A Valentine to Our Little Bit Supporters: Jann's Story

Married for 43 years, Tom and Jann Ibsen raised a family and enjoyed adventurous travel. While vacationing in 2008, Jann’s right hand tremor signaled the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. She was 59 years old.

As the effects became more debilitating, Jann needed help to walk. Undaunted by illness, she summoned herself into action. Recommended by a physical therapist, she discovered Little Bit in 2015. An animal lover, Jann was delighted by the prospect of equine-assisted therapy.

It took six months of conditioning for Jann to develop leg strength to ride Della. A year later, she was struck with cervical dystonia, or tilted head, making riding impossible. Jann was devastated, but asked to try grooming. Responding to her new norm, Little Bit customized unmounted grooming sessions with horse Honey Bee as part of her care continuum. As a result, Jann’s endurance increased from 15 to 40-minute sessions, and her range of motion expanded from six to 24 inches.

Therapy sessions are a family affair. Tom supports Jann with a gait belt, providing a joyful, shared experience with his wife. They have developed enduring friendships with Instructors Diana and Joan, and Volunteer Kathy. Commissioned by the Ibsens, a painting of Honey Bee graces their mantle, affirming that she is as much a part of their clan as their three dogs, two birds, and numerous fish.

Jann asserts, “Parkinson’s has interrupted my life, but there is still life to live.” Little Bit empowers her to live a more active lifestyle, despite age or illness. The Ibsens encourage people of all ages and abilities to seek engagement, hope, and healing at Little Bit.

Your support lifts hearts and makes Little Bit "magic" possible.

Thank you and Happy Valentine’s Day to you and all those you love from Jann's team and Little Bit!

Written by Michelle Guinyard

Photographs courtesy of Jessica Farren Photography.

Carmel and Rosie Girl

Written by Carmel's Mom Sophie and Rosie Girl's Horse Handler Maddie. Photography by Sophie.

Sophie: Since the brightest spot in my daughter’s week is almost always at Little Bit, I brought her in for her hippotherapy session even though she wasn’t doing too well. She had been in the hospital a few weeks prior, and we were in a difficult stretch of consistent episodes. Her paralysis and significant symptoms were lifting, but she was still very weak, nonverbal, and in an altered state of awareness. Even though it doesn’t always work, her Little Bit Occupational Therapist Christina and I have seen Carmel regain speech and function even in a single hippotherapy session, and on this particular day, we were hopeful this would be the case. 

Maddie: The patient for my hippotherapy with Rosie Girl arrived very timid, weak, and nonverbal. On good days, she is a happy, talkative little girl who loves riding. Today was not one of those days.

Sophie: I carried Carmel into the barn, and she was unable to mount Rosie Girl, so Christina lifted her on. At the time, Rosie Girl was still new to Carmel, and so honestly, I was very interested to see how Rosie Girl would respond to her in such a different state than she had seen her before. If I’m honest, I was a bit nervous―Rosie Girl tends to be a little concerned about new things here and there.

Maddie: Christina helped lift Carmel onto Rosie Girl instead of doing her typical climb on. As soon as she sat down on Rosie Girl's back, Rosie's Girl's energy level went way down; she had been a little squirrelly in the warm-up but stood rock solid for the mount. Instantly, her mission became taking care of this little girl. She walked straight, calm, and slower than normal for almost the entire session. The one time she threw her barrel to the side was when Carmel was off center. I asked her to keep walking but she planted her feet until her little girl was back in the middle; it was as if she was saying, "There is no way I'm going to let her come off today," even though Christina and the sidewalker would never let that happen. Rosie Girl was clearly in her motherly protection mode. 

 Sophie: The session unfolded in the most beautiful way, and oh I was wrong to doubt Rosie Girl even for a moment. At one point, I even had tears welling up in my eyes as I watched Christina patiently work with Carmel, and I watched Rosie Girl actually refuse to move until Carmel was centered. My tears really started rolling as I watched Rosie Girl later actually shift her barrel to help prop Carmel up when she was slipping. (Normally, when Carmel is full strength, she is able to stay centered.) The whole time Rosie Girl was very focused, and I could see that she was truly concerned about Carmel. Though I don’t claim to understand horses, intuitively I felt this incredible trust with Rosie Girl, because I knew she felt how fragile and vulnerable Carmel was. I knew she would stay calm and take precious care of my girl.

Maddie: About 20 minutes in we started playing with bubbles. Carmel started to smile and interact for the first time in the whole session. Pretty soon after the first few bubbles, she started talking and laughing. Rosie Girl took note of this and almost immediately her energy level rose to match Carmel’s. Rosie Girl became more engaged with me because she was no longer so highly focused on keeping Carmel safe and settled (although that, of course, was still her goal). We had a wonderful last 10 minutes of the session, with Rosie Girl walking in her natural gait and Carmel smiling, laughing, and interacting. 

Sophie: By the end of the session, Carmel was engaging and talking, and her body had regained some strength. I could see in Rosie Girl, and also in Christina (and team), such a natural reward. Rosie Girl seemed even more attentive, happily so, and her concern over Carmel had diminished. Rosie Girl was delighted to receive Carmel’s affection at the end of the session. It was as if Carmel was saying, “Thank you, I love you.” and Rosie Girl was saying, “It was my honor.”

Maddie: When it was time to get off, Carmel was very intent on kissing Rosie Girl. Rosie Girl stood in the ramp and didn't budge all the while receiving many hugs and kisses. It was really special to witness this horse be so gentle and take care of this little girl in every way. They are a sweet pair and their love for each other is very clear!

Sophie: I’ve always known horses are esteemed to be some of the most intelligent and intuitive animals, but I really think Carmel’s life and her specific medical condition really highlight just how built for connection horses are. Rosie Girl is a special horse, and she truly demonstrated an unmatched level of attentiveness and composure that I am very grateful for. Since then, Rosie Girl continues to be incredibly interested in and attuned to Carmel’s needs―and their bond is ever growing. We are so, so grateful!

Thank you for helping create Little Bit "magic" for Carmel and hundreds of other children and adults with disabilities. Happy Holidays!

Malcolm and Joel's Story

At least one morning a week, it’s easier for Malcolm and Joel to get up and start their day. They arrive at Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center full of anticipation. Diana, their Instructor certified by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH), greets them and, like many of their classes, they start by completing a short walk around the property. Diana shares interesting facts and jokes to remind Malcolm and Joel that she believes in their intelligence and also to help them be calm. Spending some of their energy first allows them to quiet their bodies before riding. Both in their teen years, Malcolm and Joel are intelligent people with autism who often find it difficult to connect their bodies with their thoughts.

Kari (left), Joel (middle)

Joel first arrived at Little Bit at the age of eight for hippotherapy and continues to be non-speaking. Kari, Joel’s mom, noticed a positive change in Joel from the beginning. After a month of hippotherapy, he could put on his own socks and his core strength improved quickly! Given Joel’s hypersensitivity, especially around his head, his ability to put on a helmet each and every visit is yet another positive effect. Today, as an adaptive rider, he can turn his head towards whomever is speaking to him, often making “amazing” eye contact. Each ride helps with his ability to understand, plan, and carry out a skilled act in the correct sequence from beginning to end. Kari elaborates by stating that adaptive riding gives Joel “real purpose for following directions, such as ‘Look at letter K [on the arena wall]’ while steering his horse.” Even their unmounted lessons, held when the temperatures didn’t allow riding to take place, provided great opportunities for following two or three-step directions during activities like grooming their horses.

Kari continued, “As a parent, everyone was telling me all the things that Joel could not do. When we arrived at Little Bit, they really believed in him. They all respected him and me as a parent and asked me to be involved. . . Little Bit staff and volunteers seem happy to see us and work with us . . . Once a week there was a place that we could go that believed in Joel—this hasn’t been our experience everywhere . . . When someone uses language that expresses ‘we believe in you’ you get different results. Our kids pick up on attitudes.”

Malcolm (right)

Malcolm first arrived at Little Bit in 2017 at the age of 14 for adaptive riding. According to his dad Chris and stepmom Nicola, one of Malcolm’s greatest challenges is “getting people to understand what he wants and needs. It’s been a long time since Malcolm has had a meltdown. He is much happier and satisfied now, as compared to two years ago.” Today, Malcolm has even added creative dance classes to his weekly schedule!

Acceptance comes from Little Bit horses, too. Chris and Nicola believe that Malcolm’s current horse, Rosie, is the first animal he has shown a true bond with, possibly because she responds to him. There is a partnership there—a give and take. She seems genuinely glad to see him each class, extending her nose to him, and in turn, Malcolm likes giving Rosie carrots and scratches. Besides their bond, Rosie has a lot of swing in her walk, providing sensory input for Malcolm. He has built a true relationship with his horse that is bigger, stronger, and faster than he is- a horse he was once hesitant to pet and feed.

Today, Joel rides Molly, a sensitive mare, and they, too, have formed a bond to the extent that Joel can sense when Molly is not feeling normal. During class, Diana sets up cones in the arena, and Joel has learned to use his body to help steer Molly, opening a whole new way of riding for him. He turns his head, shoulders, and hips and applies slight pressure through his legs. Kari continued, “Working with the horses makes Joel feel ‘accomplished’ . . .  As a parent, when you see your child overcome fears, it’s amazing!”

Diana (left), Malcolm (right)

Diana begins each class with a plan but quickly adjusts to the boys’ needs on that day. She spoke about her experience teaching Malcolm and Joel. “Adaptive riding is a way for them to feel a sense of autonomy with the ultimate goal for them to ride independently: unclipped and steering by themselves . . . I really feel honored to be able to teach them. They have taught me about slowing down, the value of being in the moment, and the importance of paying attention to everything that is happening.” The boys learn through experience how horses respond and what their horses’ limitations are—lessons that can be applied to their interactions with people. Diana, Kari, Chris, and Nicola look forward to the day when they can ride without a horse leader.

Communicating with a child or adult who is non-speaking presents many challenges to overcome. Their body language does not always accurately represent what they are feeling. For example, Kari said, “If you give Joel two choices, he sometimes points to the one he doesn’t want.” He began using a letterboard in 2016, a tool to help him communicate with others by spelling his wants and needs but also to convey his intelligence, emotions, and everyday thoughts. Today, Joel can complete grade level academics and have full conversations. Suddenly, a door opened to greater learning opportunities, less frustration, and stronger relationships. When Kari sidewalks next to him and Molly during an adaptive riding class, she carries his letterboard. Joel spells out words he wants to convey, and Kari reads them aloud. At Kari’s suggestion, Chris and Nicola recently introduced Malcolm to using a letterboard, and his use of this new tool continues to improve.

Joel (left), Kari (middle), Diana (right)

A very special friendship has formed between Malcolm and Joel, another reason everyone looks forward to their adaptive riding classes. Since being introduced in 2018, Joel has become Malcolm’s first true friend, and their friendship is one of the things that Diana focuses on during class. Like many Little Bit riders and patients, their favorite activity is a trail ride, a time to find and notice things in the outdoors. Doing exercises in parallel allows the boys to connect with each other; they play leapfrog while riding their horses around the outdoor track, making great eye contact with each other. At the end of their class, together they return their bridles to the tack barn and prepare their trays of carrot treats for Rosie and Molly.

When asked to share a message to donors who make Little Bit experiences possible for Malcolm, Joel, and so many others, Kari said, “As a parent, I have a tremendous amount of gratitude to those that donate. I believe Little Bit is a beam of hope in the lives of people with special needs . . . Their time at Little Bit helps them be healthier, have a greater quality of life, and be more independent, and therefore require less costly care as adults. I wish everyone who donates could see their smiles. There can’t be a price tag on hope.” Joel replied to a similar question, using his letterboard, by saying, “I want donors to know that I am grateful to them because their gift is their way of believing in me.”

Thank you to Malcolm, Joel, Kari, Chris, Nicola, and Diana, for sharing their story.

Written by Sharon Soldenwagner