Thank you to everyone for such a successful horse show and ribbon-cutting recognizing our "Jaime Lee Hutchison Memorial Horse Show Series!"

We were thrilled to have Dorchester Chamber of Commerce organize the ribbon cutting and Caroline County Chamber of Commerce attend to support! Thank you to dignitaries attending, Senator Addie Eckardt, Caroline Commissioners President Larry Porter and various members of the chambers and local community! It truly takes a village!

Click on the photo below to see the wonderful video Bob Quinn created of the show. 

A recent study found that PTSD scores dropped 87 percent after just six weeks of therapeutic horsemanship sessions.

Spoiler: The moral of the story is never underestimate the power of horses.

By some estimates, more than 23 million military veterans experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) each year, described by Rebecca Johnson as “an anxiety disorder that occurs after exposure to life-threatening events or injuries and is marked by flashbacks, avoidance, and changes in beliefs and feelings.”

While counseling and behavior therapies are often prescribed to help treat the symptoms of PTSD, complementary therapies like therapeutic horseback riding (THR) have also been put into play. Johnson, a professor in the University Of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine and the Millsap Professor of Gerontological Nursing in the Sinclair School of Nursing, was interested in exploring how useful THR could be in treating PTSD. And thus, the study “Effects of therapeutic horseback riding on post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans” was born.

Working with a nearby Veterans Administration (VA) hospital, 29 military veterans suffering from PTSD were introduced to a THR program once a week for six weeks. In these sessions, they learned basic horsemanship skills and completed tasks on horseback. The hour-long classes consisted of grooming and interacting with the horse before riding, applying the riding tack to the horse, then riding with a horse leader. They also had side walkers until they were capable and comfortable enough to ride alone.

Positive Strides will host the Jaime Lee Hutchison Memorial Horse Show on Saturday, June 8, 2019 starting at 9:00 a.m. at Timber Grove Farm, 6292 Statum Road in Preston, Maryland.
 
“We will be showcasing the wonderful work our riders have accomplished during the Spring Session,” said Kim Hopkins, executive director of Positive Strides. “They begin each six-week session with specific goals and we do our best to help them achieve them.”
 
Riders will compete in a trail class and a barrel race. A recognition ceremony will be held at noon.
 
The public is invited to attend free of charge. Donations are welcomed and appreciated. Food will be available for purchase on site.
 
The series is held in loving memory of Jaime Lee Hutchison who tragically lost her battle with cancer in 2017.

Pictured: A happy competitor and his horse after the medal ceremony last fall.