The Trail Doesn H End Here ‘You cis the rider have toted control. rrhe whole, mental thing changes. They lose their disability once they get on.' Varian Blanchard (loft) leads his B-ycar-old son Brandon around tho stable, helping him maintain his balance. (Below) 4 volunteer leads Ah Ihamctz, 14, through an obstaclo course inside tho stable Bidets try to make it through tho course without their horses hooves touching the cones. (flight) Attor being helped onto ii horse. Pat Gordcr is led Irom the barn (above) by Bob Abrcsch and Lee Boson (check ered shirt). Horses take disabled riders places where their crutches and wheelchairs won 7 go Photos by Andre Ranieri and Kim Nguyen By Rene DeCair Emerald Assoc-ito Editor For a love of horseback ruling, some people will go to extreme lengths When Sue McCarty was h years old, she would take a kitchen chair and tie it to a saddle, whit h she then strapped on her pony Next, she woulti get her younger sister situated on a box ticside the pony, lift her onto the chair and secure her sister to the chair with a dish towel. "We lived for horses," she said What could have been a cruel childhood trick was actually an act of kindness from McCarty who was helping her quadriplegic sister share in the fun of McCarty’s horsobai k riding adventures “But my mother never knew, she said, which was probably a gixui thing bo we decided to try it a little safer years later Now McCarty and her sister as the founders of HORSES — Horseback Outdoor Recreational or Scenic Experiences and Services — are giving oth er people with disabilities the opportunity to go out into the wilderness to see things that they oth erwise might not have benn able to "I've boon in a wheelchair for 27 years ... u n d i t gives a whol(! dif ferent perspoc live,*' rider l’at Grodur, 48, said. "I think the little kid in me derided this would i«i fun. The horse provides us with the ability to go places that our w hoe(chairs or crutches won't to (si ll s. * * - — i»I ■ ™. A grinning Ah Thametz is lifted to the saddle. sponsored bv the llelhol Lion'-' (:lub and lingerie I’.iris unit Keimillion l)e partment Alter the training sessions, held .11 different times dur ing tile year, the rulers of nil ages will go on two to live day excursions to various places, including Eastern (Jregon and the C )i egon ('oust T il e 111 e m t) e r s say tlie trips are nu e because it al lows them a way to With tin; help of volunteers and donations, in cluding u ride-a-thon at Kalkowski Stables last Saturday that raised an estimated $2,000, tin; group hopes to raise enough money for 30-week training sessions for disabled riders The group is get out ot the city anti into nature, wliK li is niton hurt! for it person with restricted mobility to do "It's nice to find u nonmochanized, non motor iznd wuy to go walk on the txiucli tor awhile, to walk in the woods and see a deer,” said Jean Mar i ll.ml, 1,1. who wont on .1 group lump on 1 lust summer lo Nrlutlem H.is "It was wonderful to be out-ide and have unre stricted iiceess to the beach,"' said Merchant, whose multiple sclerosis has reipiired that she use 1 wheelchair for the last eight years "It's really, really full ” Ilrendan Blanchard, who describes his age as "almost I),'" uses a wheelchair and rei eived nearly ">-100 ill pledges lor the ride a-thon. "I really do like doing It and slull," he said, lie cause he gets to experieru e the outdoors Met "airly said the motley raised from the ride a thou will go toward training each horse to facili tate the needs of each individual rider, lor upkeep of the animals and to tram volunteers All of the horses are outfitted with spei lal equipment, such as quu k release latches attached to the saddles Thu goal of the program is not to la- physically therapeutic, hut it has proven to also lie somewhat if an emotional and mental lilt. Mi< arty said When they ride, people get a different perspei furn to HORSES, P tge ' 1 Birkensiock Step into Birkenstock footwear and find a remarkable blend of comfort and style in colors that range from basic to brilliant. We carry every available Birkenstock. 1 h ♦ H i r k <• n \ I o t k s ! .» i . QPt&» • 703 NW i 1th • •?. f 0875 • Mm Sal 10 5 30 • 5th PuWk M.ifkot • <4? 610 ’ • D.nlv 1*> ' DIM SUM | Sun 1 1 am / * !■”/ Baung Baung Chicken Noodles Chicken. \ enables and Peanut Sauce This Week's Luncheon Specials $4.25 Kice w/Temaki Chicken $3.65 CHINA BLUE RESTAURANT Try our dinners, too! 879 E. 13th • upstairs, atext to uu tsooKStore • 343-i!»3^ 4 Engine Service 1000 S Bertelsen Hd #» Eugene OH 97*0? One Block Norm ol W 11th Nolan Ind Plata Speaa : ” Volkswagen Se\ :e For 32 years 342-3952 ^tuden^ncHFacult^iscounts IM riTir 5th STREET Lc video PUBUC MARKET ® # GAMES DOWNT0W* f