ineteen-year-old Kelly Anne, daughter
of Erie’s Judge Libby Kelly and Charlie
Witchcoff, has been a client of Therapeutic
Riding Equestrian Center (TREC) in
Fairview since she was 6. Her walker, Beth
Racine, a 33-year volunteer, has been working
with her for 11 years and loves the relationship Kelly enjoys
with Dixie.
TREC has been serving the community at this facility for
the past 37 years by providing safe, assisted equestrian therapy
for children and adults with emotional, social, intellectual and
physical disabilities such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral
palsy, or learning disabilities.
Students are grouped according to ability, explains Kimberly
Danylko, program director, instructor and one of the founders
of this program in 1980.
“Because Kelly has advanced to the degree that she is able to
steer a horse by herself, we place her with more advanced riders
so she has the opportunity to progress,” Danylko explains.
Kelly Anne is so advanced that she has participated at the
Pennsylvania Special Olympics in State College for the past
three summers riding English in pleasure classes.
“She rides down on a bus and stays in the dorms,” her mom
explains, “with chaperones who will guide the athletes through
the various schedules of the games.”
Right now, Kelly Anne’s lesson includes circling a triangle of
cones to place a ring, stepping over ground poles and trail riding
with her group outside the barn. Her smile is radiant as she sits
tall and straight and proud in her English saddle.
“Our riders develop skill in the areas of balance, motor
skills and following instruction. They also develop self-
esteem and social interaction,” says Betty Rositer, executive
director. She