Abigail Welhouse is a riding instructor at GallopNYC. She is an experienced horsewoman and seasoned therapeutic riding instructor.
James Wilson joined GallopNYC as a volunteer in 2011, before making a career change to join GallopNYC fulltime in the newly created role of Director of Operations in January 2014. James has an extensive background in retail; both buying and planning, full-line department store and off-price. His love horses and horsemanship goes back to his hometown in Texas, where he first learned as a young adult how powerful horses can be.
GallopNYC uses the proven benefits of therapeutic horsemanship to provide measurable benefits for people with developmental, emotional, social, and physical disabilities. Through weekly riding sessions with PATH-Int’l.
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James Wilson and Abigail Welhouse joined us today! Gallup NYC uses the proven benefits of therapeutic horsemanship to provide measurable benefits for people with developmental, emotional, social, and physical disabilities. Through weekly riding sessions with PATH-Int’l. Path International is their governing body. Professional Association of Horsemanship. The certification process was very similar to applying for a driver's license.
When GallupNYC first started, they were not certified, but they were determined to do more and earned the certification. This has allowed them to work with hundreds of riders every week. They always need therapeutic riding instructors!
James started off as a volunteer in 2011, and now he is the director of GallupNYC. They bought the Forest Hills location in 2017. Abigail started volunteering in 2009. They both say that volunteers become enamored with the community.
"What is therapeutic horseback riding?"
It covers a broad range of things; the main goal is getting students to learn how to ride a horse; learn social skills, strengthen muscles, improve attention span; all those things can be worked on by learning how to ride a horse. They are not just horse riding skills. We (James) partner with the horses to help improve people's life skills; improve patience, improve talking to people, increase verbal ability (ex: teach verbal queues, there is so much that riders understand that instructors may not know they understand). Their motto is Believe in Ability, and they support a culture of yes!
"Do you hear about approvement?" (Tony to both guests)
Yes, because riding requires you to be present and get off your phone. Teachers would say that the students would be able to pay attention more after riding in the morning.
Abigail said, "it is awesome to see how riders come in w/ big dreams." Learning how to achieve those dreams comes with learning how to manageably break down the steps needed to get to those dreams. "Small steps to achieve big goals."
Are there other Gallups?
They are primarily focused on NYC. They were founded for riders with disabilities in NYC. 12 different districts ride with them, mainly district 75.
Their mission is to be inclusive and have horses for everyone! Horseback riding has a stigma.
Originally it was founded so that anyone with disabilities in NYC could ride a horse if they wanted to and learn about horses to first get involved with them. If someone doesn't understand what is going on in the barn, GallupNYC wants to teach the students anything they question. They believe riders should have their lives changed by riding horses.
During COVID, they weren't offering lessons, but the barn was still open. The people around the horses every day felt better during the pandemic. One of the things amazing about volunteering is that you can be riding horses for a discounted price!
What can volunteers do?
They have 4 locations:
Open for volunteers! Covid protocol!
Support riders, help in the barn, help with special projects, serve on the board of directors at all levels. 2 miniature horses, basically pets. You don't need to have horse experience! Ducks, chickens, and geese roam around the barn.
The horses are the key to the organization, they are what make it possible. The dedicated horses the organization receives they attain through different ways. James said the horses have a job at the org. Horses don't like to just stand out and be bored. A lot of horses that were competitive, hunter jumper, etc., are therapeutic riding horses.
Many horses come from donations. They are horses that don't have any more jobs; for example, hunter-jumper horses; at least at the organization, the horses get to walk and trot quietly. The key is finding horses that have the right temperament for the job. GallupNYC takes really good care of the horses' aches and pains. There is a dignity to be able to work. And the organization is simultaneously creating job training for people w/ disabilities.
