Although neither was born when the Bermuda Riding for the Disabled Ltd. was first established, Charlie McMartin and Jamir Simmons were exactly the kind of people its creators had in mind.

Charlie has Cerebral Palsy, Jamir was born with Spina Bifida.

Both conditions are disabling but with the help of Riding for the Disabled, each week brings yet another success story for the two ten-year-olds.

"Charlie was a preemie, born at 27 weeks,'' explained his mother, Nikki.

"And one of the complications that comes with being born prematurely is that the child can end up with Cerebral Palsy. Basically, it's the brain that has damage and that affects certain muscles in the body.'' Cerebral Palsy is an umbrella-like term used to describe a group of chronic disorders impairing control of movement that appear in the first few years of life and generally do not worsen over time.

The disorders are caused by faulty development of, or damage to, motor areas in the brain that disrupt the brain's ability to control movement and posture.

Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy include difficulty with fine motor tasks (such as writing or using scissors), difficulty maintaining balance or walking, and involuntary movements. The symptoms differ from person to person and may change over time.

Because he was born prematurely, doctors had several medical concerns about Charlie and his parents realised there was always a chance that Cerebral Palsy could become apparent.

"As time went on, it was evident that he wasn't sitting up when he should or walking when he should, said Mrs. McMartin.

"We were told he would require physical therapy, braces and so forth down the road, and he wears leg braces today, to help him walk.'' Mrs. McMartin said that her son entered the Riding for the Disabled's children's programme approximately four years ago while a student at Elliott Primary School based on the recommendation of his physiotherapist.

Now a student at Warwick Academy, he has continued with the programme, spending half an hour riding each Monday after school.

"It's great -- he's been in horse shows and has several ribbons,'' Charlie's mother said.

"They incorporate riding with all different kinds of activities -- they collect rings from a post, which they then put into a bucket, and they do windmills with their arms while on the horses. And, as a precaution, they have two guides for each child - one leading and the other by their side.'' "Garry is my favourite horse,'' said Charlie. "I like riding -- it's fun.'' Added Mrs. McMartin: "It's a great centre and obviously benefits the children if nothing more than for the fact that it gives children with different backgrounds opportunities and lets them ride. Charlie has very little physio so it's good for him if he can continue with riding. It helps with his balance and is very beneficial for trunk control. I do believe that animals are beneficial to children. It does help, especially for those children with special needs.'' It was after Liz Hartel won a Silver Medal for dressage in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki that riding as a therapy gained the recognition and attention of the medical profession. Since then, many organisations in many countries around the world have provided riding as therapy.

"Our mission is to provide riding for all persons with disabilities who would benefit either mentally or physically from riding therapy,'' explained Moyra Benbow, manager of Bermuda Riding for the Disabled Ltd.

"Horses can be used in various ways to contribute positively with cognitive skills and to the physical, emotional and social well being of persons with disabilities. The benefits appear to arise from the direct interaction between the horse and the individual as well as from the increasing mobility, mastery of skills, confidence, and self-esteem. It is a therapy that affects the person as a whole.

"It helps their self esteem as well as they physically bond with the horses,'' she added.

"For wheelchair children, it enables them to sit at eye level and enjoy the feel of walking. They get to handle the horses themselves. The motion itself is very therapeutic for disabled children. It gives therapy without having to do it on a bed or on the ground. This comes from the warmth of the horse and also the movement -- up and down, side to side -- it's very massaging as it moves all the muscles all the time. There is no negative treatment here.

Everything is positive success and fun.

"The children do stretching and limbering exercises on the horses as a way to get therapy. We've had wonderful feedback from doctors and parents. It tends to get them talking as it stimulates the nerves that are responsible for speech so we get better speech results than we would with them if they were sitting on a chair.'' Spina Bifida is a very serious condition that can be developed during pregnancy. Although Spina Bifida can lead to a life-long disability, it can also be a harmless condition with no disabilities at all.

The main cause known at the moment is a lack of certain vitamins, such as folic acid, which is crucial for the development of the fetus' nervous system.

In Spina Bifida the spinal process fails to join together, leaving a gap in the spine. This causes damage to the central nervous system, which consists of the brain and the spinal cord.

All activities are controlled by the brain which receives information from touching, seeing, feeling, tasting and hearing - responding to this information by initiating the appropriate movements of different parts of the body. Messages from the brain are carried to different parts of the body by the spinal cord that runs down the centre of the spinal column. This communication system for the body is very important and needs protection.

Jamir was diagnosed at birth, according to his mother Sonya, and became involved with the Riding for the Disabled Programme four years ago through Northlands Primary, where he is still a student.

"His legs are not that strong, he has a weakness below the knees,'' she explained.

"But he really enjoys it and always takes part in everything. It's great therapy for his legs and he gets to be exposed to different things.'' Despite his condition, Jamir is capable of walking without support. In addition to his Thursday afternoon sessions at WindReach, he is involved in other leg strengthening activities such as swimming and golf.

"It's great,'' he said. "I like it. I really enjoy riding.'' Since 1973 the local charity has made it its mission to provide riding horses as a means of therapy for people with mental or physical disabilities. It operates on a purpose-built equestrian centre located at WindReach Recreational Village in Warwick.

Riding high Managed by Mrs. Benbow and her assistant, Louise Cooke, the charity relies on the aid of 40 volunteers for everything from cleaning stables and feeding horses to assisting in riding therapy sessions for 65 adults and children each week.

As part of the Children's Programme, therapy is provided free of charge for 60 children per week, all of whom are referred through family, schools, therapists and medical practitioners. There are seven ponies used by the group, all of which were donated through the generosity of individuals and community groups. At present, demand for the programme exceeds the availability of horses and volunteers.

"We have volunteers from the Police Commissioner on down, who help us out the entire time we're open - from Monday to Saturday,'' Mrs. Benbow said.

"We don't charge for lessons at all. Most parents with disabled children have a lot on their hands already. They don't need to be faced with the added burden of finding additional finances for riding.'' Bermuda Riding for the Disabled was founded in 1973. Its mission is to provide riding for all persons with disabilities who would benefit either mentally or physically from riding therapy. It is affiliated with North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, the Federation of Riding for the Disabled International and the British Riding for the Disabled Association.

It occupies purpose-built facilities in Warwick which were completed in December 1996, and owned by The WindReach Bermuda Trust. WindReach provides office space, stables and equestrian rings to the group in its Recreational Village in exchange for a rental payment of $1 and one horseshoe a year.

A corps of 40 working volunteers does everything from cleaning stables and feeding horses to assisting in riding therapy sessions for 65 adults and children per week.

Children in the programme can work towards proficiency certificates, which involve both riding skills and stable management. These tests are based on the Riding for the Disabled Association tests from the United Kingdom.

Some children in the programme also train to become part of Bermuda's Paralympic Equestrian Team of the future.

Riding therapy uses horses to help build students' communication and interactive skills as well as their general physical fitness.

Lessons from this form of therapy carry over into the classroom and everyday life, resulting in the ability to follow directions and increased self-confidence, as well as improved physical strength, posture and co-ordination.

As the charity relies almost completely on volunteers for its daily operations, it holds a major fundraiser each year. Denim and Diamonds, a country and western evening held at WindReach, involves lots of fun including a silent auction, a riding display by the children, dinner and dancing. This year, it will be held on May 12.

Riding high Managed by Mrs. Benbow and her assistant, Louise Cooke, the charity relies on the aid of 40 volunteers for everything from cleaning stables and feeding horses to assisting in riding therapy sessions for 65 adults and children each week.

As part of the Children's Programme, therapy is provided free of charge for 60 children per week, all of whom are referred through family, schools, therapists and medical practitioners. There are seven ponies used by the group, all of which were donated through the generosity of individuals and community groups. At present, demand for the programme exceeds the availability of horses and volunteers.

"We have volunteers from the Police Commissioner on down, who help us out the entire time we're open - from Monday to Saturday,'' Mrs. Benbow said.

"We don't charge for lessons at all. Most parents with disabled children have a lot on their hands already. They don't need to be faced with the added burden of finding additional finances for riding.'' Bermuda Riding for the Disabled was founded in 1973. Its mission is to provide riding for all persons with disabilities who would benefit either mentally or physically from riding therapy. It is affiliated with North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, the Federation of Riding for the Disabled International and the British Riding for the Disabled Association.

It occupies purpose-built facilities in Warwick which were completed in December 1996, and owned by The WindReach Bermuda Trust. WindReach provides office space, stables and equestrian rings to the group in its Recreational Village in exchange for a rental payment of $1 and one horseshoe a year.

A corps of 40 working volunteers does everything from cleaning stables and feeding horses to assisting in riding therapy sessions for 65 adults and children per week.

Children in the programme can work towards proficiency certificates, which involve both riding skills and stable management. These tests are based on the Riding for the Disabled Association tests from the United Kingdom.

Some children in the programme also train to become part of Bermuda's Paralympic Equestrian Team of the future.

Riding therapy uses horses to help build students' communication and interactive skills as well as their general physical fitness.

Lessons from this form of therapy carry over into the classroom and everyday life, resulting in the ability to follow directions and increased self-confidence, as well as improved physical strength, posture and co-ordination.

As the charity relies almost completely on volunteers for its daily operations, it holds a major fundraiser each year. Denim and Diamonds, a country and western evening held at WindReach, involves lots of fun including a silent auction, a riding display by the children, dinner and dancing. This year, it will be held on May 12.

Photos by Nigel Richardson Back in the saddle: Charlie McMartin, above, at one of his Monday sessions at Bermuda Riding for the Disabled. The ten-year-old will soon undergo hamstring release therapy to help improve his walking. Jamir Simmons, below, is one of the facility's promising young riders after joining the Riding for the Disabled programme four years ago.