Summer camp experiences let kids make friends, learn new skills and have fun. And the sessions at Cloverleaf Equine Center in Clifton, Virginia, this summer are providing those experiences in a special setting for kids with a range of disabilities.

On Tuesday, Operations Director Christina Germinario stood at the center of an indoor riding ring, where fans whirring overhead provided an extra breeze.

She called out to the young campers, who range in age from 5 to 14 years old, encouraging them to connect with the movement of the horses.

Each rider follows along as a group of volunteers lead the horses while others walk along on each side, to make sure each rider is secure in the saddle.

Germinario called out to each rider, “Nice balance!” or “Good voice!” as a rider told their horse, “Walk on!”

At the end of the riding session, Germinario explained that each part of the lesson — from having riders drop their reins to flapping their arms like birds, or leaning into a forward crouch in a jumping position — has a purpose. The riders develop core strength, improve their balance or develop verbal communication skills — all while enjoying the company of the horse they ride.

Roger Messersmith has been volunteering with the organization for about three years, but has a connection to Cloverleaf that goes back decades.

When his son, who has cerebral palsy, was younger, he was a client at the center, just like the child Messersmith currently helps in this summer camp. Messersmith seems to sense when a rider needs more physical help and when a word of encouragement is needed.

Messersmith said his son, Mike, had a brother who was into rowing, but for Mike, “Riding was his special thing and it was something that was important to him.”

Mike rode at the center for nearly 16 years.

Messersmith said the therapeutic riding gave his son confidence and improved his muscle tone: “It provided him with core strength, the ability to ultimately stand.”

A slogan on Cloverleaf’s webpage reads, “Horses Helping Humans Thrive.” That extends to a range of clients, from the children in the Ponies and Paintbrushes Summer Camp to adults in a recovering service member and veterans program. Services for the different groups include physical therapy, psychotherapy and social and emotional learning.

When asked to describe the best thing about her job, Germinario said with a broad smile, “Probably the joy on their faces when they get something … even as simple as someone just looking at me and giving me a smile after I tell them ‘good job’ makes it all worth it.”

Germinario said the horses “absolutely” enjoy the sessions. She called the horses at Cloverleaf “unicorns,” chosen for the work because of their empathetic natures.

“They’re people horses. They want to be around the people, they want to be pet, they want to be loved on,” she said.

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