PRINTER'S NO. 748
No. 68 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY McILHATTAN, HUTCHINSON, BAKER, ARMSTRONG, MASLAND,
THOMAS, FLICK, MAITLAND, LESCOVITZ, FLEAGLE, B. SMITH, FARGO,
GORDNER, TRAVAGLIO, ZUG, HERSHEY, TRELLO, CORRIGAN,
C. WILLIAMS, SEMMEL, HORSEY, WALKO, GEIST, HESS, SEYFERT,
ALLEN, RUBLEY, TRUE, BOSCOLA, STABACK, ROSS, BEBKO-JONES,
HENNESSEY, YOUNGBLOOD, RAMOS, CAPPABIANCA, READSHAW,
SCHRODER, MILLER, KENNEY, E. Z. TAYLOR, WOJNAROSKI, FEESE,
SHANER, FAIRCHILD, MANDERINO, LYNCH, L. I. COHEN, HALUSKA,
DeLUCA, BROWN, SATHER, McNAUGHTON, JOSEPHS, CIVERA, ADOLPH,
PIPPY, LAUGHLIN, COLAFELLA, MELIO, ROBERTS AND GLADECK,
MARCH 6, 1997
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MARCH 6, 1997
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the week of May 19 through 25, 1997, as "Therapeutic
2 Horseback Riding Week" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Horseback riding is a recognized therapy for persons
4 with disabilities; and
5 WHEREAS, Horseback riding therapy helps persons with
6 disabilities such as blindness, deafness, paraplegia, polio,
7 epilepsy, cerebral palsy, brain injury, learning difficulties,
8 multiple sclerosis, cardiologic involvement, physical and
9 psychomotor difficulties and mental retardation; and
10 WHEREAS, Horseback riding therapy has proven beneficial to
11 these persons, improving coordination and balance, increasing
12 body strength, enhancing self-image and increasing independence
13 and mobility; and
1 WHEREAS, In 1978, the Pennsylvania Council on Therapeutic
2 Horsemanship, a not-for-profit organization, began operating
3 five programs to provide therapy to persons with disabilities;
4 and
5 WHEREAS, There are now 68 programs in 46 counties in this
6 Commonwealth, serving over 3,000 persons with disabilities, with
7 more programs due to begin; and
8 WHEREAS, Thousands of volunteers operate the programs, the
9 majority of which are not-for-profit, to provide therapeutic
10 horseback riding to persons with disabilities; and
11 WHEREAS, The council strives to increase awareness and
12 knowledge of the availability and therapeutic benefits of
13 horseback riding; and
14 WHEREAS, The council offers, at cost, a qualified instructor
15 training program, the sole course of this kind in the nation, to
16 increase the number of instructors available to provide therapy
17 to the handicapped; and
18 WHEREAS, Courses are offered by the council at conveniently
19 located sites to increase awareness and attract potential
20 instructors from all areas of the Commonwealth; and
21 WHEREAS, Both awareness of the availability of therapy and
22 the availability of training courses for instructors will
23 improve access to therapy for persons with disabilities;
24 therefore be it
25 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
26 week of May 19 through 25, 1997, as "Therapeutic Horseback
27 Riding Week in Pennsylvania" to make Pennsylvanians aware of the
28 therapeutic benefits of horseback riding to persons with
29 disabilities in this Commonwealth and to make Pennsylvanians
30 aware of the availability of the therapeutic instructor training
19970H0068R0748 - 2 -
1 courses offered to increase access to therapy for these persons.
B10L82JRW/19970H0068R0748 - 3 -