Students spent Sunday morning horsing around to raise money for disabled children.
Horses and ponies sped around barrels and poles at BREC’s Farr Park Equestrian Center in the American Collegiate Horsemen’s Association’s Speed Event to raise funds for the Hearts and Hooves Therapeutic Riding Program.
Eighteen participants of all ages and disciplines competed in barrel races, pole bending, tag team, speed barrel races and buddy barrel pick-ups.
The event was the first fundraiser the LSU ACHA chapter held for Hearts and Hooves.
The chapter was founded last semester in response to a “huge interest” in equine-related careers for students, according to Neely Heidorn, University extension equine specialist and ACHA adviser.
Volunteering with Hearts and Hooves is the group’s main philanthropy.
“It’s our therapeutic riding program. It’s designed to give kids a social outlet,” said Sarah Carlson, education curator of Farr Park. “They can improve things they need to improve on that really horses can only do for them.”
The children, whose disabilities range from autism to paralysis, ride horses and learn basic equine care in sessions over six weeks to build social skills and flexibility.
“It’s a time for them to relax. A lot of them will say it makes them feel normal,” Robillard said. “They forget about their disability.”
The proceeds were split between Hearts and Hooves and LSU ACHA, according to Robillard.
Robillard said she hopes the Speed Event will become an annual fundraiser and that Hearts and Hooves will receive higher percentages of proceeds when LSU ACHA becomes a larger club.
“My favorite part is seeing the growth of equine interest on the campus. … It reflects the equine industry as a whole. There are a lot of people supporting us,” Heidorn said.
 
____
Contact Danielle Kelley at [email protected]