Butch Carlson’s daughter said they read the articles about Centaur Stride in the newspaper. Their families brought them to celebrate Butch’s wish to ride a horse for his 104th birthday this past week. Neither had ever ridden a horse. There aren’t too many first times left by the time you get to be 104, so they all decided this was the next adventure.

Even at that age, there was a bit of obvious sibling rivalry, a competition not to let one outdo the other! Their excitement was precious. There was about a six-inch height difference between them and another 8-inch difference between the height of their horses that we chose to have them ride.

We told them we got a final say on how they were going to mount and dismount the horses, taking that competition of physical prowess away from them. Both were probably more physically able than many who are decades younger, but we choose to err on the side of safety and reduced risk. They happily agreed to our rules.

They brushed the horses, got a brief lesson on safety around horses and the structure of the lesson and how to communicate with the horse using their hands and voice. Their dream was to go on a trail ride. With a leader and two family members as side-walkers for each, off through the woods we went.

Butch Carlson

It was 88 degrees outside, even with all the doors open in the indoor arena, it is still much cooler on the trails. Their excitement was palpable!

There is such a calmness to being in nature, especially on horseback. The earthen aroma, the fauna and flora and sometimes even a glimpse of the wildlife not disturbed by the quiet steady hoofbeats of the horses just moseying along, creating a mesmerizing euphoria where you can just relax and revel in such beauty and serenity.

The hydraulic lift was used to dismount, smiles radiating from everyone’s faces. As he was getting off his horse, Butch said, “Put us on the schedule for the same time next year!”.

There is a connection between siblings that seems to be hardwired into our souls regardless of circumstances. If allowed to manifest naturally, (sometimes requiring forgiveness and selflessness), there is a sense of belonging, comfort and understanding that transcends tribulations. These two men, Butch and Pete, were a shining example of brotherly love.

At Centaur Stride, our mission is to improve the quality of life for families with a child with a disability. The siblings often miss out on many opportunities or experiences because the parent(s) are so busy attending to all the special needs of the child with the disability. There are therapy and doctor appointments among other time restraints. Vacations and fun family experiences are limited by the lack of handicapped accessible facilities, and sadly, often by the socially discriminatory and inappropriate remarks of ignorant people.

Butch Carlson, in the white shirt, and brother Pete Carlson took a ride recently to celebrate a 104th birthday.

We created the “Friends and Family” program. Sometimes, a rider with a disability cannot endure the full time for their lesson, and even if they can, they can choose to give some of their riding time to a sibling or friend, (with advance notice to the instructors) at no extra fee. It helps to nurture relationships. That changes the dynamics a lot. Instead of a non-disabled sibling saying to a parent, “I hate that you are always busy taking them everywhere” to “Hurry up, we are going to be late!” (If they are late, there may not be extra minutes for them to take a turn! Sometimes they even help to be sure they aren’t late!)

It also gives the sibling with the disability a chance to control whether they want to share their lesson, and how much of it, to a feeling of “I have something to give to them or share with them”, and if not, it gives us a chance to teach them how family interactions can change with kindness and sharing. (Sometimes we do have to get another horse out to succeed but it sets the stage for expectations the next time!)

The peace it gives to the parents, to finally have something they can all look forward to, is priceless. Although we charge much less than the cost, it is often a hardship for families to pay for lessons for one child, much less a second or third child. That few minutes sharing a ride opens a whole new perspective on selflessness. We often get those siblings as volunteers when they are old enough at age 13.

Centaur Stride is a therapeutic horseback riding and recreational center located at 8488 Jones Road, Sherman, that is inclusive, integrated for people with and without disabilities, and founded on the healing power of horses and nature to enhance overall well-being of mind and body.

We rely on donations, fundraisers, grants and volunteers to expand our outreach to benefit more people in our community. Building capacity reduces per capita cost, improves sustainability and makes a greater impact on wellness and social-emotional connectivity for all. The positive energy is healing on so many levels. To learn more, linktr.ee/centaurstride

Claudia Monroe is president of Centaur Stride.