Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Center

Dear Wyoming:

Greetings from the beautiful, yet snowy Alta, Wyoming! I’ve been watching the snow weigh down the new leaf buds and the birds feast on worms in the dirt road. It’s hard to believe that summer is just around the corner! But as I check my travel schedule, I am reminded of just how busy I will be in the next few months. I am eagerly looking foreword to it!!

I just wanted to fill you in on the latest happenings in the life of Miss Rodeo Wyoming. Although the month of May has been rather slow as far as rodeos are concerned, I have been busy volunteering my time at the Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Center. What a treat it has been!! I have been a fill-in volunteer for the last few years but this is the first time that I have been able to volunteer a full session.

I go over to Jackson regularly every Tuesday and Wednesday. It is definitely the highlight of my week! I work with three classes on Tuesdays and one on Wednesdays. In that time I have gotten to know the incredible staff and built relationships with the wonderful riders! It reminds me of the Special Kids Rodeos that are held in conjunction with some PRCA Rodeos, except I have the chance to get to know the kids I work with! The PRCA sets up the Special Kids Rodeos for kids with disabilities to come in and interact with rodeo contestants and queens while learning about the rodeo events. That has been my favorite part of many rodeos this year, and volunteering at the Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Center is a great privilege!

I usually dress up with my hat and crown when I go to JHTRA and the kids have gotten so used to it, they don’t know who I am without it! One of the little boys that I was working with said, “Boy, Erin, I don’t even recognize you without your crown!!” Ever since then, I have dressed up and he is a happy camper!

As a Kinesiology major, I have considered going into Hippotherapy, which is a physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement. The movement of the horse provides multidimensional movement patterns, which are rhythmic and repetitive. I’m sure all of us have experienced this effect when we ride, but sometimes we take that for granted. Each time I see the smile that comes to the rider’s faces as they step on their horses, I am reminded of how much I love my job!

God Bless,

Erin Heffron