Manassas, Va. -- The Manassas Bull Runners Trails Crew, a part of the Potomac Appalachian Trails Club, on March 6 spent the day clearing a pasture for the Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center in Haymarket.
Under the guidance of the center's volunteer coordinator Katie Brenner, the volunteers were joined by several groups in the area, helping to open a moderate-sized pasture of trees and brush for the students to use.
Soldiers, sailors and Seabees from Ft. Belvoir and the Quantico Marine Corps base also participated.
Chain-sawing teams, along with those with small hand saws and loppers, rid brush and overhanging tree branches to clear the overhead for the students. A considerable amount of the branches and brush was turned into chips with a chipper.
The employees at Rainbow Center prepared a lunch for the volunteers and had coffee and doughnuts wait-ing for the group when they arrived in the morning.
The center is a place where individuals with special challenges come together and where victories -- some dramatic, some modest, but all significant -- are joyously celebrated.
Under the guidance of registered therapist and certified riding instructors, therapeutic riding helps chal-lenged individuals experience physical and emotional rewards. In addition to their staff, a very dedicated group of volunteers and specially selected horses complete the team to meet the needs of the exceptional group of people.
Some of the challenges the riders cope with include, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, blindness, Down Syn-drome, deafness, learning disabilities, emotional imbalances and autism.
"I love to trot and play Red and Green light with Amigo. Riding at Rainbow makes me feel happy. It is the best," said one rider.
For more information on the Bull Runners and PARTC, go to www.manassasbullrunners.com.
Staff writer Bennie Scarton Jr. can be reached at 703-369-6707.
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