come from throughout the Northland including Kearney, Holt, Liberty, Smithville, Parkville and Kansas City North.

She said the program has touched lives to the point where one of their first clients, who recently graduated from high school and is now in college, returns each week as a volunteer.

Webber said volunteers are an integral part of the operation.

“They are the backbone of our organization,” she said. “We have a really good group.”

Webber also stressed that that equine skills aren’t necessary to become a volunteer.

“It’s about people, not about horses,” she said. “That’s what people need to know.”

Colleen McKay is one of those people. She has been volunteering for close to 18 months, hearing about the program at school.

“I love seeing the kids smile,” she said of her experience.

An experience that Webber was quick to recall came in a similar vein when the staff and volunteers took a boy from his wheelchair and placed him on a horse, sharing what happened when they began to walk with him.

“It made him feel so good,” she said. “He said, ‘I’m high, I’m tall, I’m mighty.’”

THE DETAILS

For more information about the Northland Therapeutic Riding Center, to volunteer or to make a donation, call 472-1855 or visit www.northlandtrc.org.

Senior writer Mark Johnson can be reached at 781-4941 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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