On any given day, the arena at Equestrian Zone in Russellville is filled with horses, riders and therapists who are striving to reach a very specific goal. The nonprofit organization is an equine therapy center that specializes in therapeutic riding and hippotherapy to help children and adults with disabilities become self-sufficient.
“Our job is to increase independence for people in our community,” said Jody Kusturin, director at Equestrian Zone. “We provide a place where opportunities replace limitations.”
Equestrian Zone therapists treat people with a variety of diagnoses, including cerebral palsy, autism, traumatic brain injuries and Down syndrome. Kusturin said equine therapy works because the horse is the only animal that moves like a human, and she said horseback riding not only helps to build a patient’s core muscle strength but also strengthens the neurological system.
“[Hippotherapy] tells your brain 3,000 times in one 30-minute session, ‘This is the way I move. This is the way you’re supposed to move,’”Kusturin said. “So not only are you strengthening the muscles; you’re also laying down those patterns in the neurological system.”
To help with Equestrian Zone’s mission, the organization sponsors a fundraiser every year, with funds being used for day-to-day operations. This year, however, Equestrian Zone will use money from its ninth annual Banquet at the Barn, to take place Saturday, for a special project that will increase the organization’s ability to help patients.
The Raise the Roof campaign will garner funds to build a 100-by-200-foot roof for the arena, giving the organization the ability to provide services even when the weather is bad, including rain and high temperatures.
“Even just the Arkansas sun, when you’ve got children with seizures — they can’t ride on those days,” Kusturin said. “Having a cover, we’ll get to see more outcomes. We’ll get to ride year-round.”
For parents whose children rely on therapy at Equestrian Zone, not having to cancel sessions as a result of bad weather can make a big impact.
Amber Underwood, whose 9-year-old son, Colton, has nonverbal autism and has been riding at Equestrian Zone since he was 4, has made significant progress since starting equine therapy.
“When he was younger, he wouldn’t eat solid foods, but within two weeks of starting therapy, he starting eating,” Underwood said.
She said Colton continues to make progress, including following simple directions and being able to communicate with his horse. She also works with him at home using materials and suggestions given to her by his therapist.
“It’s amazing, the difference,” Underwood said. “I couldn’t imagine taking him anywhere else.”
The Arkansas Animal Rescue Foundation will match the funds collected by the Raise the Roof campaign, up to $62,000, through December. The campaign has already raised $22,500, and Kusturin said she hopes to raise $25,000 from Banquet at the Barn for the arena cover.
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” she said. “We really feel like we have to put as much of our resources toward this roof as we can.”
In addition to Banquet at the Barn, Equestrian Zone has several levels of sponsorships for the arena cover, including naming a stall and getting donor recognition on the structure itself.
“I have challenged my own personal circle. … You may not be able to do $1,000, but you could get 10 people to do $100,” Kusturin said, “and then you could do it in honor of your group of friends, or someone who’s passed away, or someone who’s really special to you, a person with a disability.”
Banquet at the Barn, which will take place from 5-9 p.m. Saturday at The Barn at Twin Oaks Ranch, will feature a chuckwagon dinner, dancing, a rider exhibition and a silent auction.
“Just to get to see us in action, and to see the children on the horses — it’s a really fun event,” Kusturin said.
Auction items will include a personal shopping trip to the Dallas Market with hotel accommodations; a four-day stay at a condo on Lake Ouachita; and a trip to Turpentine Creek in Eureka Springs with horseback riding included, among other trips and items.
For more information about the Raise the Roof campaign, including how to become a sponsor or make a donation, or to purchase tickets for Banquet at the Barn, visit www.equestrianzone.com or call (479) 970-8351. Tickets are $40 in advance or $50 at the door. The Barn at Twin Oaks Ranch is at 10042 Bandy Lane in Dardanelle, and Equestrian Zone is at 4800 S. Frankfort Ave. in Russellville.