LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE, Ark. -- On a sunny, warm, spring day, families from the Exceptional Family Member Program at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, met at Hearts & Hooves Therapeutic Riding Center, located in the countryside near the base. There, families experienced a unique partnership forged between the base, the center, and the horses that live and work there.
Hearts & Hooves, located in Sherwood, Arkansas, serves individuals with special needs, at-risk children, and veterans through companionship with horses. Led by Michele Easter, executive director, they promote independence through therapeutic riding and equine-facilitated learning to enrich the lives of everyone participating at the farm.
On March 23, Easter, her staff, and a farm full of volunteers hosted a special EFMP event that included a Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department display, bouncy house, games, refreshments and rides on the center’s horses.
“The horses offer a really unique learning opportunity because we generally relate better to animals than we do to people,” Easter said. “It’s a little less intimidating, so the children and others find it easier to learn to relate to a horse and to relax around a horse.”
“That’s what we are looking for, that sense of calm and peace, and the horse teaches them that,” Easter added.
As some children and adults raced stick horses, ate burgers and socialized nearby, more children and their parents lined up down at the riding ring for their chance to ride horses named Bon Jovi, Peanut and Sam I Am, among others.
“These aren’t just regular horses on the farm,” said Steve Jones, Airman and Family Readiness Center EFMP coordinator. “These are trained animals, specifically trained to work with kids or anyone with special needs.
“This is the first time we’ve done this. What we’re doing here today is a good opportunity for our families to have a good time with the horses at Hearts & Hooves,” he said.
His goal for the event was for the program’s families to come out, siblings together, and have fun without feeling many of life’s pressures.
Easter said she was excited when Jones contacted her.
“We have volunteers from the base, and spouses of active duty that are employees here, but I’ve not had a partnership where we’ve done activities together before,” Easter said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity.”
Emily Fortenberry recently moved to Little Rock AFB with her active-duty spouse and their two children. This was her first EFMP event in Arkansas.
“We are here to get out and meet other families that are dealing with what we are dealing with,” Fortenberry said. “It’s nice to have other people that have been on that same emotional level and can relate.”