Gourmet beef and ‘priceless’ horses

Preserving farmland while providing therapy

By SANDY LONG

MILFORD, PA — For Martha Dubensky, it’s an everyday miracle—how horses help people face their disabilities with greater ease and courage at Genuine Alternatives In Therapy (G.A.I.T.), a therapeutic horseback riding center accredited by North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).

For Martha’s husband, veterinarian R.A. Dubensky of Milford Animal Hospital, a desire to support G.A.I.T.’s work while helping to preserve a Slate Hill, NY farm have come together in a unique way involving the sale of a product called Gourmet Beef Naturally.

Dubensky, who also provides veterinary care for farm animals like cattle and horses, has long been concerned at the increasing loss of farms and farmland to development. Searching for a means to assist both the program and the farm, Dubensky partnered with farmer R. O’Dell to bring a high-quality beef product to the market. In turn, a portion of the sale funds the G.A.I.T. program.

Gourmet Beef Naturally sells pasture-raised beef that is free of antibiotics and growth hormones. The Herefords are cross-bred with dairy cows to produce a calmer, less-stressed animal, thereby reducing cortisol levels in the animal’s flesh. The result is a superior product, said Dubensky. The meat is custom butchered locally, USDA-certified and frozen in vacuum-sealed packaging.

Customers purchase a 65-pound package, which includes ground beef, soup and stew meat, steaks and roasts. The total cost of $400 includes a $200 tax-deductible contribution to G.A.I.T.

Funding the effort

Such income is important to G.A.I.T. As with most non-profit organizations, constant effort must be expended to secure funding and volunteers to help the program remain viable. G.A.I.T. serves approximately 50 riders per week, who come to the center with an array of disabilities such as autism, Down syndrome, pervasive developmental delay, multiple sclerosis, mental retardation and cerebral palsy.

The goals are to improve balance and posture, increase attention span and sharpen cognitive abilities while teaching riders about horsemanship. The horses become the agents of this therapy.

“The therapy the horses provide is phenomenal. It really helps people,” said Martha, G.A.I.T.’s executive director. “When the body is engaged and both sides are working, it coordinates the brain. Everything seems to work better because the horse moves in a consistent even gait.”

One parent, whose daughter came to G.A.I.T. with almost no ability to talk, credits the program and a special horse named “Fudge” with markedly improving the child’s speech, balance and coordination.

When another woman’s son began using the saddle and reins, she wrote, “This was an incredibly proud moment for me. It’s so easy to focus on the things a child with autism (or any disability) can’t do.”

“It’s great because it just works. There are extraordinary stories. When people come here, their moods change for the better,” noted Martha.

G.A.I.T. offers programs in therapeutic riding and hippotherapy. Riders gain physical, emotional and mental benefits while increasing balance, muscle control and strength. G.A.I.T. has a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist and a physical therapist who assist with the program. Each has earned NARHA certification and G.A.I.T. is one of three centers in Pennsylvania that have premiere accreditation in NARHA, which requires a 13-hour certification process.

But perhaps the most special aspect of the program lies in the horses themselves. Each horse has unique characteristics and staff members make it a point to match horse and rider based on the horse’s qualities and the rider’s needs. Tiger, for example, is a small white Arabian gelding that exhibits a movement pattern described as “wiggly.” He is typically matched up with wiggly riders, which soothes the rider.

“In addition to the many other things horses do for us, they can also help our bodies and minds connect,” said Martha, who is very selective when it comes to choosing horses for the program. Due to the nature of the work, the most appropriate horses are gentle, calm and dependable. “Most of our clients are floppy, slouchy and loud. That’s really challenging for a horse; they can’t be easily excitable,” Martha explained.

Currently, 10 special horses live and work at the center and are valued highly for their contributions to the G.A.I.T. program. “Each horse is priceless to us for what they do for the riders,” said Martha. “The horse is everything.”

For the Dubenskys and O’Dell, the unique partnership that has been established helps to preserve a New York farm and a way of life at a time when both are increasingly at risk. Providing support to G.A.I.T. and its work only brightens the picture. “The farm survives, I enjoy a rewarding hobby, G.A.I.T. receives a gift and the consumer gets a great product,” said Dubensky.

For more information call 570/409-1140.

Volunteers needed and appreciated

More than 30 active volunteers make it possible for G.A.I.T.’s work to continue.

The center seeks volunteers for a variety of tasks such as leading horses, walking beside horse and rider, helping riders to understand their horses, office work and facilities cleanup. Training sessions are held on the first Saturday of every month. The next session will be held on April 7. No experience with horses is necessary.

In addition to monetary donations and volunteers, the program has other needs for the items posted on its wish list, which appears on its website at gaitpa.com.