| In 1968, when the program was developed,
Liz and her former husband Lew Helms began by teaching riding to
“normal” children who could not afford to have a horse or go to
horse shows. The children were also taught the responsibilities of caring
for an animal. At that time, the program was called Tally-Ho and was operated
from Peppertree Stables and L.A. Children’s Riding Center.
It was also in 1968 that the sport of
vaulting was brought to the United States from Germany by Elizabeth Searle,
who founded the American Vaulting Association (AVA). Respected dressage
instructor Jane McLoud was employed by the Helms’ at the time, and she
introduced them to the sport of vaulting.
“We taught thousands of students,
and along the line we came across handicapped children,” says Liz
remembering their first - a boy with shallow hip sockets who required hip
surgery every year. “It was really his father, a heart surgeon at Hollywood
Presbyterian Hospital, who decided that the program would maximize the effect
of the surgery.” The articulation of the hip joint kept his sockets
functioning longer. He did so well that her required less and less surgery
and ultimately went to Arabia to ride real Arabian horses.
Using the techniques that they had learned,
Liz and Lew began working with more severely handicapped children, developing
individualized programs to met each student's needs. Liz believes that it
is the horse’s movement that changes the brain, which in turn changes
the body and the individual’s ability to integrate and process sensory
input. The program is predicated on the belief that everyone can learn and
achieve. She explains that the children have fun and experience a sense of
success while facing real challenges.
Today, Ahead With Horses serves more than
two hundred children each week. The first handicapped student was served
34 years ago and more than 100,000 have been served since that time. The
youngest 2 weeks old, the oldest 81. The program has been recognized
educationally, scientifically, nationally and internationally. Its work has
been presented at prestigious forums and major conferences including Grand
Rounds at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, Council for Exceptional Children
(state conference), National Autism Conferences and the Olympic Scientific
Congress (just to name a few). AWH children have performed in demonstrations
including the XXIIIrd Olympiad, Tournament of Roses, Del Mar National Hose
Show, Vaulting Fests, L.A. County Fair and so many more! The program has
been featured on national and international television, radio and print media.
One of the highlights of AWH’s history was President and Mrs. Ronald
Reagan’s attendance at Fun Day ‘92, presenting two of their personal
horses to be used as therapy horses in the program and achievement award
medals to more than 150 program participants residing in all areas of Los
Angeles including housing projects. To top it all off, AWH was honored to
host Councilman Wach’s Second District Leadership Luncheon with special
guest Mayor Richard Riordan.
Other AWH projects include PROJECT M.O.V.E.
(Motivation, Opportunity, Values, Ethics) AHEAD meting the social and
developmental needs of disadvantaged/poverty level children, at-risk-youth
and gang youth; and PROJECT MOUNTAINS AHEAD, an innovative multi-sensory
nature trail and learning center.
There have been so many exciting memories
over the program’s history . . . many of which are seen in the accompanying
pages. The most important however, are the memories of the children. Each
week, hundreds of children make progress . . . some big and some ever so
small. Whether it is a child taking his first steps, another sitting for
just a moment longer or just a smile from a “non-responsive” child
. . . this is the real history of Ahead With Horses. These are the gifts
that last a lifetime.
Liz attributes the program’s success
to a higher source: “God saw the need and gave us the horses and waited
for us to discover how important they truly are.” She quotes Psalm 20:7
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will trust in the
name of the Lord our God.” (The program has always referred to wheelchairs
as chariots.) The success of Ahead With Horses is best summed up in the words
of a parent. “With this program, we have the hope for our son to be
the best he can be . . . Isn’t that what we all want for our
children?” |
