Riding Becomes Best Medicine For 4-Year-Old

A little boy wearing a huge smile grabs the saddle horn and leans forward to pet the horse. As he sits laughing on top the horse, Eugene Martindale looks like a healthy 4-year-old. No one could tell from watching him ride that Eugene cannot walk by himself.

Eugene is the victim of cerebral palsy. Myra Martindale, his mother, says Gene's problem was caused by a brain injury during his premature birth.

The disease affects Gene's leg muscles, making them tight and difficult to bend. He cannot walk without a walker or assistance from his family.

But Gene is learning to ride a horse.

For the past six weeks, Gene, from Nappanee, has been enjoying the company of Sadie at Deka-Di Stables in Pierceton. Sadie is owned by Tim Osborne, the family friend who takes Gene and his family out riding three times a week.

Riding became therapy for Gene when the Martindales' insurance was cut off. Instead of going to physical therapy twice a week at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Osborne convinced Gene's grandfather to let Gene try riding.

"I kept telling them to come and horse around, and they finally did," says Osborne. "We didn't know what it would do for him. It took an hour and a half to get him on a miniature horse the first time."

Now, Myra says, Gene loves the horses. He brings carrots for his new friends and happily pets them.

On the trail, Tim rides behind Gene for a while, then slides off the saddle. Gene is left riding the back of the 5-year-old Appaloosa and Arabian mix horse all by himself.

"He's real comfortable with the horses," says Myra. "And he's so comfortable with Tim; Gene won't ride with anyone else."

"This is great," says Myra. "It's good for him and good for us - it's given us family time." Myra, her father Ted and brother Jerrad accompany Gene and Tim on their rides every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

The therapy of riding seems to be helping Gene, says his family.

"I didn't know what it would do for him," says Tim. "I'm really glad it's helping him."

Myra agrees. "Gene's balance has improved, and we have an easier time stretching his muscles. The therapist said his range of motion is excellent."

Not too bad for a little boy who Myra says her first doctor thought would be a vegetable.

"He talks the whole time on the trail," Tim says. He laughs as he tells about Gene falling asleep in his arms during one ride.

"He eats good afterwards," says Ted, his grandfather. "We stop and get something to eat on the way home, and then he goes to sleep by the time we get home."

And when he goes home, he does not want to leave alone. His mother says Gene still wants to take Sadie or Schooner, the miniature horse, home with him.

Gene will not be staying home for long. He will go to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis Sept. 8 for back surgery. His grandfather says the surgery is supposed to improve the quality of Gene's walking, but it does not guarantee he will walk.

Gene will spend six to eight weeks in the hospital, then go to therapy five days a week for three months. The surgery will postpone Gene's riding.

Ted points out Gene's legs as Gene sits on Sadie. He explains that when Gene first began to ride, his legs would stay bent sharply like he was sitting. Now, his muscles are stretched enough to allow Gene to sit normally on the saddle.

The family gives the credit to Gene's improvement to the riding and Tim's help.

Tim has worked over 20 hours a week at Deka-Di for almost 20 years. He works all weekend and comes in on Wednesdays for Gene.

"I do anything and everything here," says Tim. He works at the stable to pay for his board bill for Sadie. And he volunteers his time to help Gene. The family pays for their rides, but Gene's ride is free.

Gene is happy sitting on Sadie and ready to leave for his ride. His mother asks him,"Whose horse is Sadie? Is she my horse?"

"No," Gene whispers shyly, smiling from behind his hand.

"Is she Tim's horse?" his mother asks.

"No!" Gene says again.

"Well, then whose horse is she?" Myra smiles in expectation of his answer.

"She's Gene's horse," he smiles proudly.