Our Students

Pal-O-Mine Equestrian's greatest resource and strength lies in its students, as diverse a group as one could imagine. Clients include those with cognitive (mental retardation, autism, downs syndrome), physical (multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, stroke), sensory integration disorder (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, attention deficit disorder), and multiple (traumatic brain injury) disabilities.

Clients are almost equally divided between male and female, and range in age from two to sixty-eight. The accompanying chart indicates age distribution of those currently attending our programs.

Thus over half of Pal-O-Mine's students are twenty-one years of age or younger, and it is with this group that we have realized some of our greatest success, undoubtedly for the same reasons that makes it easier for a child or adolescent than for an adult to learn a new language. The younger those with disabilities are pulled into the program, the greater the chance for substantial gains in becoming self-sufficient.

Room to Grow
While the majority of students reside in Nassau and Suffolk counties, there is substantial representation from the five boroughs of New York City. Pal-O-Mine's goal is to provide services to as many individuals with disabilities as possible, without compromising the quality of the program.

Perhaps the best way to appreciate the benefits of Pal-O-Mine's therapeutic riding program is to allow a case history to tell the story:

For Maryellen, congenital rubella adversely affected her sight, hearing and speech, and severely limited muscle function in all four limbs. When Maryellen started riding in 1993, she required a leader and two sidewalkers and lacked enough neck strength to support her head while riding. By patiently working with her, Maryellen now rides independently, both at the walk and the trot!

Breakdown of Client Population by Disability Type

 
Age Distribution of Those Currently Attending Our Programs