Horse riding mimics walking sensation for quadriplegic child

Dwight Green’s extremities are often so rigid his parents struggle to get him dressed.

When they put a shirt on him, they must take care not to put too much strain on his arms, otherwise they could come out of their sockets.  He is a quadriplegic, his range of motion restrained by a brain injury he suffered as an infant.

He sat upright in the front saddle of a horse Monday at Riley Equine Center, his legs dangling on the side, while a volunteer sat behind him with one arm laced around his sternum and the other propping his head up. As the horse circled inside a fenced ring, a staff member walked on each side of it, their hands acting as resistance for Dwight to stretch his leg muscles against, and the owner of the ranch gripped a lead rope and walked in front to ensure the animal remained calm.

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