Great article. While I’m not too concerned about the helmet issue — I think it’s everyone’s choice to wear or not to wear depending on your level of comfort (hint: I would wear one gladly) — I am slightly concerned about the choice to have her ride stirrupless. Ms. Bowen probably has the core strength needed to ride stirrupless, but I know that people, like me, who are just learning or people in equine therapy who don’t already know how to ride, we tend to need those stirrups to help us learn to keep our balance. I hope they also show Ms. Bowen as being that type of experienced horse rider who may be able to ride stirrupless or else, I feel like they’re setting high standards for those of us who can’t ride. I have been in the situation where I have fallen off a horse at a trot, partially due to my imbalance in the saddle, an imbalance I may have been able to correct for, had I been able to reach the stirrups (Yes, I’m short :)). My broken and fractured ribs, broken wrist, partially collapsed lung, suspected internal bleeding… That might have all been avoided, had I been able to keep my balance and thus been able to focus more on the horse’s actions, rather than trying to stay alive.

Just my two cents. In any event, it is great to see equine therapy getting some press from the media. It’s utterly amazing how horses can work in our lives, even on the ground.