Local woman uses power of horses to help others
A local woman is using horse power to help children and adults with disabilities improve their quality of life. Sanna Roling has taken her love of horses, and channeled it into a therapeutic practice to help children and adults with disabilities. Dream Catcher Stables is located on a few acres of pasture on the outskirts of Humble. However, that land is owned by an investment group that plans to sell the property. So Roling, who is president of the nonprofit, is organizing events to help the organization purchase about 100 acres in Spring.
A local woman is using horse power to help children and adults with disabilities improve their quality of life.
Sanna Roling has taken her love of horses, and channeled it into a therapeutic practice to help children and adults with disabilities.
“I teach people with disabilities how to ride and care for horses,” she said. “We truly teach horsemanship.”
Dream Catcher Stables is located on a few acres of pasture on the outskirts of Humble.
However, the land where Dream Catcher Stables is located is owned by an investment group that plans to sell the property.
So Roling, who is president of the nonprofit, is organizing events to help the organization purchase about 100 acres in Spring.
The nonprofit will host a fundraiser on April 30 to earn money to help pay for the purchase of the land in Spring.
“Dream Catcher Stables operates on between $20,000 to $30,000 a year,” Roling said. Founded in 1999
Dream Catcher Stables Inc. was formed in 1999 as a nonprofit organization that provides therapeutic riding services to mentally and physically disabled athletes ages 5 and older.
Roling, said the stable’s name was chosen by particpants and volunteers who helped form the organization 20 years ago.
In part the name grew as a result of a picture drawn for Roling by a member of the Hopi Indian tribe, as well as from the phrase “Where Dreams Begin,” which was suggested by one of the founders.
The riding services include hippotherapy, a therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement; therapeutic riding, which involves minimal horsemanship training; recreational and leisure riding; educational riding, which teaches more horsemanship and care, and sport riding, which focuses on competition.
The lessons are tailored to the individual.
Dream Catcher Stables charges on a sliding scale, and is based on the income of the individual.
“No one is turned away, based on their income,” Roling said.
Roling is a riding instructor and certified special education teacher.
She retired from the Aldine school district in 2014. Program for son
Ana Abreu had been looking for a program to help her son, Diego, cope with his autism for several years.
“He was having some challenges and I knew he could benefit greatly from this,” she said.
Last year, Abreu discovered Dream Catchers while searching the web, and called Roling. Encouraged, Abreu and Diego, 8, came for a tour.
Abreu said she began to see a change when her son came into contact with the horses.
“He was immediately attracted to the animals. There was a connection, so I knew this was positive,” she said.
Diego, who is considered high functioning, attends regular classes, but has had difficulty in the past adapting to social situations in the classroom.
He began training with the horses on the weekends. She could see his confidence growing when he was riding, and hoped this would translate to better relations with his peers at school.
Diego recently competed at the Top Hands event at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
After the show, Diego and his fellow riders received trophies and belt buckles for their efforts.
Being in the show ring changed his demeanor.
“He was confident,” his mother said.
The next day, Diego came to his mother with a special request.
He asked to take his trophy to school to show his classmates.
“He now feels like he’s part of the group,” she said. “He finally has something that makes him feel proud.”
Wayne Springer’s daughter has been with the program since 2000.
“When she started, she was afraid of the horses, but she has done quite well with them,” he said.
Springer said the program has helped his daughter deal with severe anxiety issues that previously had kept her from socializing or even holding a job.
One of her favorite events, Springer said, is the Top Hands event, where she won a belt buckle this year.
“She was quite overjoyed about it,” he said.
Through the help of this program, and with the help of Roling and numerous volunteers, she excelled and was able to find a job she has held for 14 years.
“This has helped her with dealing with customers and dealing with her anxiety,” Springer said. “This also helps us when we can talk with other parents about their children, and the problems they face.
“It’s a big help.” To learn more
To learn more about Dream Catcher Stables Inc., visit www.dreamcatcherstables.org or call 281-216-3494.