Odessa Florida is a rural enclave, just beyond the traffic congestion and big box stores that populate areas just to its south. This is an area that contains almost as many horses as people. The struggle to keep it rural has been outgoing.

But I would like to highlight just one of nonprofit organizations, located in Odessa, that are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of mentally and physically disabled adults and children in the surrounding community. Many of these are disabled veterans, referred by locate VA hospitals.

Nestled in this oasis, down a two lane country road, is a haven for the physically and mentally disabled adults and children of the greater Tampa Bay area. This is Quantum Leap Farm, a therapeutic riding center.

Edie Ebbert Dopking PhD, founder and president of Quantum Leap Farm, while volunteering at the Bakas Equestrian Center (at that time a riding center for disabled children) wondered why there were no riding programs for adults. So she asked, the director suggested that she may want to start one on her property in Odessa. And so she did. The center is a non-profit therapeutic and recreational horse riding facility for disabled veterans, adults, and kids.

Quantum Leap Farm began operations on July 1, 2000 and, in the first year; they gave over 1100 riding lessons to over 80 participants from the Tampa Bay area.

Their Mission:
“Quantum Leap Farm exists to enrich and enhance the lives of adults with special needs by engaging them in a variety of equestrian activities designed to promote and improve physical, mental and social well-being.”

From the Quantum Leap Farm website: “For any rider, the relationship with a horse is special, but for adults with mental or physical disabilities, this relationship can open the door to an entirely new realm of possibilities. Horse and rider become part of a therapeutic relationship, offering the disabled rider a unique opportunity to discover, or to regain a sense of adventure, freedom, excitement, dignity, accomplishment, and joy.”

Therapeutic horseback riding improves the physically handicapped riders’ strength, tone, flexibility, and reflexes. It does this because the rider experiences the rhythm in the horse’s gait and muscles of the back and upper body react. The body begins to compensate and become more responsive. This aids the rider in the development of the postural muscles and leg muscles, improving his or her stability of gait and balance.

In the mentally disabled, therapeutic riding provides an opportunity for social interaction. Often the handicapped are isolated and experience limited contact with others. Therapeutic riding allows the disabled to engage with the trainers and, of course, the horse.

Now Quantum Leap Farm also offers coach driving lessons to allow disabled individuals, too disabled to ride a horse, an opportunity to engage with the horses.

The farm is involved in research into the benefits of therapeutic riding for the handicapped. To volunteer or donate to Quantum Leap Farm, visit their website or mail donations to Quantum Leap Farm, Inc. 10504 Woodstock Road, Odessa Florida 33556

Author Bio: Gregory Colvin is a resident of Odessa Florida, author and editor of the blog site http://Odessa-Florida.com http://www.odessa-florida.com. Odessa Florida is rural community, just north of Tampa Florida. It is an area where it seems that are horse farms on every corner.

Category: Society
Keywords: therapeutic,riding,equine therapy,therapeutic horseback riding,riding therapy,therapeutic riding