"Winston Churchill said there is nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse," notes Jonathan Soresi, in response to the Tulsa World report. "He was right, and thanks to the effort of the therapeutic riding community in America we have found that horses help children with autism, people with severe brain damage, as well as those people afflicted with motion and coordination diseases."

Jonathan Soresi lists one of the specific areas in which these therapies have proven successful. "As of late a wonderful new program called 'Horses for Heroes' has shown that horses have had a wonderful therapeutic effect for returning solders suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," he remarks.

The Tulsa World article, meanwhile, cites the expertise of Denise Ward, who serves as the director of "the American Therapeutic Riding Center, a nonprofit organization that provides therapy for people with cognitive, physical and emotional challenges looking for a way to improve mobility and upper-body strength, boost self-confidence and improve balance and coordination." Ward states in the article that horse riding can often be a form of "four-legged therapy."

Ward explains that the therapy sessions offered by her organization provide the self-confidence that people need to start down the road to recovery, from whatever afflicts them.

She also says that the therapy sessions last just half an hour, and are held once a week or more; an assistant helps the rider for the duration of the sessions.

The Tulsa World article also shares the story of Alison Zerger, who was involved in a nasty traffic accident ten years ago and suffered--among other things--a major brain injury. Today, Zerger uses a wheelchair to get around, and communicates through a computer. She still goes to physical or speech therapy nearly every day, but her recovery has been expedited by the horse riding therapy that she also receives.

"When she started, Alison Zerger had to have a lift place her on the horse," the article notes. "Now she can use the stairs and steer the horse herself." The article celebrates her perseverance, and notes the fun she is able to have while riding her horse.

Jonathan Soresi is a passionate advocate of horse riding and horse riding therapies. A long-time stable owner, Jonathan Soresi loves nothing more than the time spent riding his own horses.

ABOUT:

Jonathan Soresi is a long-time horse riding enthusiast. He has opened and managed many successful stables across the country, the most recent of which is called American Stable at Oakside Farm. The stable is a teaching stable, specializing in hunters and jumpers; it is located in Doontom, New Jersey. All of Soresi's stables are A-show stables. In addition to his work with horses, Soresi has also found work as a film actor, appearing in such works as Batman.