When I visited the Virginia Horse Center this past week to get a sneak peek at the horses competing at the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals, I met Beth Noteman.
Along with her purebred Arabian stallion HSA Haleys Comet, Noteman has won 42 national titles on the Arabian horse show circuit. This makes her horse, known affectionately as "Comet," the stallion with the largest number of national titles in the history of the Arabian Horse Association.
The pair won three of the titles last month at the breed's Canadian National Championships.
The wins were especially sweet, considering the strength it took to get to the competition.
This past spring, Noteman underwent major surgery to treat a serious illness. When she found out that she would need to continue her course of treatment over the summer, she didn't forget her horse.
"[I said], 'Well, I'm going to Canadian Nationals,'" she told me.
For her, the chemotherapy was a "bad surprise," but riding Comet gave her something to look forward to every day.
"When I was on his back for one hour a day," she said, "I felt wonderful and beautiful."
Noteman is not the only one who finds riding horses therapeutic.
Last week, Rockbridge Report staff reporter Jessica Shaw profiled local woman Elizabeth Gorman. Like Noteman, Gorman has benefited from a relationship with horses.
Gorman rides at the Hoofbeats Therapeutic Riding Center, which is also located at the Virginia Horse Center. Gorman's trainer, Carol Branscome, has taught the basics of horsemanship to people of all ages.
In fact, as a volunteer at Hoofbeats I have seen the benefits of therapeutic riding. The participants do not simply ride the horses -- they bond with the animals. I have seen the shyest children come out of their shells when they are around their favorite horse; I have seen someone who can barely walk mount a horse and ride with ease. It is truly amazing.
Service animals are nothing new. Seeing eye dogs have guided the blind for years, and there are programs at hospitals nationwide that bring dogs and cats to patients for therapy. Other people have dogs that can sense when their owners are about to have seizures.
Additionally, scientists have shown that animal assisted therapy can be useful in combating stress as well as depression and other mood disorders.
Noteman, Gorman, and numerous people across the country already benefit from animal assisted therapy, be it in a formal or informal setting.
Perhaps, instead of relying solely on conventional treatment for illnesses and everyday grievances, more people should look to their furry friends for comfort and therapy.Labels: animal assisted therapy, Beth Noteman, horses, HSA Haleys Comet, pet therapy, service animals