My name is Heather Burdette and I am the founder of Prevailing Moxie Therapeutic Riding Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit located in Sunbury, Ohio. We opened our doors in March 2011 and have used ThinLine pads from day one.
Our students at the center include one with cerebral palsy whose hips cause her excruciating pain in a regular saddle and also a child with Prader Willi Syndrome whose feet do not reach the stirrups even when the stirrups are wrapped four times.
To accommodate these girls, we purchased a ThinLine bareback pad. It fits the girl with cerebral palsy almost perfectly. The elimination of the saddle and the heat which comes up through the pad, allow her to relax her hips. She’s now enjoying riding. The girl with Prader Willi Syndrome has greater comfort, increased independence, and an appropriate modality to help her improve her extremely poor core strength. The grippiness of the surface on the pad gives me some assurance they won’t slide off. The padding is perfect, providing nice comfort for both rider and horse.
Many of my colleagues talk about the chiropractic work their therapeutic horses need because of what their horses endure during lessons. I credit our non-lesson training/fitness sessions, 12-16 hrs of turnout a day, ThinLine pads, and good footing, to our hours having needed chiropractic work and having never needed work related pain medication.
ThinLine pads have always been and will always be an integral part of our program.
Thank you!
PS. I’m a 10 year brain cancer survivor whose had 2 recurrences, 2 surgeries, radiation with chemo, two years of chemo, and am now finishing up a 10 month course of chemo. I’m blessed to be doing and still riding every day, teaching therapeutic lessons, and operating a four horse stable on 26 acres. Life is good.
