Ben's spent his entire life around horses. Riding since he was five years old, Ben’s passion is thoroughbred horses, taking them off the racetrack, rehabilitating and retraining them before finding them new homes. 

So with the wildfires raging in California, Ben found a way to marry his passions and quickly moved to help. With his truck and horse trailer, Ben volunteered his time and resources to help rescue horses caught in the path of wildfires. 

“These fires are devastating,” Ben said. “We are doing everything we can to help.” 

His life-long experience working with horses has been a huge advantage.  

“I showed up at one farm to help a gentleman with 10 horses that needed to evacuate,” Ben said. “There were no halters and the horses hadn’t been in a trailer in years. There were people there to help, but no one had any experience or training in knowing how to get the horses into the trailer.”  

Ben was able to load the horses on the trailer and moved them to safety. He has moved more than 30 horses to safety on his farm and continues to assist where he can.  

In his day job as a State Farm agent in Walnut Creek, California, Ben stresses how residents need to be aware of the severity of the fires and take any necessary precautions.  

“Get out early, listen to evacuation orders, and have a plan in place,” he said.  

In the News:

• KXTV-ABC10:  Davis resident rescues horses from the LNU Lightning Complex fires (8/20/20)

“I think that with the movement of the horse, and sitting on the horse, it’s making neurological connections, helping areas of the brain that control the balance,” said Lisa, Giovanni’s mother. “He’s now able to sit up straight on his horse, and he’s walking a lot straighter.”

The Nicholas’ are not alone in seeing the benefits of riding. They are just some of the clients of Therapeutic Riding and Off-Track Rehabilitation. T.R.O.T.R., based in Woodland, CA near Sacramento, specializes in the therapy.

“The children that we help have a variety of issues,” said Shannon Johnson, Executive Director for T.R.O.T.R. “I know quite a few of the kids I work with are on the autism spectrum.”

The benefits of therapeutic riding are seen by parents and instructors, and studies are helping to identify the scope of the improvements (see infographic). Researchers and advocates theorize that the combination of physical and mental stimulation, and the immersive environment inherent in riding, plays a role.

The operation differs from a normal stable in many ways. For one, instructors and staff are in close contact with the riders to protect them. And the environment is shaped to suit the needs of riders.

For example, T.R.O.T.R. recently underwent upgrades including a new softer riding surface, a ramp to help load kids onto the horses, and equipment to maintain the arena, funded by a grant won in the State Farm’s Neighborhood Assist program.

For some kids, these improvements are critical – larger children would be unable to mount their horses without the assistance of the ramp, for example.

But the effort pays off.

“It’s nothing but joy when you bring the kids out here and put them on the horses,” said John Bolden, president of Board of Directors of T.R.O.T.R. “The smiles come over their faces and they light up. That’s what it’s all about.”