“I just get a lot of satisfaction out of helping people. I love animals and I’m best at being around horses. You can help kids or adults through the horses. To me, it’s not why would you do it or why is it important, it’s why wouldn’t you do it?"
Robbie Siegelman and HorseAbility, a center for equine-facilitated programs, are driven to help others. Together they soon will help others to drive.
HorseAbility, which was founded in New York by Katie McGowan in 1993, recently moved to a facility at SUNY College at Old Westbury on Long Island. The location is only a few miles from Siegelman’s home, so the longtime harness racing trainer visited his new neighbours to see if he could help them in any way.
As it turned out, McGowan was in the early stages of starting a therapeutic driving program, which became possible because of HorseAbility’s expanded property. Siegelman’s arrival proved to be perfect timing. With Siegelman’s assistance, HorseAbility will begin its driving program in the fall.
“It was literally synchronicity,” McGowan said. “He’s done work with people with special needs in the past and really wanted to get involved. Robbie had a retired standardbred filly, Cheyenne Jeannie, with a great temperament that was a good fit for HorseAbility, so he arranged for her to pilot our driving program. He’s been coming every day to work with the horse on the property.
“He’s got the energy, the compassion and the passion for what he does and how it can help people. I can’t say enough about him; he’s just terrific.”
HorseAbility offers a variety of therapeutic riding and hippotherapy programs for participants ranging in age from two and a half to 85. The driving program will be open to all, but with the emphasis on military veterans through the organization’s “HorseAbility for Heroes,” which offers emotional and physical assistance to veterans as they transition from combat to civilian life.
“Just being on the property and in the presence of horses lowers stress,” McGowan said. “For those coming back from the war, they feel very different from the rest of their peers. Horses don’t have any social or emotional expectations of them. They don’t have any expectations of them. They can just be.
“The driving component itself provides freedom as well as power and control. It helps hand-eye coordination and strengths balance and coordination. It’s a chance to work in union with a partner, in this instance the partner being a horse.”
Siegelman is no stranger to helping others. In 1999, he received the Stanley Dancer Media Award for his volunteer work with the Harness Horse Youth Foundation – which continues to this day – in addition to his work with underprivileged inner-city children through the “Hands On” program in Newark, N.J.’s North Ward. Through the “Hands On” program, 30 teenagers spent Saturdays in Siegelman’s barn learning about horse care and working with the horses.
In 2004, Siegelman developed the “Horses with Hearts” program for children undergoing cancer treatment at Hackensack University Medical Center.
“I just get a lot of satisfaction out of helping people,” Siegelman said. “I love animals and I’m best at being around horses. You can help kids or adults through the horses. To me, it’s not why would you do it or why is it important, it’s why wouldn’t you do it?
“That’s just how I felt about it. I recommend to a lot of people to volunteer. Maybe some of it is actually for selfish reasons because it makes me feel better about myself, but I really enjoy doing it.”
The 58-year-old Siegelman, who lives in Roslyn Heights, New York, has won nearly 500 races and $10 million as a trainer. He operates a public stable, although many recognize him for his work with the Cheyenne Gang ownership group. Among his stars have been stakes winners Cheyenne Rei, Cheyenne Trish and Ghees House.
“I love racing horses, I love being in the barn, I love the business,” Siegelman said.
Siegelman hopes to get others in harness racing, including tracks and other retired standardbreds, involved in the HorseAbility program. For the therapeutic driving program, the organization is planning on using at least three horses and two special-designed carts. The Standardbred Owners Association of New York has committed to funding the driving carts necessary for the program to begin.
“The SOA of New York is giving us a huge leg up to begin our program,” McGowan said.
“It’s really just getting going, but I can see when it gets going that it’s going to be huge,” Siegelman said. “This program is going to be pretty cool.
“I think it was meant to be,” he added. “My timing was perfect. I can’t wait for it to get started. I’m like a kid; I want to go.”
To learn more about HorseAbility, visit the organization’s website. To make a donation or get involved in other ways, contact Katie McGowan at 516-333-6151 or e-mail [email protected].
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.