THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 26, 1996 TAG: 9606250110
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 44 lines
Lt. Col. Andrew Allen has circled the globe at 18,000 mph on three occasions. That's 90 minutes to circle the planet. Tiffany Kessler rode a 41-year-old Appaloosa around Holly Ridge Manor Farm at a slow trot about an hour a day for five days.
They met on June 21 at the farm.
Allen, an astronaut, dropped by to visit Tiffany and five other children who participated in the weeklong Equi-Kids Therapeutic Riding Program. Tiffany, 6, was born with no right arm and a missing radial bone in her left.
``She's learned about the horses,'' said her mother, Connie. ``They were taught commands and the types of horses. Weren't you, Tiffany?''
``Yes, we told them to walk and to gallop,'' Tiffany replied. The young riders were accompanied by volunteers and parents to ensure safety.
They learned a lot more during Allen's visit. He talked about traveling in space, showed them pictures taken from space and told them about experiments being conducted on missions. ``It only takes us eight minutes to reach outer space,'' he said, answering one girl's question.
Barbara Ford, executive director of Equi-Kids, said that the astronaut's visit held significance:
``He has been to outer space,'' she said. ``A place of no limits, and it's good for kids to see you don't have to have limits on what you can do.''
The Equi-Kids program has been up and galloping since 1989, said Ford. The summer camp sessions run from 9 a.m. until noon, Monday through Friday for two weeks.
This year, 12 children were involved: six with physical disabilities, the first week; six with emotional and learning disabilities. They ride the horses for a minimum of an hour a day, learn grooming and handling and participate in arts and crafts. The day of Allen's visit, the children had just completed painting small, silver horseshoes. MEMO: For more information about the Therapeutic Riding Program, call
425-8833. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY EDWARDS
Astronaut Andrew Allen presented space shuttle patches to Tiffany
Kessler, left, and other children who participated in the weeklong
Equi-Kids Therapeutic Riding Program. by CNB